Shipowners should ensure that the ship's crew apply basic best practices to prevent damages to bagged rice and prevent pilferage and theft.  This animation provides as summary of these best practices and practices to be avoided.

The following photos show examples of specific concerns that may be observed in the loading and discharge of bagged rice.

Surveyor and crewmen independently tallying a bundle of bagged rice being hauled overboard from a rice barge into the cargo hold.

A crew man removes a rodent from a rice bag. The ship's crew must be diligent to observe damaged and/or vermin-infested bags of rice before being stowed in the cargo hold.

The crew should be observant to look for rice bags which have been pilfered.

The crew should be diligent in documenting and ensuring rice bags are not roughly handled that may lead to torn bag damage.