What are preparation of holds for loading General Cargo ?

 

  Two Primary points to consider :

• The nature of last cargo carried in the compartment
• The nature of cargo to be loaded

In any case, the hold must be clean, dry, well ventilated and having no traces of odour of the previous cargo.

The following is a summary of steps that would require attention :

• Clear sufficient space in the wings so that reusable dunnage could be stacked neatly.
• Send up old and unserviceable dunnage on deck for disposal.
• Sweep hold and send rubbish up on deck.
• Clean side battens and ensure that they are shipped properly and replace missing ones.
• If requires washing down, speed up the drying process by ventilation if necessary
• Clean the bilges, cement or lime wash if required. Holes in baffle plates of strum boxes to clean.
• Clean , dry and unstained dunnage to be kept ready.
• Test bilge suction by filling bilge well with water and pumping it out.
• Test fire detection system by generating smoke under the detection heads in the holds. Smoke should be drawn into the detecting unit and visual and audible alarm should function.
• Test the CO2 extinguishing system by “ blowing through”.
• Ensure that the compartment is free from rodent, cockroaches.
• Guardrails to be erected around openings to prevent accidental fall.
• Tween deck scuppers to be inspected.