Cargo Carried

[Capt Bill Davies]

In these days of containerisation there is little interaction between the mate and the Cargo carried. Sure, the contents of a container are manifested but that is not the same as loading and/or stowing same. It would be interesting to here of unusual cargo or problems associated with there loading, carriage and discharge. General, Bulk or Oil.

[Capt Bill Davies]

Loading in the PG usually went without too much of a problem. Various ports had there own peculiarities but once understood the next time was easier. Like most things in life it was a learning curve. Loading in Ras Tan in the mid 70s on one of the Mariner class. The Ch.Mate was on his first trip but nothing new as old DK would never except the Master was not 'proactive' in loading anyway. The usual ship/shore difference was around 0.5% which equated to 1400 tonnes in the ship in question withthe ship -ve. Forget about EDP, this was Universe Tankships. On this voyage we had a ship/shore difference of 590 tonnes +ve (less than .25%). I had never experienced so much trouble before or since. Solution. Simple, they reversed the figs. Texaco didn't seem to mind.

[Captain Gordon Whittaker]

It was proposed, last night, on a TV programme, the all containers should be X-rayed. While this would ascertain if the cargo had any resemblance to the manifested goods, it would also prolong the whole cargo operation, and, no doubt, escalate the cost. A good idea, in theory, but I fear, impractical. What would you see if a lining of lead was fitted?

[Capt Bill Davies]

It was proposed, last night, on a TV programme, the all containers should be X-rayed. While this would ascertain if the cargo had any resemblance to the manifested goods, it would also prolong the whole cargo operation, and, no doubt, escalate the cost. A good idea, in theory, but I fear, impractical. What would you see if a lining of lead was fitted?

John,

I think that would be like waving a red flag at a bull. The container would definitely be examined internally.

Brgds

Bill

[John Cassels]

Loading in the PG usually went without too much of a problem. Various ports had there own peculiarities but once understood the next time was easier. Like most things in life it was a learning curve. Loading in Ras Tan in the mid 70s on one of the Mariner class. The Ch.Mate was on his first trip but nothing new as old DK would never except the Master was not 'proactive' in loading anyway. The usual ship/shore difference was around 0.5% which equated to 1400 tonnes in the ship in question withthe ship -ve. Forget about EDP, this was Universe Tankships. On this voyage we had a ship/shore difference of 590 tonnes +ve (less than .25%). I had never experienced so much trouble before or since. Solution. Simple, they reversed the figs. Texaco didn't seem to mind.

I've tried for years to explain to people what "Jesus sticks " used for topping were , but to no avail.

How would you describe them Bill ?.

[John Cassels]

It was proposed, last night, on a TV programme, the all containers should be X-rayed. While this would ascertain if the cargo had any resemblance to the manifested goods, it would also prolong the whole cargo operation, and, no doubt, escalate the cost. A good idea, in theory, but I fear, impractical. What would you see if a lining of lead was fitted?

Gordon , as a formal container terminal manager , this would be possible at the in gate only , under the
cranes - forget it .

[Jim Brady]

My son told me a story of a Reefer,when the customer took reciept of it his full cargo of lingoustines was rotten.Obviously a big enquiry who was to blame for insurance purposes.As you know the Reefer is checked regularly temperarture etc.The Captain and the Mate knew that they were getting called in to explain how this could've happened.They produced a daily log of the Reefer times checked etc. to clear their backsides,they need'nt have bothered as the Reefer had not been placed in the correct place to be plugged in but had been placed amongst the rest of the containers.
Regards.
Jim.B.

[Mike Line]

I sailed with Clan Line /Union Castle in the early 70`s as a Deck Cadet & 3rd Officer (unc). We carried a varied cargo on most trips to and from Southern Africa and there about.
Of the more unusual were 15 White Rhino from Durban to London. These were loaded in individual wooden crates, on deck, forward of the bridge. With them came 2 SA Game keepers to administer injections and clean them out etc. We arrived in the Thames to a long running Dockers strike, anchored off Southend Pier and unloaded the Rhino into barges. Did a crew change at the end of the pier and set off to Nordenham in Germany to discharge the rest of the cargo.
On a smaller scale, each homeward run on the Windsor Castle had a few drums of frogs, used in an early form of pregnancy testing. I was one of the 3rd mates jobs the check these heaving drums of water each day to remove the prematurely dead amphibians and dispatch the over the side. While on the Windsor, we did of course carry Gold Bullion from Durban to Southampton, I counted them all in and then all out again; the counting out always seemed to be done with a hangover.
Another animal oddity, on the Southampton Castle this time, we took 12 lions from Southampton to Cape Town. These were English breed lions from circuses, being taken to improve the breeding stock in the Cape.

[Keith Tindell]

One of the cargo`s we carried while on the Baltic Trader, circa 1961, was a giraffe from Italy ( dont know how it got to Italy) to Von Opels private zoo in Germany. It was in a huge timber crate as deck cargo, the trouble was everyone kept feeding it spuds from the spud locker, and so we got rationed with spuds. Also when walking past the Giraffe late at night, forgetting it was there, it would reach down and nuzzle your neck, frighten you to death. regards keith Tindell

[Ivan Cloherty]

Maybe not as interesting as Giraffes and Frogs but a bit more volatile was the 6000 tonnes of ordnance carried out to Suez in 1956

Bombs, detonators, thousands upon thousands of jerry cans of aviation and tank fuel, cargo stowage had to be thought about very carefully, spending two weeks in Barry covering everybit of steel in the holds and tweendecks with manilla rope and burlap to avoid sparking. Have compressed air ejectors fitted in every compartment with ejector pipes running up the masts and indepent air compressors fitted for'd away from the engine room. Crew having instructions to wear only soft soled footwear. After loading all this volatile cargo the squaddies came aboard with their hobnailed boots to load tracked personnel carriers on deck which were driven up and down the deck into position with sparks flying everywhere, to say we were on tenterhooks maybe a mild understatement. We also carried out ten "Red Berets" out with us who seemed to delight in climbing the masts with all their arms just as we were venting off the fumes from the tank and aviation fuel, mind you there was no sign of them as we crossed the Bay of Biscay in very unpleasant conditions, that slowed them down a bit