Twistlock
A twistlock is a locking device inserted into a container's corner casting and turned so the box locks onto the one below, onto the ship's deck or onto a trailer chassis. Types include manual, semi-automatic (SATL) and fully automatic twistlocks that release when a crane lifts the box. Unlocked or damaged twistlocks are a common cause of containers lost at sea or sliding off trailers, so drivers and terminal staff should confirm all four locks are engaged before the vehicle moves.
Related terms
- Lashing
Lashing means securing cargo so it cannot shift under the accelerations of a sea voyage or a road journey.
- Container Trailer (Chassis)
A container trailer is a semi-trailer chassis pulled by a tractor unit to carry containers, locked by twistlocks at all four corners.
- Quay Crane (STS Crane)
A quay crane, or ship-to-shore (STS) crane, is the large gantry crane on the berth that loads and discharges containers.
- Stowage Plan
A stowage plan is the planned position of every container or cargo unit on board a vessel, built by line and terminal planners before the ship berths.
Covered in these guides
Container Lashing on Ships: Twistlocks, Lashing Rods, Stack Weights and Roll Forces
How container lashing works on ships, from twistlocks, rods and lashing bridges to stack weight limits, roll forces, the Cargo Securing Manual and parametric rolling.
6 min read Vessel stowageMetacentric Height (GM) Explained: Calculation, Corrections and Limits
A deeper look at a ship's GM, from hydrostatic KM, loading KG and free surface correction to worked examples and the risks of too little or too much GM.
6 min read Maritime professionalsHow to Read a Bay Plan: Bay, Row and Tier Explained with 030482
How to read container positions on a ship with the ISO 9711-1 bay-row-tier system, decoding 030482 and 141086, BAPLIE messages and bay plan notation.
5 min read