How Trucks Secure Their Cargo During Transport

Cargo refers to goods, merchandise, or products that are being transported or are in transit.

There are several types of cargo depending on the mode of transport and the physical characteristics of the transported products.

Cargo can be transported by water, road, or air, whereby the medium of transport can be a ship, vehicle, or plane. Distance, perishability, and bulk of cargo define the most suitable means of transportation to select.

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Based on cargo characteristics, there are five categories of cargo which include:

1)  Container cargo involves packaging smaller items into a housing commonly referred to as a container.

2)  Dry bulk cargo. It includes shipment that is solid either in the form of powder or granules, for example, cereals or cement.

3)  Liquid bulk. It includes fluids that are commonly transported in tankers or pipeline networks.

4)  Ro-Ro (Roll-on/Roll-off) cargo. Refers to a shipment that can be loaded into and discharged from the transport vessels.   It includes vehicles and agricultural machines.

5)  Break-bulk cargo. It refers to loads that can be transported in containers or put onto transport units-for example, industrial machine parts.

It is critical to ensure the right shipment equipment and containers are used. Different products have different transport requirements. For instance, solid merchandise has specifically designed kits that may not be suitable transportation of gases. The choice of transport container should be ideal for the specific merchandise in transit.

Securing cargo not only involves the appropriate and physical handling of the cargo but insuring against potential risks is also advised. Cargo is subject to damage or losses despite the protection mechanisms that are adopted.  Incidences of cargo loss or damage may result in high operational costs and negative implications for businesses’ financials.

Any business may be a victim of unforeseen circumstances; hence having several insurance policies is essential if misfortune or accidents occur.

Insurance covers play an essential role in ensuring cargo losses are well compensated for by the insurer. Any cargo under transport should have adequate insurance covers, and a business should have sufficient knowledge of the right processes and procedures to raise claims or seek compensation.

Businesses dealing with cargo transport locally or globally need to incorporate insurance expertise to handle matters related to the suitable insurance covers and handle a situation when insured risks occur.

With the emerging international sourcing trends, cargo securing is a critical element where shipping is involved.

Load security or cargo securing is a common trend with standard-defined laws and regulations while individual companies have adopted their precautions. Cargo securing is vital because it offers insurance in accidents, loss of cargo, property damage, environmental damage, and loss of lives.

With the prevalence of containerization, different cargo securing mechanisms have been adopted. The intermodal container sizes have been standardized to allow easy haulage and handling by machinery at harbours and ports.

Some of the load securing practices include:

1. i) Dunnage and dunnage bags. It refers to protective packaging materials alongside the goods to protect them from damage during the transportation process. Dunnage is not part of the cargo but is often referred to as waste material. It can be wadded, crumbled, or shredded paper.

Other forms of dunnage include Styrofoam, inflated air packs, and bubble wraps. Dunnage bags, also called airbags, are effective in securing loads by preventing lateral and longitudinal movements.

1. ii) Tie downs. Since not all goods fit within containers, some materials are bulky and maybe unstable when being transported. Such goods are secured in place by using tie-down materials.

Tie-down equipment includes chains, ropes, or heavy-duty strapping. Tie-down is mainly applied for bulky cylindrical cargo.

iii) Lashing. Its main aim is to minimize the movement of cargo during transport. Lashing involves the use of ropes, nets, chains, cables, wires, or strapping. Most commonly, the strapping is also secured to the transport unit.

1. iv) Fasteners include bolts and nails. Some cargo has provisions to fit pins for attachment to the transport unit. Other containers have fastener joints.
2. v) Strapping or bundling or banding. It involves using straps on an item for purposes of combining, holding, fastening, or stabilizing. Strapping is done during the packaging of goods before transportation. The belt comprises flexible but flat materials, including composite material, paper, nylon, or polyester.
3. vi) Blocking and bracing. This form of securing is used to restrict cargo shifting from front to back and vice versa.  Plastic forms lumber and metal rods are often used to secure the cargo.

Securing cargo properly is rewarding investment since it ensures the safety of goods in transit and protects from potential financial losses when risks occur. It is a safe culture for transportation businesses to adopt.