Abstract: Two spreaders are liftable by a crane apparatus and are provided with coupling devices for attachment to cargo containers, and separate latching devices to couple the spreaders to each other, end-to-end and slightly spaced apart. The length of each spreader is the same as the length of a shorter cargo container to be handled. The total length of the two spreaders, including the spacing, is the same as the length of a longer (double-size) container. When coupled together, the spreaders are used to lift and place either two of the shorter containers together or one longer container. Containers of different heights can also be handled.

Abstract: A system for securing two containers in a cell in a ship's hold wherein, at the midpoint of the length of the cell and at at least one side of the cell a flanged guide device is attached to the ship's structure, which guide device cooperates with two guiding hooks which are each detachably connected to a bottom corner piece of one of the containers at the sides thereof, the guiding hooks being mounted so that the hook on one container is turned toward the hook on the other container to engage the guide device flanges. In a further embodiment wherein containers are placed in a cargo cell side-by-side, hook assemblies are detachably connected to corner pieces of adjacent sides of the containers so that they are locked to each other to prevent movement of the containers during pitch and roll of the ship.