Packing and securing cargo in a container: deliver it damage-free
Securing cargo isn't 'wrap it and go' — it's money saved directly. Poorly secured cargo shifts, spills and deforms in transit, and the result is breakage, mis-sorting, buyer claims and a denied insurance payout: insurers don't pay when the damage was caused by improper stowage.
In a container, cargo travels thousands of kilometres: impacts during rail shunting, rolling on the ferry and at sea, braking and cornering on the road. Anything not fixed in place moves and gets damaged. Let's go through it in order: how to pack, what to secure with, and what to account for by transport mode. We follow the international CTU Code — the IMO/ILO/UNECE code of practice for packing cargo transport units.
1. Packing: where it all starts
Reliable securing starts with packing the cargo unit itself correctly.
Pallets and phytosanitary (ISPM-15)
Wooden pallets and crating for international transport must be heat-treated and carry the IPPC/ISPM-15 stamp. Without it, cargo can be turned back at the border — this is a phytosanitary requirement, not a formality. Palletised cargo is handled by forklift in minutes and rides more stably than loose loads.
Fixing on the pallet
Each pallet is a 'monolith': stretch wrap, edge protectors along the corners and strapping. Edge protectors keep straps from crushing the boxes and hold the stack's shape. For fragile and heavy goods — wooden crating or a box.
Moisture protection — 'container rain'
Under temperature swings (and the Middle Corridor crosses a sharply continental climate), condensation forms inside the container and drips from the ceiling and walls — so-called 'container rain'. It soaks cardboard and ruins goods. Protection: desiccants, VCI corrosion inhibitors and silica gel for metal, and moisture-resistant packaging.
Marking
'This way up', 'Fragile', 'Do not tip', a centre-of-gravity mark on heavy items — legible marking reduces the risk of mishandling at intermediate terminals.
2. Stowage and centre of gravity
How the cargo is distributed in the container matters more than it seems. Key rules per the CTU Code:
- Centre of gravity — central and as low as possible. The CTU Code recommends keeping the CoG within roughly 5% of the geometric centre.
- Heavy low and central, light on top. The 'top lighter than bottom' principle protects the lower units from crushing.
- Stack in columns: the load goes through the pallet feet, not onto the boxes below.
- Distribute cargo evenly along the length — imbalance ruins the axle-weight distribution (fined on road) and is dangerous on a rail wagon.
3. Securing means inside the container
Cargo mass and friction alone aren't enough: constant vibration in transit makes even heavy cargo creep, so the CTU Code requires lashing and blocking. The modern toolkit:
Dunnage — filling voids
Voids are the main enemy: cargo builds up speed in them and gets damaged. Per the CTU Code, cumulative gaps in any horizontal direction should not exceed 15 cm; anything larger must be filled. The best tool is dunnage bags — paper or polypropylene 'cushions' inflated into the gaps, especially at the doors. For long transit, use high load-rating bags; the filler must not deform and settle (burlap or soft foam won't do).
Lashing — tie-down straps
Cargo is pulled down with certified lashing straps to the container's securing points. Important: web lashings must not be knotted or over-tensioned — that reduces their strength. The end (door) rows must always be lashed.
Anti-slip mats
Rubber or composite mats under pallets and between tiers increase friction and damp movement — a simple, effective measure recommended by the CTU Code.
Separator sheets and braces
A separator sheet (plywood, a pallet board) between tiers spreads the load. At the doors, a 'lock' — a bulkhead or bracing beam — keeps cargo from falling out when the container is opened.
4. Nuances by transport mode
Securing is universal, but the emphasis differs:
Sea and ferry
The main enemies are rolling (heel and trim in every direction) and condensation. Secure along all axes, fill the side gaps too (a ferry rolls heavily sideways), and always add desiccants.
Rail
On rail the main load is longitudinal impacts during coupling and hump shunting (especially relevant on the China→Georgia Middle Corridor). Longitudinal fixing is critical: dunnage in the lengthwise gaps and braces, or the cargo 'shoots' along the container.
Road
On the road, braking, acceleration and cornering are at play — you need lateral and longitudinal securing. Cargo often goes in a single tier, and axle-weight distribution matters: overloading an axle is fined.
5. Common mistakes
- Unfilled voids — cargo builds speed and breaks.
- No ISPM-15 stamp on pallets — stuck at the border.
- Heavy on top — crushed lower boxes.
- No moisture protection — condensation soaks the cardboard and goods.
- Knotted or over-tensioned straps — they lose strength.
- Loading 'by eye' with no scheme and no centre-of-gravity check.
How we do it
For every shipment, ABU JORJIA prepares a stowage scheme for the specific cargo, applies modern securing means and moisture protection per the CTU Code, and documents the loading itself — with step-by-step photos and a loading protocol. The cargo arrives damage-free, and you hold proof of correct stowage. More on how loading control replaces a costly surveyor is in a separate article.
Reference — the CTU Code (Code of Practice for Packing of Cargo Transport Units, IMO/ILO/UNECE). Specific solutions depend on the cargo type and route.