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SEABORNE CONTAINER TRAFFIC
The "containerisation" of cargoes carried by vessels was further increased during 1967. The
"Container Revolution" as it has been termed resulted in purpose-built ships being constructed,
and container terminals being planned, equipped with special lifting gear for speedy discharge
and loading operations. The whole essence of the operation is the speedy delivery of cargoes
from their place of origin to consumer, port health control of food imports, as the food containers
arrive in the port, forming an important and necessary link in the chain, if the health of the community
is to be safeguarded.
From a practical point of view, food examination of containered foods presents various difficulties.
Each container to be examined has to be opened, and some of its contents have to be
unloaded to permit inspection to be carried out. This process of routine inspection is very much
slower than that involved in cargoes discharged from conventional ships. With conventional cargo
carriage, food inspection commences as the vessels' hatches are removed and is continued as
discharge proceeds, with further opportunity for examination when the goods are stowed in the
receiving shed. Containered food only becomes visually available for inspection on specific
request, and a great deal of time is wasted waiting for goods to be produced. In the future it will
be essential for shipping companies or container operators which will not necessarily be the
same organisation, to not only advise the Port Health Authority as early as possible of food
imports expected but to give as much information as possible before the ship arrives to facilitate
speedy control measures. This information should include a full description of the goods including
Brand name, if any, their country of origin and in the case of meat or meat products the Establishment
Number. This information will assist in deciding in advance which containers will
require attention.
This container revolution is rapidly gaining momentum and in various parts of the port conventional
berths have been or are being adapted to handle this type of traffic. The major developments
now under construction at Tilbury Dock are in the main based on container handling and
a dramatic increase is expected in this field in 1968.
It has been reliably estimated that one container berth will handle up to ten times the tonnage
of a conventional berth. This fact will be of extreme importance when port health control is
planned in the future.
FOOD INSPECTION
.
The total amount of foodstuffs detained for examination and either condemned as unfit for
human consumption and destroyed or otherwise disposed of under guarantee and supervision was
2,259 tons, 2 cwts. 0 qtrs. 3 lbs.

Items marked * were released with the agreement of and under the supervision of local
Medical Officers of Health.