Due to recent concerns of our group company insurance, we have been instructed to be careful in providing services to improper containers i.e. overweight, improperly packaged, structurally damaged, etc.  Handling these containers can create significant legal, liability and safety risks to the terminal and vessel.   

A container is overweight when it weighs more than the declared maximum gross weight written on the manifest or is over the maximum allowable weight allowed for the container. A container is improperly packed when the distribution of the goods within the container is not properly balance, or the goods inside the container are insufficiently secured to prevent movement.  

Not only are there potential risks for the terminal with unsafely loaded containers, but also with shipping lines such as;

• Damage to terminal equipment or injury to personnel
• Collapse of the container, damage to the contents and consequent liability, damage or loss of a vessel at sea – if there are many inaccurately declared or overweight containers this could compromise the strength or stability of the vessel
• A truck or rail accident outside the terminal and possible consequential legal liability.
• You could have problems in any insurance claim process (both for damage to the equipment and any resultant cargo liabilities) if we knowingly handled an overweight or unstable container, etc.

The practice does not send a positive risk management message to all parties. 

We, therefore, would like to advise you that our terminal cannot compromise with overweight and improperly loaded containers in any cases. These regulations will be effective from the 1^st of July 2009.

We wish to thank you for your valued account and know that you will understand the necessity for these measures in order to provide a safe working environment and effective risk management.