My agency has given me a job tomorrow on container work (just days, not overnight). It will be my first job on the boxes.
Tips, advice, etc. welcome, please.
Thanks
Alan
Who are you working for and which dock are you going to?
rgt1973:
Who are you working for and which dock are you going to?
Geodis Wilson in Thurrock - don’t know anything else at all.
If doing days you may not need a rear door lock by Bulldog locks.Over night you would need a lock.
When collecting a box the load inside may be top heavy and you may tip over the truck if you are not aware.
Twist locks secure the box on the skeletal trailer.
You have a 20feet box and a 40 feet box and extra long boxes where you extend the rear guards at the back of the trailer.Under run bars.
A 20 feet box,you shorten the skely trailer and the box sits in the middle of the skely.
The main ports are Felixstowe,Tilbury,Isle of Grain or Thamesport.
Southampton.
There are numerous container bases where you collect empty or loaded boxes inland in cities.
Standard boxes 8’’ 6’‘, high cubes which are more common are 9’’ 6’ so you’ll normally sit at either 13’’ 6’ or 14’’ 6’. If you’re based in Thurrock you’ll most likely be Tilbury or London Gateway, I’ve never been to either so I couldn’t really say as all dock procedures are different.
If it’s transfer slots, make sure to line up in front of them and setup the twist locks, reverse into the slot and then wait for the straddle carrier then jump out and give a thumbs up when it’s put down correctly.
If you get given a slider, which a lot are then ensure it’s in the correct position. Trailer brake on, Push/pull the button that’s labeled locking pins and they should retract, if they don’t then try to jiggle it with the unit and 99% of the time they’ll go. If you’re going from position 4 to 3 (40ft box to 20’/45’) then retract the pins, try to line up the pins as best you can, if not then just push it back a foot, pull out the locking pins and then pull forwards very gently and as soon as they get to their slot they’ll pop out & you’ll know as soon as they do. The same principle applies to any other position. There are some trailers that you have to connect the red air line to another connection to withdraw the pins but I haven’t come across one of those yet so I couldn’t really advise.
HTH