STRUCTURE FOR USE IN LASHING A SHIPPING CONTAINER TO A SUPPORT

Abstract

There is provided a pin structure for use in lashing a shipping container to a support. The pin structure has a base and a projection extending from the base. The pin structure is insertable into an internal cavity of a shipping container corner casting compliant with ISO 1161:2016 and is thereafter manipulatable so that the projection extends to an exterior of the corner casting via an aperture through a wall of the corner casting while the base remains in the internal cavity. Also disclosed is a lock device for locking together first and second shipping containers.

Claims

1. A pin structure for use in lashing a shipping container to a support, the pin structure having a base and a projection extending from the base, wherein the pin structure is insertable into an internal cavity of a shipping container corner casting compliant with ISO 1161:2016 and is thereafter manipulatable so that the projection extends to an exterior of the corner casting via an aperture through a wall of the corner casting while the base remains in the internal cavity.

2. The pin structure according to claim 1, wherein the base has a length of less than 117 mm, a width of less than 63.5 mm, and a thickness of less than 30 mm, wherein the projection extends from the base in a direction of the thickness of the base, and wherein the projection has a length measured from the base of less than 80 mm, a width of less than 63.5 mm, and a depth of less than 79.5 mm.

3. The pin structure according to claim 1, wherein the pin structure comprises a retainer removably attached to the projection to aid retention of a lashing cable on the projection.

4. The pin structure according to claim 1, wherein the pin structure is fully insertable in the internal cavity of the corner casting.

5. A shipping container lashing system for lashing a shipping container to a support, the shipping container lashing system comprising: a pin structure having a base and a projection extending from the base, wherein the pin structure is insertable into an internal cavity of the shipping container corner casting compliant with ISO 1161:2016 and is thereafter manipulatable so that the projection extends to an exterior of the corner casting via an aperture through a wall of the corner casting while the base remains in the internal cavity; and a lashing cable for connection between the support and the projection of the pin structure when the projection extends to the exterior of the corner casting via the aperture through the wall of the corner casting while the base remains in the internal cavity.

6. The shipping container lashing system according to claim 5, wherein the lashing cable has a length of at least 12 metres.

7. The shipping container lashing system according to claim 5, comprising a tensioner for tensioning the lashing cable once the lashing cable is connected between the support and the projection.

8. A combination comprising: (i) a pin structure for use in lashing a shipping container to a support, the pin structure having a base and a projection extending from the base, wherein the pin structure is insertable into an internal cavity of a shipping container corner casting compliant with ISO 1161:2016 and is thereafter manipulatable so that the projection extends to an exterior of the corner casting via an aperture through a wall of the corner casting while the base remains in the internal cavity, or a shipping container lashing system for lashing a shipping container to a support, the shipping container lashing system comprising: a pin structure having a base and a projection extending from the base, wherein the pin structure is insertable into an internal cavity of the shipping container corner casting compliant with ISO 1161:2016 and is thereafter manipulatable so that the projection extends to an exterior of the corner casting via an aperture through a wall of the corner casting while the base remains in the internal cavity; and a lashing cable for connection between the support and the projection of the pin structure when the projection extends to the exterior of the corner casting via the aperture through the wall of the corner casting while the base remains in the internal cavity; and (ii) the shipping container corner casting compliant with ISO 1161:2016.

9. A method of configuring a shipping container for lashing, the method comprising: providing a pin structure having a base and a projection extending from the base, wherein the pin structure is insertable into an internal cavity of the shipping container corner casting compliant with ISO 1161:2016 and is thereafter manipulatable so that the projection extends to an exterior of the corner casting via an aperture through a wall of the corner casting while the base remains in the internal cavity; inserting the pin structure into the internal cavity of the corner casting of the shipping container; and then manipulating the pin structure so that the projection thereof extends to an exterior of the corner casting via an aperture through a wall of the corner casting while the base remains in the internal cavity and abuts the wall at an internal first end of the aperture.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the inserting comprises fully inserting the pin structure into the internal cavity of the corner casting.

11. A method of lashing a shipping container to a support, the method comprising: connecting a first end of a lashing cable to a corner casting of the shipping container; and then placing the shipping container on top of a stack of other shipping containers.

12. The method according to claim 11, comprising connecting a second end of the lashing cable to the support.

13. A lock device for locking together first and second shipping containers in a stack, the lock device comprising: first and second couplers for engaging with respective corner castings of the first and second shipping containers when the first shipping container is stacked on top of the second shipping container; and a structure from which the first and second couplers extend, wherein the structure is dimensioned so as to have an abutment portion that is located laterally of the first and/or second shipping container when the first shipping container is stacked on top of the second shipping container and the first and second couplers are engaged with the respective corner castings, whereby the abutment portion is able to contact one or more further shipping containers laterally adjacent the first and/or second shipping container in use.

14. The lock device according to claim 13, wherein the structure is a unitary structure.

15. The lock device according to claim 13, wherein the structure comprises a main body, and the abutment portion comprises a first abutment part extending from a first side of the main body and a second abutment part extending from a second side of the main body opposite from the first side of the main body, whereby the first abutment part is located laterally of the first shipping container and the second abutment part is located laterally of the second shipping container, when the first shipping container is stacked on top of the second shipping container and the first and second couplers are engaged with the respective corner castings.

16. The lock device according to claim 13, wherein the structure comprises an arm and a rotatable element rotatably mounted to a distal end portion of the arm, and the rotatable element comprises the abutment portion of the structure.

17. A combination of a shipping container and a lock device, wherein the shipping container has a corner casting, a length and a width, wherein the length is greater than the width; and wherein the lock device has a coupler and a structure from which the coupler extends, wherein the coupler is for engaging with the corner casting, and wherein the structure is dimensioned to protrude from the shipping container in a direction parallel to a width direction of the shipping container when the coupler is engaged with the corner casting.

18. The combination according to claim 17, wherein the structure is dimensioned so as to have an abutment portion that is located laterally of the shipping container when the coupler is engaged with the corner casting, whereby the abutment portion is able to contact a further shipping container laterally adjacent the shipping container in use.

19. A vessel comprising: (i) a pin structure for use in lashing a shipping container to a support, the pin structure having a base and a projection extending from the base, wherein the pin structure is insertable into an internal cavity of a shipping container corner casting compliant with ISO 1161:2016 and is thereafter manipulatable so that the projection extends to an exterior of the corner casting via an aperture through a wall of the corner casting while the base remains in the internal cavity, (ii) a shipping container lashing system for lashing a shipping container to a support, the shipping container lashing system comprising: a pin structure having a base and a projection extending from the base, wherein the pin structure is insertable into an internal cavity of the shipping container corner casting compliant with ISO 1161:2016 and is thereafter manipulatable so that the projection extends to an exterior of the corner casting via an aperture through a wall of the corner casting while the base remains in the internal cavity; and a lashing cable for connection between the support and the projection of the pin structure when the projection extends to the exterior of the corner casting via the aperture through the wall of the corner casting while the base remains in the internal cavity, (iii) a combination comprising: (a) a pin structure for use in lashing a shipping container to a support, the pin structure having a base and a projection extending from the base, wherein the pin structure is insertable into an internal cavity of a shipping container corner casting compliant with ISO 1161:2016 and is thereafter manipulatable so that the projection extends to an exterior of the corner casting via an aperture through a wall of the corner casting while the base remains in the internal cavity, or a shipping container lashing system for lashing a shipping container to a support, the shipping container lashing system comprising: a pin structure having a base and a projection extending from the base, wherein the pin structure is insertable into an internal cavity of the shipping container corner casting compliant with ISO 1161:2016 and is thereafter manipulatable so that the projection extends to an exterior of the corner casting via an aperture through a wall of the corner casting while the base remains in the internal cavity; and a lashing cable for connection between the support and the projection of the pin structure when the projection extends to the exterior of the corner casting via the aperture through the wall of the corner casting while the base remains in the internal cavity; and (b) the shipping container corner casting compliant with ISO 1161:2016, (iv) a lock device for locking together first and second shipping containers in a stack, the lock device comprising: first and second couplers for engaging with respective corner castings of the first and second shipping containers when the first shipping container is stacked on top of the second shipping container; and a structure from which the first and second couplers extend, wherein the structure is dimensioned so as to have an abutment portion that is located laterally of the first and/or second shipping container when the first shipping container is stacked on top of the second shipping container and the first and second couplers are engaged with the respective corner castings, whereby the abutment portion is able to contact one or more further shipping containers laterally adjacent the first and/or second shipping container in use, or (v) a combination of a shipping container and a lock device, wherein the shipping container has a corner casting, a length and a width, wherein the length is greater than the width; and wherein the lock device has a coupler and a structure from which the coupler extends, wherein the coupler is for engaging with the corner casting, and wherein the structure is dimensioned to protrude from the shipping container in a direction parallel to a width direction of the shipping container when the coupler is engaged with the corner casting.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0059] Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0060] FIG. 1 shows a schematic side view of an example of a marine vessel, which more specifically is a container ship;

[0061] FIG. 2 shows a schematic perspective view of a shipping container, which more specifically is an intermodal container;

[0062] FIG. 3 shows a schematic perspective view of corner casting at a bottom corner of the shipping container of FIG. 2;

[0063] FIG. 4 shows a schematic perspective view of an example of a pin structure;

[0064] FIG. 5 shows a schematic perspective view of the pin structure of FIG. 4 partially inserted into an internal cavity of the corner casting of FIG. 3;

[0065] FIG. 6 shows a schematic perspective view of the components of FIG. 5 after the pin structure has been inserted into the internal cavity and has thereafter been manipulated so that a projection of the pin structure extends to an exterior of the corner casting via an aperture through a wall of the corner casting while a base of the pin structure remains in the internal cavity;

[0066] FIG. 7 shows a schematic perspective view of the components of FIG. 6 after a lock device has subsequently been coupled to the corner casting;

[0067] FIG. 8 shows a schematic perspective view of the components of FIG. 7 after a first end of a lashing cable has been connected to the pin structure and a retainer has subsequently been attached to the projection to aid retention of the lashing cable on the projection;

[0068] FIG. 9 shows a schematic end view of a block of six stacks of shipping containers aboard the marine vessel of FIG. 1;

[0069] FIGS. 10a and 10b show schematic perspective and cross-sectional views of an example of a lock device;

[0070] FIG. 11 shows a schematic perspective view of the lock device of FIGS. 10a and 10b coupled to respective corner castings of first and second shipping containers in a stack, with an abutment portion of the lock device contacting two further shipping containers that are laterally adjacent the respective first and second shipping containers;

[0071] FIG. 12 shows a schematic side view of an example of another lock device;

[0072] FIG. 13 shows a flow diagram of an example method of configuring a shipping container for lashing;

[0073] FIG. 14 shows a flow diagram of an example method of lashing a shipping container to a support; and

[0074] FIG. 15 shows a flow diagram of an example method of locking together first and second shipping containers.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0075] FIG. 1 shows an example marine vessel 1, which here is a container ship 1, carrying shipping containers 10 in stacks of around eleven tiers above deck. Although not visible in FIG. 1, the ship is carrying further containers below deck. Not all the tiers of containers above deck are visible in the figure since some of the lower containers in each stack are hidden by the ship's bulwark. It can be seen that, in the length direction of the ship, there are twenty-four rows of stacks of containers. Although not visible in FIG. 1, in the direction of the beam of the ship, there are 23 stacks of the containers. The number of stacks in the beam direction varies along the length of the ship due to the varying beam of the ship along its length. Naturally, in other examples, the number of containers in a stack, the number of rows of stacks, and the number of stacks in the beam direction could be other than these figures. For example, in some cases there may be up to 24 stacks of containers in the direction of the beam of the ship, and in other examples (such as small feeder vessels) there may be up to only four or five stacks in the direction of the beam of the ship.

[0076] FIG. 2 shows an example of one of the shipping containers 10. In this example, the shipping container 10 is an intermodal container, which is thus standardised and built for intermodal freight transport. For example, it can be carried by ship, rail and road vehicle. To enable this intermodal use, each of the eight corners of the shipping container 10 has a corner casting (also known as a corner fitting) 100 for receiving a lock device (sometimes called a twist lock) (discussed below) that is used to secure the container 10 during transit or, sometimes, storage. Only six of the corner castings are visible in FIG. 2; namely three of the four top corner castings 100a at the top corners of the container 10 and three of the bottom corner castings 100b at the bottom corners of the container 10. The corner castings 100 are standardized to ensure compatibility with standardized lock devices and other devices that might cooperate with the corner castings 100 in use. More specifically, all the corner castings 100 of the container 10 shown in FIG. 2 are compliant with ISO 1161:2016. The skilled person will be very familiar with shipping containers, and so no further explanation of the other details of the shipping container 1 and its possible uses will be given, in the interests of brevity.

[0077] FIG. 3 shows one of the bottom corner castings 100b but in an upturned state as compared to FIG. 2, so that a bottom face 101 of the corner casting 100b that normally faces downwards in use is shown uppermost. The corner casting 100b also has an end face 102 that is located at a longitudinal end of the container 10 in use, and a side face 103 that is located on a lateral side of the container 10 in use. The corner casting 100b is approximately cuboid but with chamfers or radiuses on edges that are most exposed when the corner casting 100b is in place on the rest of the container 10. The corner casting 100b has an internal cavity 104 for receipt of a coupler, sometimes in the form of a cone, of a lock device (such as a twist lock) in use.

[0078] The corner casting 100b defines an elongate slot 105 that extends from the bottom face 101, through a bottom wall of the corner casting 100b, to the internal cavity 104 for insertion of the coupler into the internal cavity 104. The dimensions of the elongate slot 105 are defined by ISO 1161:2016, and in brief the slot 105 is approximately 124 mm on the long axis with two flat sides approximately 63.5 mm apart. The curved longitudinal ends of the slot 105 have a diameter of approximately 124 mm.

[0079] The corner casting 100b also defines an aperture 106 that extends from the end face 102, through an end wall of the corner casting 100b, to the internal cavity 104 and an opening 107 that extends from the side face 103, through a side wall of the corner casting 100b, to the internal cavity 104. Again, dimensions of the aperture 106 and the opening 107 are defined by ISO 1161:2016, but in brief each is approximately 79.5 mm on the long axis with two flat sides approximately 51 mm apart. The curved longitudinal ends of the aperture 106 and the opening 107 have a diameter of approximately 51 mm.

[0080] The top corner castings 100a are similar to the bottom corner castings 100b, and indeed are almost mirror images thereof. Accordingly, each of the top corner castings 100a has an elongate slot (not shown) in a top face (not shown) of the same dimensions as the elongate slot 105 of the bottom corner casting, again for receiving a coupler of a lock device (such as a twist lock) into an internal cavity of the top corner casting 100a. Each top corner casting 100a also has an end face that is located at a longitudinal end of the container 10 in use, and a side face that is located on a lateral side of the container 10 in use. Each top corner casting 100a also defines an aperture that extends from the end face, through an end wall, to the internal cavity, and an opening that extends from the side face, through a side wall, to the internal cavity. The opening is of the same dimensions as the opening 107 of the bottom corner casting 100b discussed above, but the dimensions of the aperture differ from those of the aperture 106 of the bottom corner casting 100b discussed above. Specifically, the aperture of the top corner casting 100a is more of a shield shape (just visible in FIG. 2) of approximately 73 mm on the long axis with two flat sides approximately 63.5 mm apart, a curved longitudinal end with a diameter of approximately 63.5 mm and an opposite curved longitudinal end with a radius of approximately 51 mm.

[0081] The skilled person will readily be able to obtain and understand further details of the top and bottom corner castings 100a, 100b, such as overall outer widths, depths and lengths thereof, and dimensions of the internal cavities 104 thereof, by referring to ISO 1161:2016.

[0082] FIG. 4 shows a pin structure 200 according to an example. The pin structure 200 is for use in lashing the shipping container 10 to a support, as will be described below. The pin structure 200 has a base 210 and a projection 220 extending from the base 210. Broadly speaking, the pin structure is insertable into the internal cavity 104 of the bottom corner casting 100b shown in FIG. 3 and is thereafter manipulatable so that the projection 220 extends to an exterior of the bottom corner casting 100b via the aperture 106 through a wall of the bottom corner casting 100b while the base 210 remains in the internal cavity 104. The base 210 may, or may not, temporarily partially project from the internal cavity 104 during the manipulation, but the base 210 is fully in the internal cavity 104 when the projection 220 extends to the exterior of the bottom corner casting 100b via the aperture 106. In some examples, the pin structure is insertable into the internal cavity of a top corner casting 100a shown in FIG. 2.

[0083] In this example, the pin structure 200 is a unitary structure made from steel, so that it is robust and hard-wearing. The pin structure 200 is thus manipulatable as discussed above without dimensionally changing or deforming the pin structure 200.

[0084] It is important that the pin structure 200 is dimensioned so as to insertable into, and manipulatable within, the internal cavity 104. In this example, and as shown in FIG. 5, the pin structure 200 is insertable into the internal cavity 104 via the elongate slot 105 of the bottom corner casting 100b, which has the dimensions discussed above. Accordingly, in this example, the base 210 of the pin structure 200 is rectangular with a length BL of approximately 110 mm, a width BW of approximately 60 mm, and a thickness BT of approximately 15 mm. Edges of the base 210 are chamfered or radiused, but need not be in other examples. The projection 220 extends from the base 210 in a direction of the thickness of the base 210 (i.e. normal to the base 210), has a length PL measured from the base of 40 mm, a width PW of 50 mm, and a depth PD of 75 mm.

[0085] In some examples, the dimensions of the base 210 are other than these values. For example, the length may be any value less than 117 mm, such as between 80 mm and 115 mm, the width may be any value less than 63.5 mm, such as between 45 mm and 63 mm, and the thickness may be any value less than 40 mm, such as between 5 mm and 40 mm. The base 210 must have sufficient thickness to retain structural stability of the pin structure 200 in use.

[0086] Similarly, in some examples, the dimensions of the projection 220 are other than these values. For example, the length may be any value less than 100 mm, such as between 40 mm and 80 mm, the width may be any value less than 63.5 mm, such as between 45 mm and 63 mm, and the depth may be any value less than 79.5 mm, such as between 60 mm and 79 mm. The projection 220 having a width of less than 51 mm and a depth of less than 79.5 mm facilitates use of the pin structure 200 with bottom corner castings compliant with ISO 1161:2016. The projection 220 having a width of less than 63.5 mm and a depth of less than 73 mm facilitates use of the pin structure 200 with top corner castings compliant with ISO 1161:2016. The projection 220 having a width of less than 51 mm and a depth of less than 73 mm facilitates use of the pin structure 200 with such top corner castings and such bottom corner castings interchangeably. The projection 220 needs to have a width and depth that are sufficient for the projection 220 to withstand the forces applied to it by a lashing cable in use, as will be described below. In some examples, the projection width and the projection depth should each be at least 25 mm, such as at least 30 mm or at least 40 mm. However, any other suitable dimensions that permit the pin structure 200 to be robust and usable with the corner casting could be chosen in other examples.

[0087] Once the pin structure 200 is at least partially (and, in some examples, fully) located in the internal cavity 104 of the bottom corner casting 100b, as shown in FIG. 5, the pin structure 200 is then manipulatable, such as by a human operative or operator either purely by hand or by using a specially designed tool, so that the projection 220 extends to the exterior of the bottom corner casting 100b via the aperture 106 while the base 210 remains in the internal cavity 104, as shown in FIG. 6. That is, a distal end portion 221 of the projection 220 is exposed outside the bottom corner casting 100b at an external second end of the aperture 106, while the base 210 is close to or abuts the wall defining an internal first end of the aperture 106. In this example, the pin structure 200 is dimensioned and positioned, once so manipulated, so as not to interfere with a lock device, such as a twist lock, that also is couplable to the bottom corner casting 100b. That is, as shown in FIG. 7, a coupler (not shown) of a lock device 300 is couplable to the bottom corner casting 100b when the pin structure 200 is positioned with the projection 220 extending through the aperture 106. As will be appreciated by the skilled person, the lock device 300 is usable to connect the bottom corner casting 100b to a top corner casting of another container, on top of which the container 10 is to be stacked.

[0088] Whether or not the lock device 300 is coupled to the bottom corner casting 100b, following positioning of the pin structure so that the projection 220 extends through the aperture 106 as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, a first end 401 of a lashing cable 400 is then attachable to the projection 220, and more specifically to the distal end portion 221 thereof. Such attachment could involve simply hanging an eyelet 410 at the first end 401 of the lashing cable 400 onto the projection 220, as shown in FIG. 8. In other examples, the first end 401 of the lashing cable 400 could be attached to the projection 220 in any other suitable way, such as by being clamped to the projection 220 or by being tied to the projection 220.

[0089] In this example, the lashing cable 400 has a length of about thirty metres, such that the lashing cable is usable to stabilise a container 10 at an eighth tier from a base of a stack on the deck of the ship 1. In some examples, the lashing cable 400 has a length of other than thirty metres, such as at least twelve metres or at least forty metres. In this example, the lashing cable 400 is a Dyneema (Registered Trade Mark) rope, but in other examples it could take any other suitable form or be made of any other suitable material(s), such as a steel wire.

[0090] The pin structure 200 of this example includes a retainer 230 to aid retention of the lashing cable 400 on the projection 220. The retainer 230 is removable from the projection 220 to aid attachment of the lashing cable 400, and then connectable to the projection 220 when the lashing cable 400 is attached to the projection 220, as shown in FIG. 8. The retainer 230 may be connectable to the projection 220 by any suitable mechanism, such as through use of a separate fastener, cooperating threads on the projection 220 and the retainer 230, by magnetic attraction, or the like. In some examples, the projection 220 has a ridge or channel in an outer surface thereof for receiving and locating the lashing cable 400 relative to the projection 220. In some examples, such as those with such a ridge or channel in the projection 220, the retainer 230 is omitted.

[0091] There is therefore provided a method of configuring a shipping container, such as container 10, for lashing. As shown in FIG. 13, the method 130 comprises providing 131 a pin structure, such as the pin structure 200, having a base and a projection extending from the base, wherein the pin structure is insertable into an internal cavity of a shipping container corner casting compliant with ISO 1161:2016, such as the bottom corner casting 100b. The method also comprises inserting 132 the pin structure into the internal cavity, such as the internal cavity 104 of the bottom corner casting 100b; and then manipulating 133 the pin structure so that the projection thereof extends to an exterior of the corner casting via an aperture, such as aperture 106, through a wall of the corner casting while the base remains in the internal cavity. In some examples, the manipulating comprises using a tool, such as a specially designed tool, to manipulate the pin structure. In some examples, the method also comprises connecting 134 a first end of a lashing cable, such as the first end 401 of the lashing cable 400, to the projection, and/or positioning 135 a retainer, such as the retainer 230, relative to the projection to aid retention of the lashing cable on the projection.

[0092] A second end 402 of the lashing cable 400 is connectable to a support to increase a stability of the shipping container 10. In this example, as shown in FIG. 9, the container 10 is placed on top of a stack 11 of seven other shipping containers on the ship 1 by a crane, and then the second end 402 of the lashing cable 400 is connected to a lashing bridge 500 of the ship 1. In a variation to this, the second end 402 of the lashing cable 400 could be connected to the lashing bridge 500 before the container 10 is placed on the top of the stack 11. In other examples, the support may be part of the deck of the ship 1 or may be a land-based support. In any case, once the container 10 is on top of the stack 11 and the lashing cable is connected between the pin structure 200 and the support, in some examples the lashing cable is then tensioned according to any suitable technique known to the skilled person.

[0093] There is therefore also provided a method of lashing a shipping container, such as container 10, to a support. As shown in FIG. 14, the method 140 comprises connecting 143 a first end of a lashing cable to a corner casting of the shipping container; and then placing 145 the shipping container on top of a stack of other shipping containers. The corner casting may be a top corner casting or a bottom corner casting.

[0094] The lashing cable need not be connected directly to the corner casting. Indeed, in this example, the connecting 143 comprises connecting the first end 401 of the lashing cable 100 to the pin structure 200 inserted in the bottom corner casting 100b. In this example, the method 140 therefore also comprises inserting 141 the pin structure 200 into the internal cavity 104 of the corner casting 100b, and then manipulating 142 the pin structure (for example either by hand or through use of a tool) so that the projection 220 thereof extends to an exterior of the corner casting via an aperture 106 through a wall of the corner casting while the base 210 remains in the internal cavity, before connecting 143 the first end 401 of the lashing cable 400 to the projection 220 of the pin structure 200.

[0095] In this example, the method 140 further comprises attaching 144 the retainer 230 to the projection 220 to aid retention of the lashing cable 400 on the projection 220, when the first end 401 of the lashing cable 400 is attached to the projection 220, as discussed above. It also comprises connecting 146 the second end 402 of the lashing cable 400 to the support, and thereafter tensioning 147 the lashing cable 400.

[0096] It will therefore be appreciated that examples described herein are usable to help stabilise stacks of containers, and particularly stacks of more than five tiers, relative to a support, whether that support be a marine vessel or a land-based support, without requiring the cost and space that would be needed to provide sufficiently tall lashing bridges or similar land-based structures. They also avoid the need to provide sufficiently tall lashing rods for lashing containers on top of stacks of more than five tiers, which lashing rods would be difficult to store onboard a ship and very difficult to connect to corner castings of shipping containers that are already placed on top of the stacks.

[0097] Only the lashing cable 400 in FIG. 9 has been discussed in any detail. A second lashing cable 450 is also shown connected between the lashing bridge 500 and another bottom corner casting of a further container spaced apart from the container 10 at the top of the illustrated block 18 of stacks of containers. The lashing cables 400, 450 cross each other to pull the stacks inwards towards the middle of the block 18. Moreover, lashing rods 700 are shown connected between the lashing bridge 500 and containers low down in the block 18. In other examples, the lashing rods 700 are omitted and in some examples the lashing bridge 500 is omitted and the lashing cables 400, 450 are instead connected to another part of the ship 1, such as the deck. While in this example the lashing cables 400, 450 are connected to containers in the uppermost tier of the block 18, in other examples the lashing cables 400, 450 may instead be connected to containers lower down in the block 18, such as to replace the lashing rods 700. Moreover, in some examples, more than two lashing cables 400, 450 may be used.

[0098] Both the pin structure 200 and the lashing cable 400 may form part of a ship's equipment. The pin structure 200 and the lashing cable 400 may be supplied separately, or may be supplied together as a shipping container lashing system or part of such a system. In other words, the system may comprise more than just the pin structure 200 and the lashing cable 400, such as several pin structures 200 and/or several lashing cables 400. In some cases, the pin structure 200 or the shipping container lashing system is supplied in combination with the corner casting 100b or together with the container 10. Any of these components or systems may be supplied with a vessel, such as the ship 1 shown in FIG. 1.

[0099] Reference will now be made to FIGS. 10a and 10b, which show an example lock device (which may be termed a twist lock) for locking together first and second shipping containers in a stack, and FIG. 11 which shows the lock device locking together the containers. The lock device 600 is designed to reduce or eliminate a distance between the stack and either further containers in an adjacent stack or another adjacent structure, and thereby reduce an ability for the stack to sway when subjected to lateral forces caused by e.g. high winds or the rolling of a ship upon which the stack may be positioned. It has utility particularly in stacks of more than five containers, such as stacks of more than ten containers.

[0100] In this example, the lock device is a so-called automatic lock device (sometimes called an automatic twist lock), which locks to the first and second containers automatically after one of the containers is placed on the top of the other, and unlocks automatically when the uppermost container is subsequently lifted again. The lock device 600 is a unitary structure made from steel and comprises first and second couplers 610, 620 for engaging with respective corner castings 100b, 100a of the first and second shipping containers 10, 12 when the first shipping container 10 is stacked on top of the second shipping container 12. The first and second couplers 610, 620 will be well understood by the skilled person and so will not be described further in significant detail.

[0101] In other examples, the lock device is a so-called semi-automatic twist lock, which requires manual intervention to lock and unlock. The skilled person would be very familiar with semi-automatic twist locks and their operation and, in view of the present teaching, they would also know how a version thereof could be modified to have the new advantageous features disclosed herein.

[0102] The lock device 600 also comprises a structure 630 from which the first and second couplers 610, 620 extend, wherein the structure 630 is dimensioned so as to have an abutment portion 635 that is located laterally of the first and second shipping containers 10, 12 when the first shipping container 10 is stacked on top of the second shipping container 12 and the first and second couplers 610, 620 are engaged with the respective corner castings 100b, 100a, whereby the abutment portion 635 is able to contact further shipping containers 14, 16 laterally adjacent the first and second shipping containers 10, 12, respectively. In this example, the abutment portion 635 is able to contact respective corner castings 100b, 100a of the further shipping containers 14, 16. It is to be noted that the structure 630 is therefore dimensioned to protrude in a direction parallel to a width direction of the shipping containers 10, 12, rather than in a direction parallel to a length direction of the shipping containers 10, 12.

[0103] The lock device 600 of this example is for locking together first and second shipping containers 10, 12 with respective corner castings 100b, 100a that comply with ISO 1161:2016. Indeed, in this example, the corner casting 100b of the first container 10 is the bottom corner casting 100b discussed above. Moreover, the structure 630 of the lock device 600 is dimensioned so that a distal end 636 of the abutment portion 635, remote from the first and second shipping containers 10, 12, is 38 mm from the first and second shipping containers 10, 12 when the first and second couplers 610, 620 are engaged with the respective ISO-compliant corner castings 100b, 100a. As discussed above, such dimensioning makes the lock device 600 particularly suitable for use in a stack of containers that is spaced from an adjacent stack by the standardised gap of 38 mm. Naturally, the dimensioning on the structure 630 could be different in other examples.

[0104] More specifically, the structure 630 of the lock device 600 comprises a main body 633, and the abutment portion 635 comprises a first abutment part 631 extending from a first side of the main body 633 and a second abutment part 632 extending from a second side of the main body 633 opposite from the first side of the main body 633. Accordingly, the first abutment part 631 is located laterally of the first shipping container 10 and the second abutment part 632 is located laterally of the second shipping container 12, when the first shipping container 10 is stacked on top of the second shipping container 12 and the first and second couplers 610, 620 are engaged with the respective corner castings 100b, 100a. Further, this means that the first abutment part 631 is able to contact the further shipping container 14 laterally adjacent the first shipping container 10, and the second abutment part 632 is able to contact another shipping container 16 laterally adjacent the second shipping container 12.

[0105] It will be noted that the top and bottom edges, respectively, of the first and second abutment parts 631, 632 have chamfered edges. This facilitates stacking and unstacking of the neighbouring containers 14, 16, since there would be less chance of them catching or getting stuck on the abutment portion 635 as they are lowered or raised relative to the lock device 600. In other examples, the chamfered edges may instead by radiused edges. In an alternative example, shown in FIG. 12, the structure 630 of the lock device 600 comprises an arm 637 and a rotatable element 638, in the form of a wheel, rotatably mounted to a distal end portion of the arm 637 for rotation about a horizontal axis. The rotatable element 638 comprises the abutment portion 635 of the structure 630. Accordingly, in such an example, the rotatable element 638 would be free to rotate to reduce friction in a vertical direction, were the neighbouring containers 14, 16 to be lowered or raised relative to the lock device 600 while in contact with the rotatable element 638, and thus the abutment portion 635 of the structure 630.

[0106] The lock device 600 may be supplied separately from any shipping container. Alternatively, in some examples, the lock device 600 is supplied in combination with a shipping container, such as container 10 discussed above. The lock device 600 or the combination may be supplied with a vessel, such as the ship 1 shown in FIG. 1. In such examples, the container has a corner casting, such as the bottom corner casting 100b. The container 10 also has a length CL and a width CW, wherein the length CL is greater than the width CW, as shown by way of example in FIG. 2. As discussed above, the lock device 600 has a coupler 610 and a structure 630 from which the coupler 610 extends, wherein the coupler 610 is for engaging with the corner casting 100b. The structure 630 is dimensioned to protrude from the container 10 in a direction parallel to the width direction CW of the container 10 when the coupler 610 is engaged with the corner casting 100b. The protruding structure 630 thus acts to reduce or eliminate a distance between the container 10 and one or more laterally adjacent objects, such as one or more further containers. It is preferable that the corner casting is compliant with ISO 1161:2016, since this makes the degree of protrusion of the structure 630 more predictable.

[0107] There is therefore also provided a method of locking together first and second shipping containers, such as the containers 10, 12 shown in FIG. 11. As shown in FIG. 15, the method 150 comprises providing 151 one of the example lock devices 600 discussed above; and engaging 152 the first and second couplers 610, 620 with respective corner castings 100b, 100a of the first and second containers 10, 12 when the first container 10 is stacked on top of the second container 12, so that the abutment portion 635 of the structure 630 is located laterally of the first and second shipping containers 10, 12, whereby the abutment portion 635 is able to contact one or more further shipping containers 14, 16 laterally adjacent the first and second shipping containers 10, 12.

[0108] In some examples, the method comprises then lashing 153 the containers 10, 12 to a support. In one example, the containers 10, 12 are in the location shown in FIG. 9, with the lock device 600 coupled between them, and the bottom corner casting 100b of the first container 10 is connected to the support 500 by the lashing cable 400 as discussed above.

[0109] Accordingly, the new pin structure discussed herein, such as the pin structure 200 shown in FIG. 4, is advantageously useable in the same examples as the new lock device discussed herein, such as the lock device shown in FIGS. 10a and 10b. Doing so may result in a block of stacks, and particularly a relatively tall stacks, of containers having much improved stability, as a result of the new way of lashing disclosed herein and the new way of controlling swaying or other lateral movement of containers towards the top of such tall stacks, whether aboard a vessel or on land.

[0110] Example embodiments of the present invention have been discussed, with particular reference to the examples illustrated. However, it will be appreciated that variations and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.