What Does a Stevedore Do? Inside Container Ship Loading at the Port of Savannah

On the Ships of the Sea podcast, host Molly Taylor interviews Savannah Stevedore and operations manager Carter Hubbard about what stevedores do: plan and manage the execution of loading and unloading ships in coordination with the International Longshoremen’s Association, steamship lines, and the Georgia Ports Authority.   Hubbard explains how longshoremen handle physical work (unlashing, twist locks, driving trucks), clerks and checkers track container movements, and stevedores plan vessel stowage and oversee safe execution on the dock. He describes the industry’s shift from paper to tablets, the many roles required to move a container, constant troubleshooting from equipment and network issues, and handling specialized cargo like racing yachts, military gear, and breakbulk. The conversation covers vessel classes, hazardous and refrigerated planning, training, ship turnaround pace, and maritime career paths.   CONNECT WITH US: A looking inside Ships of the Sea Maritime Museum Museum EVENTS Education and Group Programs Meet the Production Team Dee Daniels Media   FIND A FAVORITE SPOT IN THIS EPISODE: 00:00 Meet the Stevedore 00:23 What Stevedores Do 01:03 Longshoremen and Port Roles 02:17 Planning vs Execution 03:09 Clerks Checkers Explained 04:19 Ops Manager Responsibilities 05:14 Tracking Containers Today 07:20 Career Path Into Stevedoring 09:20 Ships Schedule and Pace 10:07 Troubleshooting and Redundancy 12:10 Terminals Unions Specialties 13:27 Breakbulk Yachts and Military 16:51 Ship Types and COVID Impact 18:52 Avoiding Complacency 20:18 Training the Crew 22:06 Career Paths In Ports 24:21 Container Planning Physics 26:07 Managing Massive Teams 27:17 Crane Speed And Workflow 28:48 Boarding Ships And Diplomacy 32:12 Life Aboard International Crews 35:12 Why Savannah Port Matters