This is Cargo Chat, our new monthly column on safety matters related to cargo handling. The column is brought to you by ICHCA International, a representative organisation of international cargo handling interests. It is based on ICHCA International’s bimonthly e-newsletter and International Safety Panel activities.
We hope you will find this column informative and useful. Send your questions to cargo@forkliftaction.com.
Q. How many containers and how many container movements are there in a year?
A. Containers are counted according to the number of twenty foot equivalent units (TEU) and the best information currently available suggests that there are 17,234,000 TEU in the world of which 16,400,000 TEU are maritime containers. They represent almost 11 million actual boxes.
This is made up of:
| | TEU | %age | Number | %age | | 20 ft | 5.3 | 32.3% | 5.3 | 48.8% | | 40 ft | 5.6 | 34.1% | 2.8 | 25.8% | | 40 ft HQ | 5.1 | 31.1% | 2.55 | 23.5% | | 45 ft | 0.4 | 2.4% | 0.2 |
1.8% | | | | | | | | Total | 16.4 million | | 10.85 million | |
Figures for handling for 2004 have not yet been collated but based upon previous years, it is estimated that the total number of TEU handled by the port industry last year would be approximately 300 million. As the number of TEU handled by the top 100 ports in 2001 totalled 200 million, it will be seen just how fast this means of cargo transportation is growing.
Q. Are batteries attached to forklift trucks considered as dangerous goods for shipment by sea?
A. Such a simple question took a great deal of delving in order to come to an answer but the short reply is that batteries being shipped with a piece of machinery as part of that machinery are not considered by the International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code (IMDG Code) to be dangerous. There was a time when they were but not now. This does not stop a Competent Authority (Maritime Administration) or a shipping company from requiring such a declaration but it is not required by the Code.
Send your questions to cargo@forkliftaction.com.
Contact ICHCA International:
Suite 2, 85 Western Road, Romford, Essex, RM1 3LS, UK
Tel: +44 (0) 1708 735295 Fax: +44 (0) 1708 735225
Email: info@ichcainternational.co.uk
Website: http://www.ichcainternational.co.uk
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