condition is usually carefully checked and appropriate documents are drawn up.

DIALOGUES

1

CAPTAIN. Glad to see you, Mr Howard. Sit down, please. We'll have to consider the procedure of discharging the containers we have brought here this time.

AGENT. I've got all the shipping documents and I've already looked through them. Do you mean to say that we shall have some extraordinary conditions for discharging?

CAPTAIN. Oh, no, just the ordinary ones. It's the first time that we have brought containers to your port, that's why I wanted to clear up some details. First of all I'd like to know who is to take delivery of the containers.

AGENT, The consignees' representative and a surveyor will do it. Sometimes the terminal operator helps them. As to surveying the containers, they'll do it ashore.

CAPTAIN. I see. What about shore cranes? You know, even the 20-footers are rather bulky and heavy, to say nothing of the 40-footers.

AGENT. Yes, that's right. I was of the same opinion and I've arranged everything with the port authorities. Oh, here's the surveyor coming.

2

AGENT. Oh, here you are, Mr Harris. Let me introduce you to the Master. Captain, please meet Mr Harris, our surveyor.

CAPTAIN. Glad to make your acquaintance, sir. Will you take a seat, please. Would you like some beer for refreshment?

SURVEYOR. Thank you, Captain. I wouldn't mind to have a glass of cold beer, it's so hot today.

CAPTAIN. You are welcome. Make yourself comfortable. We'll have to

235

wait for the receivers' representative.

SURVEYOR. All right, let's wait a little. What with shall we start discharging, Captain?

CAPTAIN. I think we'll start discharging with the deck cargo. There are about 50 twenty-footers covering one lot under a separate Bill of Lading.

SURVEYOR. OK, Captain. It's up to you to decide what with to start discharging. Did you have good weather during the voyage?

CAPTAIN. Yes, this time we were lucky. The weather was fine. Only once, abreast of the Fair Point, the ship was rolling for some time, because of a heavy swell there.

3

SURVEYOR. Well, Captain, I am glad we have found no defects in this lot. No missing seals, no cuts, no holes.

That's good. There are only a few scratches on Containers Nos: 270 and 275, but I think this is not so important.

SECOND MATE. What containers do you say? Nos: 270 and 275? Just a moment. Let me have a look at the copies of Inspection Reports on loading. Yes, here you are. Some defects have been marked in these Reports, when receiving the containers aboard. Will you cast a glance, please!

SURVEYOR. Yes, you are right. I'll make a note in my report with a reference to those remarks.

SECOND MATE. What are your remarks with regard to 40-footers under B/L No. 376?

SURVEYOR. Well, things are a bit worse with this lot. All the container numbers coincide, except one container. As we have found container No. 297 is missing, while there is an extra container No. 279, not stated in the B/L. May be there is a misprint in the B/L. Still, I am afraid, we'll have to unstuff it and check the contents.

SECOND MATE. Yes, I think we'll have to. Any other remarks?

236

SURVEYOR. On the container No. 294 the seal is broken. Besides, there are two big dents on the front part. The right side of the container is rusted. We'll have to unstuff this container too.

SECOND MATE. Willy-nilly, we shall do the unstuffing ashore. Please don't fail to call me or somebody else from the ship to take part in unstuffing and checking the contents.

SURVEYOR. Don't worry, of course we'll call you.

LABORATORY EXERCISES

I. Listen to the text of the lesson again and answer the following questions

1. Why is the productivity of container-carriers is higher than that of conventional vessels? 2. What kind of new ships were built in the last decade? 3. What particular advantage have the multi-purpose container-carriers? 4. What are the main standard sizes of containers? 5. What is the general structure of containers? 6. How are the side plates secured to the frames? 7. What for are some containers supplied with refrigerators? 8. From whom may the containers be leased? 9. When and by whom are the containers locked and sealed? 10. What is usually checked when the containers are received1 for shipment? 11. What documents must be supplied for each container? 12. Who is to inspect the condition of containers when they are delivered to the consignees? 13. In what case should an official surveyor be invited? 14. From whom do we lease containers and on what basis?

II. Ask your partner questions and make him give brief answers using the model.

Model: If we take 20-footers we shall carry more cargo.

In what case will you carry more cargo? In case we take 20-footers.

237

1. If the 40-footers are emptied today we shall take them back. 2. If we reduce port time we shall make more voyages. 3. If these containers meet the requirements we shall take them. 4. If the seals are intact they will take these 2 containers. 5. If these goods are in good condition we shall take them.

III. Listen to the short dialogues, repeat each sentence during the pauses and learn the dialogues by heart:

"Do you think we shall unstuff this container?" "Yes, we shall have to."

"Then, please, call for a Surveyor and a Customs officer."

***

"Will you need a shore-crane to handle 40-footers?" "Yes, they are rather bulky and heavy for our crane." "Then I'll arrange it with the Port office."

***

"There must be something leaking in that container." "What makes you think so?"

"You see the lower part of plating has rusted so much."

IV. Listen to each of the long dialogues again and retell briefly their contents from the point of view of: (a) one speaker, (b) the other speaker, (c) an onlooker.

Make your partner ask you about some details which you missed.

V.Write the dictation:

Containerization has brought about a kind of revolution in the transport system. It considerably reduced the port time for ships and made handling of cargo much easier and quicker. One of its advantages is that it protects the goods from

238

pilferage. Containers make it possible to transport the cargoes both by land and by sea in a more convenient way. There are many kinds of containers designed for different goods. The two standard types of containers are mostly used. These are twenty-footers and forty-footers. General structure of containers is more or less the same: steel or aluminium alloy plates are welded or riveted to angle-bar frame, thus forming a box with hinged doors and locking latches. The goods are stuffed into the containers, which are then locked and sealed. When receiving them aboard or delivering to the consignees, no tallying of goods is required. This greatly reduces the time and labour for handling the cargo.

VI. Practise in pairs enacting the following situations. You act as the captain, yonr partner — as the agent. Then you change your parts:

(a)When receiving containers aboard your vessel, you found some defects oti them (scratches, bruises, dents, cuts, broken seals). You ask your agent to call for a surveyor and shipper's representative to survey the containers and draw up an Inspection Report. You arrange with the shippers that defective containers should be checked again and resealed.

(b)You arrange with your agent the procedure of delivering the containers to the consignees, the sequence of discharging different lots, external inspection of the containers by competent persons and drawing up appropriate documents.

(c)While discharging the containers the terminal operator found that the numbers of two containers did not coincide with those marked in the list. You insist that these containers should be unstuffed and their contents checked to verify that they actually belong to the discharged lot. You discuss with the terminal operator and your agent what persons should take part in this procedure for drawing up an official Inspection Report.

V.II Translate into English:

Да, на этот раз мы привезли груз в контейнерах. Их всего 180 штук. 130 из них 20-футовые, а остальные 40-футовые. Все они уложены в отдельных

239

грузовых отсеках, а одна партия по отдельному коносаменту уложена на палубе. Вот план размещения груза, копия этого плана, наверное, вами уже получена. Теперь давайте подумаем, в какой последовательности нам нужно будет выгружать отдельные партии, чтобы это было удобно и для вас и для нас. Конечно, нам придется начать с палубного груза, чтобы освободить место для обработки остального груза. Кстати, вы уже знаете, что нам понадобятся два береговых крана для выгрузки 40-футовых контейнеров. Они такие громоздкие и тяжелые. Вы ведь помните, что мы об этом говорили с вами по радиотелефону? Вы даже уже договорились об этом с портом! Ну, замечательно! Теперь о наружном осмотре контейнеров. Вы считаете, что его удобнее проводить на берегу у борта судна. Хорошо, я не возражаю. Надо только, чтобы все расписки и акты осмотра подписывались сразу и передавались нашему грузовому помощнику.

240