Container Loading for Dry Pulses

Loading bagged pulses into a container is a weight problem, not a volume problem. Dry pulses are dense enough that a 20 ft container reaches its practical weight limit long before it runs out of space, which is why almost all bagged pulse cargo moves in 20 ft units rather than 40 ft ones — a 40 ft box would be half empty at the same weight.

What sets the planned net weight

Several ceilings apply at once, and the binding one is whichever is lowest for a particular movement:

• The container's own maximum payload, marked on the door.
• Road weight limits on the export corridor, which in many East African routings are the real constraint.
• The carrier's limits and any terminal restrictions at the load port.
• Road and axle limits at the destination, which differ from those at origin.
• The buyer's own preference, where their discharge or storage arrangements set a figure.

The assumption is what matters in that table. Change the planned net weight and every figure changes with it. The planned weight for a specific shipment is confirmed at booking, against the actual corridor, carrier and destination limits.

Container preparation

1. Inspect the container before loading: holes, light penetration, door seal condition, floor condition.
2. Check for odour and residue from previous cargo — food commodities pick up taint readily.
3. Confirm the container is dry inside. A wet floor puts water into the cargo for the whole voyage.
4. Line with kraft paper or polythene where the product or destination requires it.
5. Place desiccant where the route, season and transit time warrant it.
6. Record the container number before stuffing begins.

Stowage

Bags are stacked to distribute weight evenly across the floor and to limit movement in transit. A load that shifts damages bags, breaks stitching and concentrates weight where it should not be. Where the container will not be filled to the roof, the top of the stack should be arranged so the cargo cannot topple as the vessel works in a seaway.

Leaving an air gap below the roof is generally preferred for bagged agricultural cargo, since it gives condensation somewhere to form other than directly on the top bags — though it does not prevent condensation, which is a moisture problem rather than a stowage one.

Sealing and documentation

The container is closed and sealed with a numbered bolt seal, and the seal number is recorded on the packing list and the bill of lading. Container and seal numbers must reconcile exactly across all documents — this is one of the most common causes of document rejection under a letter of credit, and it is entirely avoidable.

Where independent inspection has been instructed, the inspector attends stuffing, records container and seal numbers, and witnesses sealing. That attendance needs to be scheduled against the stuffing location, which is why the location is agreed in advance rather than decided on the day.

Incoterms, ports and routing for East African pulse cargo. Logistics →