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OTAL Services > Our Services > Equipment > General Information Equipment
- General Information OT Africa Line (OTAL) is pleased to provide shippers with a range of Bureau Veritas quality accredited, ISO standard container and cargo handling units. The line has access to a mixed container fleet of over 1.56 million TEUs - enough containers to reach from the UK to South Africa if placed side by side! The line has containers catering for food grade, reefer, ventilated, hazardous, high cube and standard shipping requirements. Inspections are regularly carried out to check that the containers are in good order. The following sections give details of the various types of container which are available. This information is provided as a guide, to help you in determining the type of shipping container equipment best suited to your needs. It is important to note that some of these specs will vary from container to container, depending on the type of construction, the manufacturer, the age, etc. The dimensions shown are the average. Should the dimensions be critical, please contact your local OTAL Office. Please note that all technical details given are non contractual. They are no exhaustive and given as examples. Container Labeling All our container conform to ISO standards which includes an international container identification reference.
The maximum gross weight and tare also appear on the container in pounds and kilos. Full Container Loads & Less
Container Loads FCL - Full Container Load All containers are steel ‘dry’ containers with wooden
flooring. All containers loaded at our premises are sealed and fumigated
prior to departure. The container remains unopened (except where customs
perform a spot check) until arrival at your destination. After packing,
our expert staff ensures maximum loadability without jeopardizing the
safety of your goods. In the case where the goods are less than the
capacity of the container then we will load across the container leaving
the space at the top evenly so as to minimize cargo movement. This
we can usually calculate by utilizing the benefit of our container
models. In any case, goods are stowed well and secured with rope throughout
the loading process of the container. LCL - Less Container Load Shipments are packed and then crated in units, which are manageable by hand or, by forklift truck, depending on the product. These crated goods are then consolidated in a container along with other part loads to the same or various final destinations. This means that even part loads are still containerised throughout their journey. This provides almost the same benefits as shipment by FCL. OTAL's useful guide on 'Container Stuffing' provides useful hints and tips on how to reduce cargo damage CLICK HERE to view. Leasing Flexibility For maximum flexibility, OTAL prefers term leasing. Most deals are structured in a way that allows units to be returned at the end of the period, to be purchased outright during the period of the lease or for the contract to be converted into a lease-purchase arrangement whereby the containers become OTAL’s property at the end of the lease period. Given the soft condition of the market and the high levels of lessor competitiveness, there are now a number of companies prepared to offer us the flexibility we seek. Leasing containers provides OTAL with flexibility underlining our responsiveness to customer demands and market changes.
Please click on the links below for further information on OTAL's notes on cargo care: Condensation Issues for Containers OTAL Workshops
in West Africa OTAL has opened a new equipment base in Tema to complement four other strategically located sites along the West African coast. These include Takoradi, Lagos, Port Harcourt and Abidjan with more sites expected to follow this year. Each is staffed by trained mechanics who carry out all repairs and perform regular service checks on all OTAL vehicles and equipment. Regulatory Bodies
Overweight Containers OT Africa Line is a signatory to the ISM code which relates to safety procedures onboard vessels. As such we are committed to ensuring that cargo is transported safely without harm or injury to crew and stevedores. OTAL would like to remind shippers it is their responsibility for loading FCL containers and in turn that shippers are fully aware of the weight of the container once stuffed. OTAL currently receives containers that are over the maximum safe weight. Recent incidents have highlighted this problem resulting in personal injury due to overweight containers. A container that is heavier than its safe limit poses a threat to personnel as crane cables can break and machinery can fail. Therefore OTAL has decided to charge €1000 per TEU for any overweight container discovered as a provision towards the various costs without prejudice to any other legal charges and implications that may arise. |
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