Stevedoring

Stevedoring is the process of loading and unloading cargo from ships at a port terminal and supervising its stowage and securing aboard or ashore. The work is performed by stevedores, sometimes organized as stevedoring contractors or as part of a terminal operator. It covers breakbulk, bulk, and containerized cargo, and can also include warehousing, palletizing, and cargo documentation.

Operations rely on specialized equipment: ship-to-shore gantry cranes, mobile harbor cranes, automated container cranes, rubber-tyred gantries, straddle carriers, forklifts, and conveyors. Yard planning and load distribution are essential to stabilize vessels and optimize turnaround times. Proper lashings, securing methods, and adherence to weight and balance rules are critical.

In many countries stevedoring is performed by private firms under contract to ship owners, charterers, or port authorities; in others it is organized as part of the port's own operations. Labor is commonly organized into maritime unions representing longshore workers; working conditions, rates, and safety standards are regulated by national and port authorities and collective agreements. The rise of containerization in the mid-20th century transformed stevedoring, leading to specialized container stevedoring and the development of automated and semi-automated terminals. Ongoing modernization includes digital cargo management systems and, in some ports, automated handling equipment and remotely operated cranes.