Types of packaging & stowage methods for break bulk cargo

Types of packaging & stowage methods for break bulk cargo

Commodities shipped in general cargo ships

The exporter or seller is usually responsible for packing the goods for break bulk cargo, whereby a consolidated consignment is broken down on delivery for distribution to individual consignees. The type of packaging required for any product varies with the nature and volume of the product as well as the method of transport it is carried over. Generally the following types of packaging are used:

Bagged cargo

The commodity itself has to be robust to withstand outside pressure and compression, for the bags will only hold the contents in one place and will not provide protection against external damage. Such commodities might typically be fertilizers, grain (rice, maize, wheat, etc.), seeds, dried fruit, sugar, coconut, coffee, fresh vegetables, frozen offal (meat from carcasses), flour, copra, small items such as shells, raisins, etc., mail, salt, mineral sands and ores, meal (fish, seed, copra, etc.), dried blood, dried milk etc..

Fibreboard boxes and cartons

Fibreboard boxes and cartons are very widely used for the sake of economy and efficiency. Although comparatively cheap, they are able to withstand normal transport hazards and protect the contents against loss or damage. They may be particularly suitable in the case of goods carried in containers from the point of origin to the destination provided the goods are not fragile. But if the containers have to be unloaded at the port of discharge for further transport to their final destination, they may have to be placed on pallets and securely strapped in order to protect them from pilferage and damage. Depending upon the nature of the commodities, cartons of the right type of suitable strength and sizes should be used.

Wooden cases

These have stood the test of time and their main advantage is that they have the wall strength to support superimposed loads. They are more expensive than the carton-type packing due to the cost of wood. Wooden cases are particularly suitable when the goods are carried by conventional methods and, when they are sensitive to heat, dampness, etc. The goods may require protection by way of packing with layers of insulating material, tar paper, sealed plastic covering etc. There are different types of wooden cases, including those made of plywood, which are being increasingly used by exporters.

Fig : Wooden crates

Wooden crates

These are suitable for wooden packages built like a skeleton. The open crate can be used when the contents are sufficiently resilient to require a minimal form of packing to facilitate handling and stowage. Sometimes, it is used as an outer package to consolidate fibreboard boxes or give cartons extra protection. The skeleton crate is often used for the carriage of large pieces of machinery.

Bales

For certain trades, the use of hessian-wrapped bales is suitable, particularly when the product permits pressure baling or compression by banding. It is, however, vulnerable to pilferage, damage by handling using looks, etc..

barrel

Fig :Barrel

Drums, barrels, casks

These are generally used for liquids such as latex, chemicals, whisky, detergents, oil, molasses, casings, paints, powders, granules and other solids such as chemicals, cement, some ores and scrap metal.

Shrink wrapping

Dry chemicals, granular and powdered substances in bags cannot be easily strapped on to a pallet. When these items have to be unitised, bags are stowed on the pallet and interlocked; a polythene sheet of suitable gauge is then draped over the bags. This unit is then passed through a tunnel oven where polythene is heat-sealed tight, binding the bags to the pallet to form a good unit load.

Lift vans

When household goods such as tables, chairs, cupboards, glassware, brassware, etc., have to be moved, especially from one country to another, they have to be packed in "lift vans" which are unit loads specially built for the purpose. They are generally made of wood, lined with waterproof material on all sides and additional metallic proofing on the roof to prevent damage by rain and sun. These units are made to be handled by forklift trucks and packed in ISO 20 foot containers.

Preservation against corrosion

Machinery when being packed for export by sea has to be preserved against humidity and corrosion. All the open parts are chemically treated and sometimes greased. The best preservation is to vacuum-seal the machine. The machine is covered by high density polythene which is draped aver the unit and heat-sealed. A vacuum pump then draws the air out of the polythene and the machine is preserved for as long as one year under vacuum. In lift vans and other packaging, silica gel in sufficient quantity is used, depending on the volume of the package.

Special cargo

There are also various other types of packages designed for special commodities moving by different forms of transport. For example, there are special types of packages for air shipments of commodities like fresh vegetables, meat etc. Again the unit load device (ULD) system adopted for air transport includes containers of metal and fibre-glass as well as lightweight pallets.

In regard to shipments of ready-made clothes, the latest development, garments on hangers (GOH), is that they are carried on hangers inside containers for delivery in the same condition as they left to the consignees' premises or to the department stores at their destination.

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

Cargo handling procedure for general cargo ship

Types of packaging & stowage methods for break bulk cargo

Machinery system main info pages