Lashing & Securing
Lashing is the work of securing cargo and containers aboard a ship so they cannot shift, topple or be lost in the violent motion of a seaway. Containers are locked together and to the ship with twistlocks, lashing rods, turnbuckles and stacking cones; break-bulk and project cargo are secured with chains, wires, straps and dunnage in the hold or on deck.
Securing must follow the ship's approved Cargo Securing Manual and account for the cargo's weight, the stack height and the expected forces — under-lashed cargo causes container stack collapses and cargo loss overboard, over-height and heavy loads need extra securing, and errors cause damage, injury and pollution. Correct lashing is a shared responsibility of the ship's officers and the stevedores, and a key check in safe stowage and cargo care.
Thousands of containers are lost overboard in bad weather when cargo isn't secured to the forces it will actually meet — a safety, environmental and financial disaster each time. Correct lashing, to the Cargo Securing Manual and the real loads, is what keeps cargo on the ship. It is where stowage planning meets physical reality on deck.
How are containers lashed?
With twistlocks locking boxes together and to the ship, plus lashing rods and turnbuckles on lower tiers, per the Cargo Securing Manual.
Why does lashing matter?
Under-secured cargo shifts or goes overboard in heavy weather, causing stack collapses, cargo loss, injuries and pollution.