Cargo Packaging, Palletising & Handling
How to pack, palletise, secure, and mark cargo so it survives transit and clears biosecurity requirements.
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Stretch Wrap, Strapping and Getting a Pallet to Arrive Intact
Most pallets fail the same way: the film never gripped the pallet, so the load slides off the base as one piece. Thickness is not the measure that matters.
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Export Crating: When a Box Is Not Enough
Machinery and capital equipment need structure, not cardboard. Crating is also where corrosion protection, desiccant and shock indicators come in.
Cargo Marking and Labelling: What Goes on the Outside
The outside of the box is a document. It routes the cargo, tells handlers how to treat it, and in some cases is a customs requirement in its own right.
Pallet Sizes Around the World and How They Fit a Container
A container floor is 2.35m wide, and no common pallet divides into it neatly. Which pallet you use decides how much of the box you actually pay to ship as air.
Dunnage, Lashing and Bracing: Securing Cargo for Sea
Cargo at sea is not sitting still. It is being accelerated in three axes for weeks, and restraint has to be designed for that, not for the drive to the port.
ISPM 15: Wood Packaging Rules and Why Shipments Get Rejected
The pallet under your cargo is regulated cargo in its own right. Untreated wood gets shipments refused entry, and the piece that fails is usually not the pallet.
Cargo Securing Inside the Container: The Step Most Shippers Skip
Packing a container is not stacking boxes: weight distribution, void filling and lashing decide whether cargo arrives intact or becomes a claim.
Export Packaging and Palletisation: The Checklist That Protects Your Cargo and Your Rate
Carton specs, pallet standards, ISPM 15, and the packaging decisions that quietly change what you are charged.
Packaging & Handling FAQ
How should I pack cargo for international transit?
Pack for the worst leg of the journey, not the average one. Export cargo faces stacking pressure, vibration, humidity, and repeated handling, so use double-wall cartons or crates, palletise where possible, shrink-wrap and strap to the pallet, and add desiccants for long ocean transits. Insurers frequently decline claims where the underlying cause was insufficient packing.
What is ISPM 15 and does it apply to my shipment?
ISPM 15 is the international standard for treating timber packaging (pallets, crates, dunnage) to prevent pests moving between countries. It applies to most solid wood packaging in international trade, which must be heat-treated or fumigated and stamped with the certification mark. Untreated timber can lead to cargo being held, fumigated at your cost, or in serious cases re-exported.
Why does declared packing size matter so much?
Because freight is charged on the space your cargo occupies, and carriers re-measure. Quotes are based on the packed dimensions you declare, including the pallet and any overhang, so understating them means the shipment is re-rated after collection and the invoice exceeds the quote. Measure the packed unit as it will actually travel, not the product.
How should cargo be secured inside a container?
Brace it so it cannot move. A partly filled container allows the load to shift in a seaway, which is a leading cause of transit damage and can affect container stability. Use airbags, timber bracing, blocking, and strapping to fill voids, distribute weight evenly over the container floor, and keep the load within the door line so it can be unloaded safely.
What markings should be on export cartons?
Mark cartons with the consignee, destination, package numbers in sequence such as 1 of 12, gross and net weight, dimensions, and any handling or orientation symbols. For dangerous goods, hazard labels and UN numbers are mandatory. Consistent marks that match the packing list and bill of lading speed up customs inspection and reduce the risk of split consignments going astray.