Stowage

Stowage refers to the process of reasonably allocating and arranging cargo to various ship compartments before loading, based on factors such as the nature, packaging, volume, weight of the cargo, as well as the ship's compartment capacity and route. Its purpose is to ensure ship stability, prevent cargo damage, improve compartment space utilization, and comply with international maritime dangerous goods regulations. Usage scenarios include bulk cargo, container, and breakbulk transport, and it is particularly critical in bulk commodity and LCL operations. Precautions: consider cargo compatibility (e.g., segregation of dangerous goods), loading and unloading sequence, port call order, and avoid heavy cargo pressing light cargo or large items squeezing small items. It is often confused with 'stowage' (also translated as Stowage), but stowage planning emphasizes planned allocation, while stowage focuses on the actual stacking result; different from 'loading' (Loading), stowage is the planning before loading, while loading is the execution action. Foreign trade practitioners need to communicate closely with shipping agents, terminals, and tally clerks to ensure the accuracy of the stowage plan.