Cargo needs great care especially in handling and shipping

Apply “Safety first” policy in Cargo

In transport, goods and cargo business, risk factors are always there. There may be loss of goods, vehicle can get an accident during travelling and natural calamities can create problem etc. That’s why insurance companies play their part to recover the loss. This happens though in a blue moon but the danger of loss is always there. We can’t make this business without this risk or danger factor. Each transport and cargo company takes necessary security steps to avoid these risks whether it is air cargo, or sea cargo.

Demand of security for his or her goods, cargo and valuables is the basic right of any shipper or customer. Customers drop their goods and cargo for Cargo Company to transport it to its destinations without thinking about the safety because it is the responsibility of that company to deliver your goods with safety at your destination. There are some key steps for all cargo companies to avoid inconvenience in security concerns.

Select the right container

For safe and sound delivery, selection of the container is the basic thing. It is the basic responsibility of Cargo Company to assure that the container is compatible with cargo or goods that is going to be packed in it.

If your cargo requires refrigeration, ventilation and specific temperature, so the company should arrange with specific facilities for safe and secure delivery and to avoid loss or damages.

The condition of container should be healthy for safe voyages

After picking up the right container for the right cargo, the next step is the condition of the container. Is it in a weatherproof condition, odor free and without leakage? If the answer is yes then select it for your cargo shipping or goods, otherwise don’t put in your cargo in damage container. It may harmful to your luggage, goods and cargo. Check the doors of any container before booking. They should be in proper condition and their gaskets should be waterproof and air tight.

Loading and stowing is very important

After selection of good and appropriate container, the next stage is its safe filling with cargo or goods in good order and arrangement. The cargo companies have experts for this purpose that are specialized to use every inch of the container in smart and sensible way. Make sure that container is packed with right goods and in right way. As in road transportation and cargo business, load is important. Same in sea cargo business, the term “Stow” is very important. Safe sea voyage depends on this term. Good cargo and container companies take great care in stowing to avoid any bad incident during voyage. Load and weight distribution is also important in cargo business. For example, if you booked a 40-ft container that has cargo capacity of 5500-lbs with 2100-cft capacity, your weight is 55000-lbs with just 1000-cft.

It should be arranged in this manner that half of the height of the container is covered over the entire floor, rather than one-half of the length but up to the top of the container. The gradation of cargo goods is equally important in stowing. Things with bulky appearance, weight, mass, size and density should be differentiated along with the material as wood items, steel, glass and liquids and solids accordingly.

Strictly follow international rules of cargo

Each and every business has some rules to obey. When you are in an international business like A Star Cargo, such as transportation or cargo, you are under some strict rules and observed by international authorities who monitor all ins and outs of all international businesses. Don’t put anything in you container that has been prohibited to transport internationally. You can’t board on some dangerous materials without permission or documentation. IMDG Codes (International Maritime Dangerous Goods Codes) are internationally followed by all cargo companies in this connection.

Take great care in stowing heavy cargo

Though the bed is the most solid part of any container, but if you planed to put in some very heavy material into the container then before put it in take some necessary steps to avoid any bad incident.  Calculate the weight and load and then strengthen the floor with extra longitudinal and horizontal bedding material.

It gives extra strength to the floor of the container. Same procedure can be adopted to protect side walls if the material is extra heavy and bulky. Fastening is also important one in heavy goods to transport. Bed of floor is the best place for storage of heavy and bulky goods. Pile up of same goods over one another shouldn’t mix of goods with different weight and mass.

Balanced pack up of cargo means safe voyage

There are thousands of containers in a sea vessel to take them in different parts of the world. The light movement of any container can make trouble for the whole vessel. As we noticed in road transportation or train cargo, the proper stowing prevents longitudinal motion of goods, same case is within the sea cargo or container fastening. To prevent from longitudinal stress, the containers are fastened from edge to edge with one another.

This technique prevents them to slip on one another while piling and moving. The slogan “pack it tight to ride right” is very good one in this sense.

Strapping, lashing and netting make the difference

Strapping and lashing is used to protect cargo generally. It is a very old technique to fasten things properly to reduce motion while travelling or transporting.Proper strapping and lashing along with wooden dunnage assures a safe journey or voyage without lateral movements.

Netting is also a good technique in cargo movements. By this you can make a single unit by netting different small items together.

Blocking and bracing are good techniques in safe transportation

If there is any void between items in the container that can give any room for any movement, try to pack that void by wooden blocks to avoid that movement.

If there are wooden materials in the container, fix them with each other or coupled them with each other by wooden planks. This process is called bracing. By this procedure small units became one big unit and the movement can be restrained.