Empty containers floating in the sea at Keppel Terminal after falling into the water due to strong winds in December 2022. - The Straits Times/ANN
SINGAPORE, April 8 (The Straits times/ANN): After sudden gusts of strong wind blew 15 empty containers off Keppel Terminal and into the water in December 2022, container terminal operator PSA Corporation is adjusting the way containers are stacked in its storage area.
At the same time, PSA is conducting long-term studies to come up with mitigation measures for future weather scenarios, said a Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) spokesman in response to queries from The Straits Times.
There were “no reported injuries and no immediate impact to port operations” due to the December incident, according to MPA in an earlier statement.
The moves will ensure resilience and safety at the Pasir Panjang Terminal and the new Tuas Port, the spokesman added.
Container-stacking rules in the yards of ports will see only like-sized containers stacked corner post to corner post, meaning that 20ft containers will not be stacked on top of 40ft containers.
A yard is the area where containers are temporarily stored in the terminal before they are loaded onto or offloaded from a ship.
These rules have been put in place to mitigate the effect of sudden squalls.
Empty containers must be stacked lengthwise in rows, with each row consisting of at least three containers. The first row should be at least two containers high, with the next rows increasing in height by one container, up to a limit of six containers high, forming a stepped block.
The containers must be stacked back to back, with no space in between.
An empty 20ft container weighs around two tonnes, while a 40ft container weighs around three tonnes.
PSA declined to reply to ST queries on previous container stacking rules.
Measures already exist to prevent containers from being blown off ships in ports, the MPA spokesman said.
Ships must comply with the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea on the stowage and securing of cargo and containers carried on board, and must follow cargo-securing manuals approved by the “respective administrations of the ships”.
“In addition, MPA’s Port Operations Control Centre (POCC) also monitors and obtains weather information and forecasts from Meteorological Service Singapore (MSS),” said the spokesman.
The POCC will issue safety broadcasts to ships before expected inclement weather strikes, with ship masters, or captains, advised to navigate with caution and stay alert while anchored in port, added the spokesman.
According to MSS, in the early north-east monsoon season from December to early January, wind speed ranges from 25kmh to 35kmh. Stronger winds could hit from June to September during the south-east monsoon, when gusts of between 40kmh and 80kmh are likely to occurr.
And when wind speeds exceed 28kmh, MPA said harbour pilots can defer helping ships to berth or unberth. - The Straits Times/ANN
