The Corporation of Hamilton has introduced yet more restrictions at the docks as part of efforts to ease congestion.

Now any importer who has a container left on the dock for more than eight working days will not be allowed to land additional containers until they have removed the first containers and paid storage charges.

All oversized loads above 20 feet or break bulk cargo must be pre-cleared and then removed immediately after it lands on the dock. Boats must be removed within 48 hours of landing and they will not be released until the trailer or cradle it came with is also removed.

Stevedoring Services chairman Henry Hayward welcomed the changes. He said it was usually the same importers leaving containers on the dock.

?They don?t have sufficient warehouse space. They haven?t sold what they brought in two weeks ago so they leave it on the dock.? He said some people left boat trailers and cradles on the docks for months after their boat was dropped into the water from the ship.

The notice in also stipulated commercial vehicles must be pre-cleared and removed within two days of being unloaded. Unapproved vehicles will not be discharged from the vessel.

Dockworkers and management have complained about cramped working conditions on the dock, and last month a limit of 750 containers was introduced. Mr. Hayward said since Cup Match demand had decreased slightly but often the docks were pretty close to the 750-container limit.