An article by Andrew Guest of BIMCO is published today titled “Boxes of known unknowns” which discusses the declarations and misdeclarations of container cargo. The article states that the maritime industry is familiar with the problem of misdeclarations and believes that not only the true nature of the contents of many containers but also their true weight is not known. These gaps compromise safety in the industry, and are not easy to be filled. The article quotes the MSC Flaminia, Charlotte Maersk, Cape Fresco and MOL Comfort as three examples of accidents where misdeclared goods might have played a role. The recent dramatic splitting in two of the MOL Comfort and the subsequent sinking of its aft section, immediately prompted a demand for quick answers that cannot be readily provided. Speculation that overweight containers may have been a contributory factor has been based on previous incidents. The MAIB report on the MSC Napoli accident states that discrepancy in container weights was a widespread practice and was responsible, among other reasons for the accident. The report added that pre-embarkation weighing was essential if stresses on containerships were to be accurately controlled. To read the whole article, please follow the link: https://bimco.org/en/news/2013/07/03_feature_week_27.aspx
Posted on: Wed, 03 Jul 2013 08:25:54 +0000
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