Extras · 1 of 4

A typical shift

You call the dispatch hall or check the board to see if you are working, and which shift. On the dock you might be lashing containers on a ship's deck, driving a truck between the crane and the yard, working in a hold, or running a piece of heavy equipment. Shifts are normally eight hours with set break times, and a vessel on a tight schedule means overtime is offered constantly. It is outdoors, in whatever the weather does, beside machinery that will not survive a mistake. Ports run day, afternoon and night shifts every day of the year.