Therefore, during stowage the first consideration must be given to safety, i.e. the
cargo must be stowed so that the ship will be stable and seaworthy, and it must be
secured in such a manner that it cannot shift if the vessel encounters bad weather.
The type of vessel, the cubic capacity of her compartments destined for the cargo
and the appliances on board or on shore for loading or discharging, as well as the
nature of the cargo, affect the question of how to stow the cargo in the best
• damage to cargo
• deterioration
• liability to damage
• decay
• measurement
• methods of packing
• stowage
• dunnaging
• handling
• stevedores
• safety of the ship
• stable and seaworthy ship
• compartments
• shifting
• tainting
• sweating
• broaching of cargo
• trim
• draught marks
• heel-list
• load lines
possible manner. The ship must be made neither stiff nor too tender. The next
consideration is for the safety of the cargo itself: it must not be damaged by
shifting; certain commodities become easily tainted by others, water might find its
way into the hold and condensation or sweating must be prevented. Valuable
cargo may be stolen or broached.
Finally, the Chief Officer must bear in mind the various destinations of the goods
the ship carries, and arrange things, as far as he can, to see that the cargo for a
certain place can be lifted out without disturbing the other cargo. The Chief
Officer must watch closely the ship's stability (i.e. what the ship's trim is or how
she is sitting).