As part of our mission, National Cargo Bureau (NCB) conducts thousands of surveys related to the stowage and securing of cargoes on flatracks each year.  Increasingly, NCB surveyors are seeing cargoes presented for inspection that may be considered inappropriate for carriage on a flatrack, primarily due to extreme width, approaching 20ft in some instances.  This may be of particular concern to insurers of relevant high value and / or business critical cargos shipped in this manner.  

Extreme overwidth cargoes stowed on flatracks can create challenges for securing due to limited number of, and access to lashing points, particularly for heavy cargoes, compounded by an inability to properly secure against tipping.  This is notably relevant as these flatracks generally cannot be overstowed and are, therefore, subjected to stowage on the top tier of container stacks, thus potentially exposed to the greatest acceleration forces due to ship motions, principally rolling. This also means that these flatracks are likely to be inaccessible. In the event of any lashing failure or cargo shift, there may be no opportunity to take corrective measures and progressive failure may occur, resulting in significant risks to personnel, ship, cargo, and the environment. 

Additionally, extreme overwidth cargo may be inadequately unsupported where it extends beyond the width of the flatrack, potentially resulting in cargo damage as the unsupported area may sag under handling, vibration, or other motions experienced during transit. 

To minimize this risk, NCB recommends that cargo exceeding 12 feet (3.66 m) in width undergo detailed evaluation in consultation with the ocean carrier, to determine suitability. After evaluation, cargoes found not suitable for proper securing or bedding on a single flatrack could be loaded as break-bulk, allowing for optimal lashing leads, and ensuring the cargo is fully supported.   

For further details and additional guidance, interested parties can access the full NCB Risk Alert Bulletin here.