scope:

This Guide sets forth requirements for the certification of the initial installation of container securing systems and lashing calculation computer software aboard vessels classed by ABS. It is to be clearly understood that no representation is made as to the ability of any onboard container to withstand the loads allowed. The allowable loads have been derived from successful usage over a number of years and may exceed the design loads set forth in International Organization for Standardization (ISO) Standard 1496- 1:1990, American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Standard MH 5.1.1M, the ABS Rules for Certification of Cargo Containers, and similar standards. It is the responsibility of the client, shipowner, or charterer to ascertain that the containers used in the system can withstand the loads applied to them.

It is also to be understood that no representation is made as to the absolute validity of the values for dynamic forces from roll, pitch, and heave, vessel vertical center of gravity, container spring constants, and lashing spring constants contained in this Guide. It is the responsibility of the client, shipowner, or charterer to establish the validity of the values for the above items used in the system.

A vessel classed by ABS having an installed container securing system certified by ABS may be distinguished by the additional notation CSC in the Record for unrestricted service.

A computer lashing program to calculate forces acting on the container securing arrangements and maximum permissible stack weights for unrestricted service may be installed onboard a vessel, see 9/3.9.4. An onboard computer lashing program installed on a vessel assigned the CSC notation shall be certified in accordance with Appendix 4 of this Guide and the vessel assigned the notation CLP for computer lashing program.

A vessel having an installed container securing system certified by ABS for operation in specific voyage trade routes where reduced accelerations are used in the calculation of forces acting on the container securing system, see 6/3.7.3, shall have an onboard certified computer lashing program, which is mandatory. Such operation may have a different maximum number and arrangement of containers than the unrestricted voyage trade. The suffix V shall be added to the computer lashing program notation, CLP-V, to signify the certification of the computer lashing program's capability to address both unrestricted service and specific voyage routes.

Typically, vessel stow planning is performed with an onboard computer lashing program that can calculate the maximum permissible stack weights for each individual stack based on the provided container lashing arrangements, and then the permissible stack weights are compared against the actual planned stack weights. Should an actual stack weight exceed the permissible, corrective action is to be taken by either reducing the stack weight or modifying the lashing arrangement accordingly.

Consideration regarding the use of the unrestricted lashing and stack weights or the voyage route-specific service lashing and stack weights rest with the vessel's Master depending on the anticipated conditions to be encountered during the voyage.