Carriage of bananas in refrigerated ships and containers: pre-shipment and shipboard factors influencing cargo out-turn condition
A.L. Snowdon
Program and Abstracts, Banana 2008, Banana and plantain in Africa: Harnessing international partnerships to increase research impact, Leisure Lodge Resort, Mombasa, Kenya, 5-9 October 2008. 198 pages.
2008
บทคัดย่อ
Information is obtained during out-turn surveys at destination (on behalf of cargo receivers, underwriters, ship-owners or chatterers) or curing the study of claims documentation submitted by lawyers acting for one or other of the above parties. There may also be occasion to visit the producer country. Pre-shipment factors influencing cargo quality and out-turn condition include the weather, crop husbandry in relation to leaf-spot diseases, harvesting and handling techniques, post-harvest treatments, method of packaging, schedule of loading, and carriage instructions written by the shipper/exporter. Shipboard factors include design and function of the refrigeration and ventilation equipment, method of stowage, interpretation of carriage instructions, and duration of voyage. For container shipments it is the shipper’s responsibility to “stuff” the container in an appropriate manner; the container operator accepts the closed box and undertakes to supply refrigeration/ventilation in accordance with the shipper’s carriage instructions. Case studies will be presented, demonstrating that deterioration (such as premature ripening) is often the result of a combination of adverse factors. Particular problems include the difficulty of achieving uniform air circulation through a palletized stow, and the challenge of shipping additional commodities (such as melons or citrus) in the same vessel. Accurate diagnosis of the causes of deterioration can assist in prompt settlement of claims and reduction of losses in the future.