1) Tunnel rail damages on containers are often caused during vessel operations when containers are improperly seated on bomb carts. When found, the damaged container should be temporarily repaired at OOS1 within an hour to minimize trucker wait times.
2) Kinked corner posts are usually caused by incorrect stacking on vessels and result in the container needing flatbed delivery for safety. Bent corner castings may also require flatbed delivery.
3) Major damages that compromise a container's structural integrity, such as severed rail connections or large cuts in the sidewalls, render the container unsafe to transport.
4. Causes of Tunnel Damage
Most tunnel rail damages are caused
by improperly seating a container on
a bomb cart during vessel
operations.
5. PROCEDURE FOR LOADS WITH TUNNEL
DAMAGE
Tunnel rail damages are rarely found until the
load is placed on a chassis to be delivered.
Once the damage is found the trucker should
be told to wait at the flip area (P50) while the
container is taken to OOS1 and is temporarily
repaired.
Once repaired, the container will be taken back
to the flip area and the trucker can be on his
way. Theoretically this could be completed in
less than an hour if handled properly.
10. Causes of Kinked Corner Posts
When a container arrives in this condition it
will always be in the bottom stow position.
The damage is caused by being incorrectly
positioned on a vessel stacking cone or on
top of a bottom cell hold guide divider, the
weight of the 9 loads on top will cause the
corner post to compress while at sea.
11. KINKED CORNER POST DELIVERY
OPTIONS
Unfortunately these have to be delivered on
a flatbed or transloaded at our expense.
This gets costly because it’s hard to recoup
from overseas, they always produce a clean
TIR and deny responsibility. After you place
the POL and transship ports on notice with
GVA legal and logistics departments in copy it
is up to GVA to recoup.
13. WHAT CAUSES BENT CORNER
CASTINGS?
This has yet to be 100% confirmed. Bayard
and I boarded a vessel during operation to
observe and see if we could pinpoint how the
damage occurs. There were no incidents
while we were there. Our assumption was a
pin on the hatch covers or possibly the top of
the cell guide.
14. BENT CORNER CASTING DELIVERY
OPTIONS
These should also be delivered on a flatbed
or transloaded.
We have had them chained down when there
is only one damaged casting and the load is
going a short distance. This saves us money
but really isn’t a good idea for liability
reasons, most truckers will refuse to
transport the load under these conditions.
15. Most rejected loads come from the trucker doing
a street turn without properly inspecting the
equipment first.
Damages causing a load to be rejected are:
1. Broken Top or Bottom Rails
2. Broken Sill
3. Bulged Side or Roof Panels
4. Doors Not Closed Properly
5. Several Broken Cross Members
EXPORT LOADS REJECTED AT THE GATE
16. Without proper documentation you cannot
recover repair costs including transload or
flatbed rental costs if applicable) associated
with the damages.
Pulling the TIR is usually the first step, if no
damages are noted then you turn to SOF
(statement of facts). If there is no SOF and no
damages on the TIR you must put the local
stevedore on notice. Usually they decline the
claim and the claims department decides
whether or not to pursue the claim..
Determining Responsible Party For 3rd
Party Damages
17. Overseas claims are extremely difficult to
recoup. We can have undeniable proof and
still have issues recouping the damage
expense simply because they produce a clean
TIR.
When you receive a SOF you must place the
POL and all TS ports on notice with GVA legal
in copy. It is up to GVA to recoup the losses.
SOF – Overseas Claims
18. MAJOR DAMAGE CRITERIA FOR
CONTAINERS
The definition of a container having major
damage shall be any container or container
component which causes the loss of
structural integrity to the point in which it
creates an unsafe condition.
Major damage to the following critical
component connections shall constitute loss
of structural integrity and shall be considered
an unsafe condition.
19. MAJOR DAMAGE CRITERIA FOR
CONTAINERS
1. Bottom rail to corner post severed.
2. Top rail to corner post severed.
3. Top corner fitting to corner post severed.
4. Bottom corner fitting to corner post severed
The above discernable major damage is
supplemented by the following, any of
which is considered major damage.
20. Connection Description
Top rail to corner post bent, torn or cut so as
not to fit into a container cell or so it cannot
be lifted by a container spreader.
Bottom rail to corner post torn, cut or bent
out of alignment to the extent that it cannot
fit into a container cell.
21. Top corner fitting cracked weld, cracked fitting, or
bent not to fit into a container cell.
Bottom corner fitting cracked weld, cracked fitting, or
bent not to fit into a container cell.
Side post to top rail 3 or more adjacent posts cut or
missing from bottom rail, provided that posts are
clear cut. (only applicable on aluminum containers)
Side post to bottom rail 3 or more adjacent posts cut
or missing from bottom rail, provided that posts are
clear cut. (only applicable on aluminum containers)
Connection Description
22. Sidewall to bottom rail horizontal cut more
than 22” at one point or more than 15” at
end frames.
Sidewall to top rail horizontal cut more than
22” at one point or more than 15” at end
frames.
Sidewall to corner post cut more than 10” at
any point, and out of alignment so as not to
fit into a container cell.
Connection Description
23. Cross member to tee clip 4 or more adjacent
severed at any point.
Tee clip to bottom rail 4 or more adjacent
severed at any point. (only applicable on
aluminum containers)
Front wall to end frames cut more than 25”
at any point.
Connection Description
24. Door lock rods: bent rods only if door cannot
close and stay closed properly.
Door hinges to end frames bent, loose, out of
square, severely cracked or damaged preventing
the door from closing properly.
Roof top to top rail cut or severed more than 48”
Roof headers cut more than 12”
Roof bow to top rail 4 or more adjacent bows
disconnected.
Connection Description
25. Corner Posts dent at corner radius more than 2”
deep by more than 10” long.
Top rails any vertical tears or cuts that are
greater than 30% of the rails section.
Bottom rails any vertical tears or cuts that are
greater than 30% of the rails section.
Major structural damage container out of cube
so as not to fit in slot or cannot be lifted by a
container spreader.
J bars bent, bow, dent so as to render the door
not to be fully opened.
Connection Description
26. Normal wear and tear, holes and dents or
compression lines do not cause a loss of
structural integrity and, therefore, do not
constitute major damage or an unsafe
condition.
However, the above does not constitute the
removal of road ability and FHWA inspections
presently performed by ILA maintenance men or
otherwise limit the work jurisdiction of the ILA in
accordance with the Containerization
Agreement of the Master Agreement.
Wear & Tear Clause
31. Disposition Request
When a dry van
container repair
estimate exceeds
$1,000 we must send a
disposition request to
GVA to determine the
next course of action.
The approval limit for
Reefers and Gensets is
$2,000
Wear and tear damage mostly consists of rust damage and delaminated flooring. Small dents are usually considered normal wear but the leasing company will try to hit you with repair costs when you off hire the container.
All damages outside of normal wear and tear are considered impact damages.
