Cases,Crates,Cartons, Drums,Barrels,Casks, etc.Handling technics

Cases,Crates,Cartons, Drums,Barrels,Casks, etc.handling technics

Materials for cases,crates & cartons

crates

Cases and crates are usually constructed of plywood or thin low grade timber. Heavier cases may be built up of 150mm×5mm (6×1) planks with strengthening pieces internally and externally while some are built in a skeletal fashion to allow air to permeate through the contents and/or to reduce the weight. Larger cases and crates will almost certainly have skids or bearers about 50mm (2") deep to allow a fork lift to gain entry, or for slings to be put in position.

wooden-case

Large cases with high density goods may be constructed with particular points specially strengthened for lifting. These will be marked on the outside and any slings, snotters, chains, etc., should be slung at those points; similarly any securing in stow should make use of the strong points. Wooden crates and cases may have to be treated to comply with quarantine regulations of the exporting and/or importing country.

Cartons are usually made of single or multi-wall fibreboard. Very often the contents provide part of the strength and shape for the carton, and this should be borne in mind when stowing. Some carton material is waxed or otherwise protected against moisture absorption.

carton

Commodities

Cases and cartons are used for a very wide range of commodities depending on the requirement of the particular cargo. Canned goods are nearly always packed in cartons. Many refrigerated goods are packed in cartons or open-sided crates. Attractive items that may be vulnerable to pilferage are often packed in strong well-constructed cases.

Characteristics

Some large cased goods, e.g. C.K.D. (cars knocked down), may be stored outside prior to shipment. Thus, the crates (and sometimes the contents) are wet or damp on shipment and introduce moisture into the hold, container, etc., to the detriment of other cargo. Very large cases of construction equipment may be moved great distances after discharge and the packaging is most important for the protection of the contents as well as sometimes having a subsequent use as storage or even temporary accommodation. It should also be noted that crates or cases holding machinery may leak oil.

Cartons may absorb or give out moisture under varying atmospheric conditions and carton material will equalise with the moisture content of the air surrounding it in about 36 hours. Thus cartons of goods from a damp area may be relatively full of moisture when loaded into a hold or container. A moisture content of less than 12% in the fibreboard is usually considered safe from this particular problem.

It has been known for carton material to be wetted by the packers of goods to make the material more flexible and easier to put into shape prior to filling with canned goods. A container load or a compartment load of carton goods can therefore have a very high volume of moisture inherent in the cartons at the time of loading, with subsequent possible problems of condensation .

Handling

Where relevant, shipper's/charterer's instructions should be obtained as to how high particular cases, cartons, etc., may be stowed. It may be necessary to dunnage at intervals to avoid tier compression.

Hand hooks should never be used with cartons although they can sometimes be used to good effect on heavy crates. Very heavy crates normally require mechanical handling equipment. Cartons are best lifted on board or ashore by means of cargo trays. The slinging of heavy crates mentioned above should be undertaken with due regard to the strength points in the crates themselves. Metal strapping or banding round crates, cases and cartons should never be used as lifting points.

Stowage

Heavy cases should be reserved for bottom stowage where possible, with smaller packages on top. Small, very heavy packages should not be placed on top of and within the four corners of a larger, lighter package to avoid the risk of the lower case collapsing. Any marks or indications for upright or protected stowage should be carefully observed.

Light cases and cartons should be stowed one upon the other so that each one below bears the full weight of the one above and particularly in the case of cartons of canned goods, no overhangs should occur which might distort the cartons and rupture the contents. Refrigerated cargo requires special care to ensure that adequate air can move through and around the cases, crates or cartons as required for the particular commodity .

Any broken or holed cartons, cases or crates should be examined at time of loading and if the contents are intact they should be repaired prior to stowing. Pilfered or badly damaged cases, etc., should be rejected or the bills of lading claused accordingly.

casks

Drums, Barrels, Casks, etc.

Drums may be made out of metal, fibreboard or rigid plastic. Casks are built of wooden staves bound by hoops.

Commodities

Liquids such as latex, chemicals, whisky, detergents, oils, molasses, casings, paints, etc., may be carried in drums and casks. Powders, granules and other solids such as chemicals, cement, some ores, swarf and scrap metal (usually in second-hand drums) may also be shipped in such containers. Some of the above may be classed as Dangerous Goods, in which case the packaging requires the appropriate approvals and labelling.

barrels

Characteristics

The bilge (the part with the greatest circumference) of a barrel or cask is the part least able to support external pressure, so the weight should be taken by the quarterwhich is near the ends. Metal drums may have hoops to improve their strength and to facilitate rolling and manoeuvring by hand. Care should be taken to achieve a level stow as the bands or rims may produce chafe damage to adjacent drums or other cargo packaging. Light drums such as fibreboard can only take top weight when in the upright position.

Drums Handling

Drums are normally handled with rope slings, nets or trays. Metal drums may be lifted using drum handling attachments or mechanical equipment which grips the top rim of the drum. Care by the operator is needed to avoid puncturing the drum when gripping or carrying in this way. Side clamps and barrel handlers are also standard attachments for mechanical handling equipment and are used if drums and barrels are sufficiently robust to take this type of treatment.

drums

Drums and barrels should not be balanced on the tines of a fork lift truck for positioning and stowage as this system is prone to accidents and spillages. If drums or barrels are placed on pallets there will be a loss of space particularly if the pallet is not square and does not have plan dimensions which are multiples of the diameter of the drum. While it is not recommended, it may occasionally be necessary for drums to be dropped, e.g. while unloading a container on a trailer to ground level. In this case some form of protection should be provided on the ground (e.g. old tyres) to break the fall.

Drums Stowage

Drums stowed on their side should not have other cargo stowed on top. Drums holding liquids should always be at the bottom of the stow with the bung or lid uppermost. Barrels stowed on their sides should be "bung up and bilge free", i.e. the bilge of the barrel should not support any weight, and quoins (shaped wedges) should be used to support the weight at the quarter.

As a general rule, fibreboard drums should always be upright. When more than one tier of metal drums are to be stowed, particularly into a container where vibration may be experienced during inland transport, it is prudent to lay soft dunnage (wood, hardboard, chipboard) between each tier. This may not be necessary if drums are designed to nest one above the other, although it is usually prudent to provide intermediate dunnage in a container, which allows the rings of the drums to bite in and grip and also protects against chafe. Since some rolling hoops on metal drums form part of the drum wall itself, these hoops may be very vulnerable to chafe, and in some instances may need protection with soft dunnage to prevent them rubbing one against the other and rupturing while in transit.

The tops of drums which have been standing out in the open may hold rain water, frost or snow trapped within the rims. This should be tipped out and if possible the damp areas allowed to dry before loading into a compartment or stuffing into a containerparticularly if other cargo in that compartment can be affected by moisture.

Returned empties (i.e. drums, barrels, etc., which have been emptied of their cargo and are being returned to source) should be treated as far as contamination, source of liquid, dust, etc., is concerned as though they still held the original contents, unless a certificate is provided to say otherwise. In particular, empties being returned after carrying Dangerous Goods should be treated as dangerous unless a chemist's certificate declares that they are free of residue from the previous cargo .

Drums and casks discharging

Drums and casks should not be dragged out from wings or out of a tight stow using snotters or slings as any damage sustained at this stage will be to the ship's account. .

Summarized below some more details on general cargo ship cargo handling procedure and operational info:

Cargo handling procedure for general cargo ship

Cases,Crates,Cartons, Drums,Barrels,Casks, etc.handling technics

Drums, Barrels, Casks, etc.

Machinery system main info pages