Loading a shipping container for export

How to safely load a shipping container

Please note some very important safety points. Generally speaking you (the shipper or the person sending the cargo) will be responsible for everything to do with your shipment. The safe packing and loading of cargo is paramount

If your cargo isn’t secured properly it may

• Roll around in your container on a boat and destroy your cargo, plus perhaps damage the cargo in neighbouring containers (which you would be liable for)
• Can come through the front (non-door end ) of a shipping container of a truck driver needs to break heavily – resulting in serious damage to the truck and potentially injury or death for the truck driver – again if cargo isn’t secured properly it’s you (the shipper or the person sending the goods) who is responsible
• Cause trucks to topple over if cargo has shifted to either side (again you would usually be liable)
• Unfortunately doe to the seriousness of this issue we are stopping short of offering advice on how to safely load cargo. Due to the wide variety of cargo that can move this is a very in depth service and quite frankly we feel its snot possible to offer a complete guide for all scenarios in one small guide.

Where possible if you’re new to shipping containers we recommend the safest options is to employ a firm of professional and experienced packers with good public liability insurance cover. Loading cargo safely isn’t a complex undertaking and if approaching this yourselves there are plenty of guides on the internet that may help specific to the items being loaded (e.g. cars).

Bear in mind that you shipping container may have to withstand pitching and rolling on a boat through a storm, or a container truck driver may reasonably have to break heavily on his or her way to the port with your loaded container (or coming out of the port at the other end) As well as this your container may be subjected to extremes in temperature and humidity and will also take a bit of a clatter every time its lifting into a container stack or onto a boat, train or truck chassis. Your packing has to ensure your cargo is secure inside, won’t move or damage itself under normal or reasonable circumstances.

The containers come with numerous lashing points to help you secure you cargo safely. With very heavy containers (over circa 10 tonnes of cargo) consideration should be put into ensuring the load is even throughout. A container that is very heavy at one end can cause issues with trucks and cranes.

Budgetshippingcontainers.co.uk offer the UK’s largest online range of shipping containers for sale with a nationwide network of storage and conversion yards and crane equipped delivery vehicles.

If you need a shipping container feel free to browse our online range of shipping containers for sale. You can also call us on freephone 0808 1234 215 any time 9am – 5pm weekdays and our team will be happy to discuss your requirements. Alternatively, you can use our online shipping container quote form or request a telephone callback. In both cases we aim to get back to you within 1-2 working hours (may take longer for more detailed quotes).