Position of container on ship

[frootbat]

Hello me again.
As if we didn't have enough to do, I was chatting to a friend recently and she recommended we go to the port on the day our container is loaded to ask for it to be put bottom row, middle (so there's less chance of it falling into the ocean). Can you/has anyone done this? I'd ask Pickfords but I'd feel a little silly...
This is not an unfeasible thing for us as we live about an hour from Southampton, and OH replying to friend that he's seen loads of shipping containers floating/washed up on his travels that it seems like it would be more reassuring to know this. I know you can 'track your ship' these days but how do you know your container is still on it?

[dbonnett]

I would seriously doubt you'd get any satisfaction from this - first of all, ports are secure facilities and you probably won't get anywhere near the docks. Also, they make decisions about where to place containers based on point of unloading, weight distribution, etc. Containers do fall off ships but I wouldn't be overly worried about it.

[JandM]

Of all the members here who have already made the trip and shipped their goods in a container, none has ever posted to say theirs has been lost overboard. As you've said yourself, you have plenty to do without bothering about something like this, and I agree that you would be highly unlikely to get access, or be listened to.

[girlwithanewf]

You have no chance of being able to do that. You have to trust the shipping company and make sure you have enough insurance to replace everything should the worst happen. (Try Letton Percival for insurance). Put your absolutely irreplaceable stuff in your suitcase, scan old photos etc...
Best thing to do is forget about it all until it arrives. And remember that is is really only just stuff.

[breeze]

That's why people buy insurance... go enjoy the rest of the time in your home country!

[Super_BQ]

I know you can 'track your ship' these days but how do you know your container is still on it?

Via GPS (at least for US bound shipments) - I mean the container themselves can have their own GPS transmitter. In cross border shipping of containers in N. America, truckers too have their container GPS tracked and logged (ie. where they've stopped and for how long)

Placement of container on the vessel isn't so much of a concern as humidity problems. You say you want it at the bottom of the load (where condensation is at most persistent?) You say you want the container at the top where it has the most varying temperature?

Our motorhome we bought from the UK 2 years go was shipped ex-Southampton port (RORO rate).