A cargo supervisor oversees the loading and unloading of cargo on aircraft, ships, or trucks, ensuring safe and secure transport and adherence to weight restrictions and regulations. They must have knowledge of the industry and develop skills in math, communication, delegation, and task management.
A cargo supervisor is a senior member of a cargo team responsible for calculating the distribution of cargo on aircraft, ships or cargo trucks. He or she will also coordinate the loading and unloading of this cargo to ensure that it is carried out safely and securely, and to ensure that all items are accounted for at all times. Sometimes the load supervisor is responsible for traveling with the goods being transported to ensure they are safe and secure during transport. If changes in load distribution during transport are necessary, the supervisor must coordinate any movement or changes.
A load team usually consists of several loaders and unloaders, in addition to the load supervisor himself. This senior member is responsible for overseeing all cargo operations from start to finish, including securing manifests, reviewing them to determine the best packing order, and noting any necessary safety precautions that must be taken with dangerous or fragile cargo. In addition to simply loading and unloading cargo transport vehicles, the cargo supervisor must learn the different characteristics of each vessel so that he understands how weight must be distributed or transferred during transport. This keeps the vessel stable during operation and ensures cargo security.
Weight restrictions and general cargo regulations must also be observed by cargo crews, and the cargo supervisor is directly responsible for ensuring that these regulations are adhered to at all times. This means that the loading supervisor must be familiar with all items being loaded or unloaded. If hazardous materials are being transported, the supervisor is responsible for ensuring appropriate clearances from the relevant authorities.
Before cargo can be loaded or unloaded, it must be transported to the loading vehicle. The cargo supervisor will be responsible for this transport, and the cargo will often be sorted or sorted on land before being transferred to a cargo vehicle. The supervisor can make changes to the order in which the cargo will be loaded and can take an inventory of all items. This inventory can be compared with the shipping manifest provided to the supervisor.
Some of the skills a supervisor should develop include basic math skills, communication skills, the ability to delegate responsibilities, and the ability to manage multiple complex tasks at once. A knowledge of the industry in which the supervisor works is also extremely important; an air cargo supervisor, for example, must have a thorough understanding of different cargo planes in order to be able to load them safely and efficiently.
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