Stop for a moment and think: how many loads are transported, per day, around the world? A huge amount, without a doubt. And for all of this to be handled in an organized manner and on time, there is a Load Plan.

So, this means that, regardless of the type of import or export, it is crucial to have a plan for your operations.

To clarify this subject, we at the Lachmann team will talk about the concept of Load Planning, what information it should contain, among other very important points.

Continue reading the article and enjoy the information!

What is a Load Plan?

A Load Plan is a type of document that aims to make loading and unloading — of ships — more practical, agile, safe, organized and at the lowest possible cost.

With this, it is possible to optimize all aspects of operations and ensure the stability of the ship (during voyages). In addition, it is easier to avoid rehandling containers.

Regarding the standard that regulates the mandatory nature of the cargo plan, this is questionable because NR18 and NR12 have some citations that refer to the movement of cargo by mobile crane and this specific type of operation is planned through another document called a rigging plan.

Understand the importance of the load plan for efficient logistics

Sea transport is one of the great solutions for trade between countries. After all, vessels have the capacity to carry tons and tons of cargo.

Another interesting point is that shipping by sea is cheaper, compared to air transport, for example.

These facilities make ships key points for imports and exports.

Brazil alone, for example, exports: oil, soybeans, iron ore, corn, meat, sugar, soybean meal and much more.

The Port of Santos itself has impressive movements of goods. To give you an idea, in 2021, more than 147 million tons passed through there — a record, by the way.

But why are we talking about these movements?

All this to say: maritime transport around the world is intense. And if there is no load plan, everything becomes chaos.

Imagine, for example, that you arrive at the Port of Santos with a ship full of Portuguese wines. You don’t have a plan and need to unload everything as soon as possible.

What would happen, in this case, would be a huge wait for unloading — which, consequently, would cause wasted time and money with the cost of container demurrage, for example. 

Therefore, the ship loading plan serves to make transportation viable (as a whole).

Understand what makes up a load plan

But, after all, how can the loading plan facilitate processes? What information does it provide?

See what needs to be reported in the document:

Quantity of cargo;

Size of cargo;

Weight of cargo;

Goods released to the ports involved in the processes;

Care for unloading goods;

Storage capacity of the ship’s hold;

Floor resistance capacity;

Ship’s plain capacity (operational capacity of the ship);

Expected tolerance;

Actions in case of climate changes (rain, storm, etc.).

In addition to the standard information already mentioned, the plan may have specific features.

In this case, for example, information is included about: whether or not to operate in adverse weather conditions, ship sharing (i.e. cargo from several companies transported on a single vessel, etc.).

And what is the role of the Ship Planner in this activity?

The Ship Planner is the professional responsible for preparing the cargo plan on the container ship through systems that allow organizing the distribution of goods, always aiming at cost reduction, safety and improvement in logistics.

Did you know? Neglecting the load plan can be really dangerous.

In fact, load planning takes care of all the logistics of the goods. More than that, it avoids possible serious problems. Some examples of this are:

Delays in loading or unloading;

Waste of time;

Loss of money;

Waste of goods (that have an expiration date or that require special care);

Among others.

Furthermore, negligence can cause serious accidents…

For example, if the cargo in the containers is dangerous (explosive) and, even so, it is transported in a compartment of the ship where it is very hot — there is a risk of explosion.

In this case, the waste can be enormous, not to mention the risks to the crew.

Completion

You can see that load planning is something that requires a lot of attention, right?

At the same time, it is essential to adopt this type of procedure.

After all, it helps to ensure safer, more practical, agile and economical transportation operations. In addition, it can even prevent serious accidents.

In view of all this, count on Lachmann’s tradition and excellence!

The shipping agency service already foresees and carries out all the necessary care for cargo transportation.

Get all the help of a shipping agent to find the best ports (around the world), arrange documents and dispatches, negotiate with suppliers, hire services and support for the crew, and much more!

Find out more information here and be successful in imports and/or exports!