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Practical Ways to Cut Costs in’ Carqo Handling | i, 7 | HE ane H Conducted by H.E.STOCKER , Supervising Cargo Handling and Stowage A, Deck Officer's Point of View of attention to supervision of car- go handling and stowage by the mates. Theoretically the plan of having a mate in each hatch is ideal, but practically, under conditions prevailing on most ships, it doesn’t work out as intended. It is another case of the office giving instructions without full appreciation of or ignor- ing the circumstances involved. If the office made it a point to find out whether or not its instructions could be made to work in a practical man- ner, there would be either a modifi- cation of the instructions or of the conditions that prevent the instruc- tions from being carried out. Just recently a _ safety circular came out instructing the mates and stevedores to bolt strongbacks when working cargo, so that they could not be unshipped, and thus cause an accident. It would seem that the office should first make certain that the ship’s strongbacks could be bolted. Orders had been given which could not be obeyed. In a ease of this kind it would of course be the officers’ duty to call the port captain’s attention to the matter at once, HAVE been giving a great deal A Ship’s Port Time It is the same way, to a large de- gree, with the idea of having a mate in each hatch. The rule does not work as planned because it does not allow for the practical difficulties in- volved. Take for instance port time of one of our ships in port. The ship will 32 By RE le arrive Friday morning 8 a.m. The first mate has been on the _ bridge since 4 a.m.; the second mate was on bridge from 12 to 4 a.m, and the third mate was on bridge until 12 p.m, the previous night, What is the actual procedure in these circumstances? The chief mate comes off duty at 8 a.m. He has breakfast, puts the bos’un to work, and meets the stevedore with a cargo plan and other particulars of the cargo, The second mate was called half an hour before docking. He may or may not have had his breakfast; he is required to be on the after deck at 8 a.m. when the longshoremen come on to rig gear and open the hatches. The third mate was called half an hour before docking. He may or may not have had breakfast; he is required to be on the forward deck at 8 a.m, when the longshoremen come on to rig gear and open hatches. From 8 a.m. to 12 noon the ship is working cargo in four hatches. The chief mate is required to be at the disposal of the stevedore, to go back and forth between ship and pier; supervise work on such things as cannot be done at sea, as well as being at the call of captain in pay- ing off and other matters. Also he is consulted by the marine superin- tendent as to repairs, stores, ete. The second mate is required to be permanently on the after deck and in the holds, while the third mate is MARINE REVIEw—May, 1934 required to be on forward deck and in holds. From 12 to 1 p.m., din- ner and personal matters are attend- ed_ to: from 1 to 5 p.m., the sched- ule is the same as in the forenoon. Probably it has been a question all afternoon whether or not the ship will work overtime that night. Usual- ly definite instructions are not re- ceived until between 4 and 5 p.m. Then the chief mate and the second mate are off the ship. This leaves the third mate in complete charge of all loading, One man is on duty during the night, when in reality it is far more important that there be a full complement of men than in the daytime. Other Duties of Mate At 12 midnight, the discharging is stopped. At 8 a.m. Saturday load- ing commences, The chief mate is required to be on duty, as above, but with the exceptions of taking on new members of the crew instead of dis- charging the old crew, checking up on stores and in general preparing the ship for the voyage, Also he must hold himself at the disposal of the stevedore as to loading cargo which should require more of his time than the discharging did, And then the captain calls on him from time to time in connection with vari- ous matters, The second mate is requried to be on the after deck, as above, and the third mate is forward, regardless of duty the night before. From 8 a.m. to noon, the schedule is the same as above; from 12 noon to 1 p.m., din-