Stevedores on a New York dock loading barrels of corn syrup onto a barge on the Hudson River. Photograph by Lewis Hine, ca. 1912.

A stevedore is a person who works at loading or unloading a ship. In North America this occupation is called longshoreman, which is derived from a contraction of the word or phrase for a person who is along the shore, that is, an along-the-shore-man. It is skilled work that requires operation of loading equipment, the proper packing and unpacking techniques for cargo, and the correct handling of hazardous materials. In earlier days stevedores had to tie down cargoes with rope. A special form of stop knot is called the stevedore's knot. The methods of securely tying up parcels of goods is called stevedore lashing or stevedore knotting. Download high resolution version (1396x1100, 340 KB)Stevedores on a New York dock loading barrels of corn syrup onto a barge on the Hudson River. ... Download high resolution version (1396x1100, 340 KB)Stevedores on a New York dock loading barrels of corn syrup onto a barge on the Hudson River. ... Italian ship-rigged vessel Amerigo Vespucci in New York Harbor, 1976 A ship is a large, sea-going watercraft, sometimes with multiple decks. ... World map showing North America A satellite composite image of North America North America is a continent in the northern hemisphere bordered on the north by the Arctic Ocean, on the east by the North Atlantic Ocean, on the south by the Caribbean Sea, and on the west by the... Cargo is a term used to denotes goods or produce being transported generally for commercial gain, usually on a ship, plane, train or lorry. ... A hazardous material (HAZMAT) is any solid, liquid, or gas that can cause harm to humans and other living organisms due to being radioactive, flammable, explosive, toxic, corrosive, a biohazard, an oxidizer, an asphyxiant, or capable of causing severe allergic reactions. ... Some knots: 1. ... Canonical Name: stevedores knot Variant Name(s): None. ...

While packing a vessel, a stevedore will employ dunnage, which are pieces of wood set down to keep the cargo out of any water that might be lying in the hold or are placed as shims between cargo crates to keep them from shifting during a voyage.

Because they work outdoors in all types of weather, these workers adopted a type of cap that has a snug fit, is warm, and is easily put away in a pocket. These are a type of beanie or watch cap called variously stevedore's cap or stevedore's hat. A cap is a form of headgear. ... A beanie with a large turn-up, worn so that the top of the hat is not stretched over the head. ...

Today a commercial stevedoring company is one that is involved in shipping logistics between sea and land transport.

Famous ex-stevedores include comedian Artie Lange (although he refers to himself as an ex-longshoreman). A comedian, or comic, is an entertainer who amuses an audience by making them laugh. ... Arthur Steven Lange (born October 11, 1967 in Union, New Jersey) is an American television and movie actor, stand up comedian and radio personality. ...

Two unions within the AFL-CIO represent longshoremen in the United States: the International Longshoremen's Association, which represents longshoremen on the east coast, on the Great Lakes and connected waterways and along the Gulf of Mexico, and the International Longshore and Warehouse Union, which represents longshoremen along the west coast, in Hawai'i and Alaska, and, through an affiliate, in Canada. The AFL-CIO is the largest labor union federation in the United States. ... The International Longshoremens Association is a labor union representing longshore workers along the East Coast of the United States and Canada, the Gulf Coast, the Great Lakes, and inland waterways. ... The International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) is a labor union which primarily represents dock workers won the West Coast of the United States, Hawaii and Alaska; it also represents hotel workers in Hawaii, cannery workers in Alaska and warehouse workers throughout the West. ...

In the United Kingdom, the definition of a stevedore varies from port to port. In some ports, only the highly skilled master of a loading gang is referred to as a "stevedore". The usual general term used in the UK or a man who loads or unloads ships is "docker", although technically this only refers to unskilled dock labourers who do not actually go aboard the ships.

In Australia, stevedores were historically referred to as wharf labourers and were colloquially called wharfies. The Maritime Union of Australia has coverage of these workers, and fought a substantial industrial battle in the 1998 Australian waterfront dispute to prevent the contracting out of work to non-union contractors. The Maritime Union of Australia covers waterside workers, seamen, port workers, professional divers, and office workers associated with Australian ports. ... The Australian waterfront dispute of 1998 was a severe and protracted industrial relations dispute mainly between the traditionally powerful Maritime Union of Australia and Patrick Corporation, led by CEO Chris Corrigan, a stevedoring and transportation company, that had the support of the Australian federal Howard government, particularly the then Workplace...