Container Security

Keeping your cargo secure is something everyone in the shipping industry worries about. Not only is your shipping container coming in from another area of the world, but there are many stops along the way with many different people involved in keeping the cargo moving to its destination. The first line of defense for a container is the seal. Although there are different types of seals, the standard ISO seal is accepted and used as the basic seal for most cargo shipping containers. The point of the ISO seal is ease of use as well as an obvious breach should it be broken. There are other types of container seals such as bolt lock container seals and electronic seals, but neither of these has been widely accepted yet.  

Beyond the seal, the commodity will determine the extent of further security that you will need. For instance if you are shipping gold bars, you may have a different plan than someone shipping dust pan and broom sets. While both are expected to arrive safely, there is an obvious difference in security needs. Many times when a company is shipping large quantities of extremely valuable goods, the steamship line will require inspections once gated in and around the clock security personnel for each leg of the trip from origin to destination. This will assist in general security as well as tight tracking of the international shipping container. There are freight forwarders that have global shipping services that can handle these types of loads and can assist you in moving this cargo, however you may find that it may be hard to find a steamship line that is willing to take the chance. No matter what you are shipping, be sure to secure your cargo and have the needed insurance in case of any type of security issue.