Every year there are numerous occurrences of sea freight cargo damage. The majority of these result from the improper packing of cargo into shipping containers. This is a serious problem which results in:
- Damaging the container itself, as well as neighbouring containers, container lifting equipment and the cargo ship
- Inflicting serious injury to, or causing the death of, shipping personnel
- Causes unnecessary costs, disruption and delays to shippers, transporters, importers, exporters and insurers
Avoid sea freight cargo damage to goods
Cargo damage has a high level of claims
In 2017 mutual insurance associations in the UK reported that 25% of cargo claims were due to cargo damage. If your cargo arrives at the destination looking like that in the picture below, it is physical damage, most likely due to improper, incorrect and/or insufficient packing methods or overloading of containers.
Claim types
The four most common types of cargo claims are: damage, loss, shortage, and concealed damage or shortage. Lost cargo is when – due to theft, accident or mishandling – the entire shipment does not arrive at its intended destination. Shortage occurs when only part of the shipment arrives at the intended destination and is usually attributable to the bill of lading being incorrect. Concealed damage or shortage is when the cargo is found to be damaged or incomplete after it has been fully unpacked or broken down after accepted as delivered.
Cargo damage types
Sea freight cargo damage can be physical, when goods are crushed, smashed or broken. Damage to goods can also result from them becoming wet or contaminated from spillage, or leaks from products within the shipping container. Cargo damage can also result from goods not being maintained within a required temperature range.
Avoid sea freight cargo damage to clothes
Importance of proper container packing
Shipping containers are made to withstand the range of strains and stresses expected during the handling at ports and transit across seas. Proper container packing of cargo is vital to ensure it arrives safely and intact. Container packing requires specific expertise to deal with several complex aspects of sea freight.
Types of ship movements
When a cargo ship moves when in transit across the seas, the shipping containers and the cargo they hold moves with the ship. There are six types of ship movements:
- Heave: vertical motion
- Sway: transverse motion
- Surge: longitudinal motion
- Roll: longitudinal rotation
- Pitch: transverse rotation
- Yaw: vertical rotation
Each of these ship movements cause different stains and stresses on the cargo packed within the container. If these strains and stresses cause any movement of cargo inside, it is likely to damage the cargo and possibly the container. In extreme cases, the cargo may burst through the container doors or walls, damaging other containers or the ship and harming its crew.
Effects of ship movement on cargo
In rough seas, cargo inside a container can be subjected to extreme heaving movements similar to impact strain on a passenger in a car which is travelling at 80 km/hr and hits a speed bump. There can be rolling movements of up to 40 degrees that will forcefully rock cargo inside a container from side to side. Under these circumstances it is easy to see that if cargo becomes loose it will strike the container walls or doors with considerable energy and lead to significant damage. If the cargo consists of heavy and dense unsecured objects, such as metal coils or stone blocks, it is easy to see how they could burst through the container doors or walls.
Container packing techniques
Shipping containers are designed to protect the cargo and allow for standardised handling and stowage; however, the correct method of packing the cargo within the container depends on the cargo itself. Typical packing techniques include:
- Anchoring with timber connectors and wedges on a wooden floor
- Supporting lightweight goods by adding internal walls
- Lashing with chains, steel strapping, ropes or wires to eyelets and bars
- Shoring and bracing using wooden beams, planks and corner posts
- Making different levels of separation with intermediate decks and walls
- Securing sections with movable bars, rods and nets
- Ability to absorb sudden impacts with air bags
- Holding pallets, skids and cases in place with timber connectors
- Filling empty spaces with polystyrene blocks, corrugated paper, used tyres or empty pallets
Several other important factors considered when packing cargo include:
- Planning the cargo stowage inside the shipping container
- Ensuring the container is not overloaded or exceeds deck weight concentration
- Distributing the cargo weight evenly inside the container
- Making sure heavy weights are not placed at either end or side of a container
- Packing the heaviest items on the bottom
- Having heavy items placed in a box, crate or cradle
- Not mixing incompatible cargo like clothing and fruit
- Not having items that could leak or spill placed of top of other items
- Strictly adhering to hazardous packing guidelines
Avoid sea freight cargo damage to fruit
Choose us to avoid sea freight cargo damage
When you choose us for sea freight, you choose a freight forwarder that considers the avoidance of cargo damage as a top priority. Our carriers ensure containers that are consolidated are packed correctly to ensure your goods arrive safely and securely. So let the team at Freight Forwarder Quote Online help. We offer a full range of freight services and are happy to give you the help you need.
Our shipping network has more than 40,000 locations worldwide and we provide full-costing upfront sea freight with no hidden costs. Our forwarding service is fast, lean and transparent, so contact us online and send a message. You can even message us on Facebook for help on sea freight.
