How much is the LO$$?

Ught oh

Michael, a most interesting shot - well done for adding it and thank you; it has produced some very interesting comments.
Kind regards
Mark

I have sailed as master on many vessels carrying containers over the last 40 years. So I was ammazed when it was deemed safe to carry containers on deck without bridge pieces.
I can understand why container companies would be averse to using bridge pieces on every container. However, it would be a smart move in my oppinion, if bridge pieces were used on the outer two tiers. Especially in winter time when bad weather is unavoidable.

@ Captain Ted;
This vessel is not equipped with automatic twistlocks, but the usual semi-automatic twist locks. Automatic twistlocks are indeed dangerous is similar situations. As far as I know smaller (feeder) ships are using them more often, I guess 95% of the bigger ones all use semi-automatic.

This vessel just had bad luck. Speed was OK, stowage was OK, lashing was OK, stability OK, just 'at the wrong time at the wrong place'...

Michael (Maersk Line)

This seems to be a classic example that saving money on the wrong side cost much more on the end. It all started in the cont business with not setting "bridge fittings" anymore in order to save labour cost. then the so-called automatic twist locks were invented. (I wonder if she still had them, heard 2-3 years ago that all of them were taken off the ships again) Bridge fittings are set on top of the highest tier in order to "clamp" them together, which makes out of the whole bay one block, much harder to topple or sway by hard rolling in heavy seas, which can then break the twistlocks. Semi-automatic have to be opened by hand but close automatic when the cont is loaded. Automatic twistlocks open and close as the name says fully automatic.
The problem is that the automatic twistlocks open on pressure release. The container gets lifted by a crane and when the pressure of the container weight disappears through the lifting they "pop-open". Unfortanately that happens also when containerships rolling hard and bridgefittings are not set. Then when the ship rolls to one side, the outer top container leans hard over the water and this triggers the realease of the automatic twistlocks (virtually it thinks that a crane lifts and opens) Prime example was in Feb 2006 ? when 4 container ships lost along the german/dutch coast and later a Cap Finisterre 100,s of container because of that. That was the point where automatic twistlocks were taken off from ships again. (Not sure all were taken off, but know that insurances wanted them off again because of the high percentage of openeings when they not supposed to open)
I was at that time capt on a container ship which supposed to get next arrival Europe the automatic twistlocks,which was then not done because of the Feb 06 happenings.
Anyone knows if they are now commonplace again or still not in use again ?

No, I was not the inspector.
A few people incl. the terminal representatives went there for inspecting the situation before vessel could enter the port. I am working @ Maersk Line Rotterdam/marine operations for this vessel after the unfortunate situation.

Great photo but whose copyright/credit? Just wondering!
Or was Mijnheer van der Meer an inspector in the helicopter?