What is meaning of Contamination of cargo on ships?

Cargoes which taint easily, e.g. tea, flour, tobacco, etc. should be kept well away from strong smelling cargoes.

If a pungent cargo has been carried previously, i.e. cloves or cinnamon for example, the compartment should be deodorized before loading the next cargo.

Dirty cargoes should never be carried in the same compartment as clean cargoes. A general comparison of dirty cargoes would include such commodities as oils, paints or animal products, whereas clean cargoes would cover the likes of foodstuffs or fabrics. Obviously some notable exceptions in each of the two classes are to be found.