What is a Stevedore?
A stevedore is someone who loads and unloads ships, typically working in a team which includes a large number of stevedores to ensure that the process is smooth and efficient. Stevedores are iconic figures in many cultures, thanks to their extreme strength and infamously impolite mouths; historically, stevedores were known for having quite salty language, just like sailors. They have also played a vital role in the labor movement in many parts of the world, and today stevedores tend to be members of unions, ensuring that they receive reasonable rates of pay and protection from grueling hours and dangerous conditions. The term “stevedore” to describe someone who handles the loading and unloading of ships has been used since the 1700s. It comes from the Spanish estibador, which is derived from estibar, “to stow,” a word which in turn originates in the Latin word stipare, “to pack.” The usage of the word “stevedore” undoubtedly spread through sailors, who are famous for bringing snippets
A stevedore is either a person or a firm contracting with a ship’s owner, agent, charter operator, or the owner of the cargo to load or unload a ship in port. This contractor, in essence, agrees to become the middleman between these entities and the supply of longshoremen who perform the actual cargo handling. The contractor provides the expertise required to load or unload all types of cargoes safely and efficiently.
The words stevedore, docker, and longshoreman can have various waterfront-related meanings concerning loading and unloading ships, according to place and country. The word “stevedore” was brought from Spain or Portugal by sailors. It started as a phonetic spelling of Spanish estibador or Portuguese estivador = “a man who stuffs”, here in the sense of “a man who loads ships”, which was the original meaning of “stevedore”; compare Latin stipāre = “to stuff”. In the United Kingdom, men who load and unload ships are usually called dockers while in the United States and Canada the term longshoreman, derived from “Man-along-the-shore”, is used. Want More Info!? Loading and unloading ships requires knowledge of the operation of loading equipment, the proper techniques for lifting and stowing cargo, and correct handling of hazardous materials. In addition, workers must be physically strong and be able to follow orders. In earlier days, men who load and unload ships had to tie down cargoes with
Stevedore, Docker, and Longshoreman can have various waterfront related meanings concerning loading and unloading ships, according to place and country. The word “stevedore” was brought from Spain or Portugal by sailors. It started as a phonetic spelling of the Spanish word estibador or the Portuguese word estivador “a man who stuffs”, here in the sense of “a man who loads ships”, which was the original meaning of the word “stevedore”. As a result, the word “stevedore” has become proverbial for a man with a lot of muscle, as in “The ballet troupe found that in the off-season their best male dancer had been working on a oil rig and came back looking like a stevedore”.
