Industry Joins Debate at ICHCA Seminar

David Tozer, Global Manager of Container Ships at Lloyd’s Register, Lars Meurling, Vice President of Marketing and Product Business Development at Bromma Conquip, and Markus Theuerholz, Sales Manager at German Lashing Robert Böck will be providing separate addresses at ICHCA’s Container Lashing & Securing Seminar, taking place at ECT’s Delta Terminal, Rotterdam on 10 December.

Mr. Tozer’s address will explore the increased importance of voyage and season dependent container lashing and securing, as larger container vessels, such as Maersk’s “Triple-E” Class, increase the forces exerted on cargo at sea. Mr Tozer will also discuss LR’s “21stCentury” lashing force calculation method and the “Boxmax (V, W)” special notation. In addition, he will discuss the re-emergence of “external” as opposed to “internal” cross lashing. Touching on crew and stevedore safety, he will mention recent MSC Circulars and changes to the CSS Code championed by ICHCA International among other NGOs.

Discussing ways that automation in load and discharge operations can reduce the risks to operatives working on the ship and quayside, will be Lars Meurling, Vice President of Marketing and Product Business Development at Bromma Conquip, one of the world’s largest manufacturers of crane spreaders. Mr. Meurling will be lending his perspective on the benefits of using technology to automate the coning and deconing of twistlocks. Load and discharge operation “still require manned operations” explains Mr. Meurling, “meaning that personnel will be present under the gantry crane in the vicinity of containers hanging under the spreader.” His talk will address the potential for fully automated twistlock handling in manual operations as well as automated terminals.

In contrast, Markus Theuerholz, Sales Manager at German Lashing Robert Böck, will argue that “lashing work with turnbuckles and lashing rods will remain manual work for further years.” His talk will also address design issues in container lashing and securing, with particular focus on important safety measures introduced by the IMO’s new Code of Safe Practice. “Lashing work will be more complicated,” predicts Mr. Theuerholz, “especially with the new limit on the use of extension rods and the number of different fittings needed to follow Annex 14.”

The one-day seminar features presentations by other expert speakers from across the cargo chain, including: Larry Keiman, Managing Director of Matrans Holding; David Wilson, Head of Health & Safety at Hutchison Ports UK; Bill Brassington of ETS Consulting; and Jos Koning, Senior Project Manager, Trials and Monitoring, at MARIN. Attendees will have the opportunity to take part in a live study tour of ECT’s Delta facility – the world’s first automated container terminal. In addition, breakout work groups will provide a chance to discuss practical solutions to the damage, loss, injuries and death associated with poor lashing and securing.

For the full program and list of participating speakers, plus online booking, visit http://www.etouches.com/ichcacontainerlashingseminar.