Borchard Lines Ltd

Hazardous Cargo

Borchard Lines and Gracechurch Container Line are committed through their specialist dangerous goods team to supporting their cutomers in planning the transport of hazardous goods in Europe and the Near East to ensure smooth handling and compliance with the latest national and international regulations.

Our dangerous goods experts are available to discuss all topics with regard to the different international and national regulations, packaging and segregation requirements and will assist you to find solutions for special arrangements and exemptions via our relationships with the marine coast guard agencies.
Hazardous cargo documentation will be checked by our experts in a quick and reliable way ensuring compliance with the prevailing IMDG code, and also any specific local rules in the countries and ports that the cargo will transit.
Dangerous cargo is then stowed and segregated on board the vessel according to the hazardous cargo declarations to ensure the safety of cargo, the vessel, persons and the environment. It is therefore paramount that the information provided is complete and accurate and all persons involved in the preparation of hazardous documentation or handling of hazardous cargo, have had relevant training.

Containers

We have more than 23,000 TEU at your disposal including 20’, 40’, High Cube, Reefer and Open Top containers. We operate a continuous maintenance programme (ACEP) fully compliant with the CSC standards (Convention for Safe Containers) (IMO), which stipulate internationally adopted standards and requirements for safe operation. Our container fleet is subject to a program of continuous modernisation. The average age of a Borchard Lines container is less than six years.

Typical dimensions are as follows:

Type	Series	External			Internal			GWT (kg)	Payload (kg)
Type	Series	L	W	H	L	W	H	GWT (kg)	Payload (kg)
20'	MCLU 301…	20	8	8.5	19.4	7.7	7.8	2,200	28,210
	metric	6.10	2.44	2.59	5.90	2.35	2.39
40'	MCLU 4…	40	8	8.5	39.5	7.7	7.8	3,770	26,710
	metric	12.19	2.44	2.59	12.03	2.35	2.39
HC	MCLU 5…	40	8	9.5	39.5	7.7	8.8	3,950	26,530
	metric	12.19	2.44	2.90	12.03	2.35	2.69
Open Top	MCLU 35…	20	8	8.5	19	7.5	8	2,230	28,000
	metric	6.10	2.44	2.59	5.89	2.35	2.35
20' Reefer		20	8	8.5	17.8	7.5	7.5	2,270	24,100
	metric	6.10	2.44	2.59	5.44	2.29	2.27
40' Reefer		40	8	8.5	38.0	7.5	7.3	3,810	26,670
	metric	12.19	2.44	2.59	11.57	2.29	2.24
HC Reefer		40	8	9.5	38.0	7.5	8.3	3,785	29,600
	metric	12.19	2.44	2.90	11.57	2.29	2.54

N.B. Please contact the local agent in respect to the maximum allowable cargo weight to be loaded into the container as this may be less than the maximum payload for the container in consideration of restrictions at the port of loading / discharge, stowage requirements, inland transport rules, etc.

Please note that internal dimensions, Gross weights and Payloads may vary from container to container and further restrictions will apply due to the size of door openings. If you require specific details or have a specific requirement, please contact your local agent for more information.

Cargo Securing

Containers are fitted with lashing points, wooden floors and corrugated panels, which may be utilised together with shippers securing devices in properly securing their cargo for the ocean voyage. Our cargo experts are glad to be of assistance to any inquiries regarding stowage within a container and if there is anything we do not know, we will be able to direct you to an expert who can assist. Packing and securing your cargo properly first time will save costs and time for repacking of the cargo and will ensure its arrival in good order and condition.

Key points to consider for an Optimal Stowage include:

Strains caused by container transport on land and at sea
Weight limits of containers
Weight distribution within containers for heavy items
Function of packaging
Cargo securing facilities; Lashing, Bedding and Filling

Further information about container packing is available from the German Insurance Association at www.containerhandbuch.de which provides useful information regarding packing, lashing, stowage, products and law regulations, available in English and German language.

The UK P&I Club www.ukpandi.com also runs a number of initiatives designed to provide further training and advice to those involved in preparing goods for carriage by sea.