Load Securing: Technical Guide

Cargo damage during transport

Load Securing and Blocking in Transport – EN 12195-1, IMO CTU Code 2014, IMDG

The carriage of goods is governed by a set of regulations: civil codes in many countries define the responsibility of the shipper or the carrier for proper load securing. In France, for loads over 3.5 tonnes, responsibility generally lies with the consignor (shipper).

Transport-specific standards also apply: EN 12195-1:2010 covers all modes of transport, and the IMO/ILO/UNECE Code of Practice for Packing of Cargo Transport Units (CTU Code, 2014) sets out the requirements for shipping containers.

For dangerous goods, these standards become mandatory under ADR 7.5.7.1 and the IMDG Code.

EN 12195-1

This standard defines all the factors to take into account when securing and blocking a load:

  • the accelerations the cargo is subjected to in each mode of transport;
  • the friction coefficients of the materials in contact, which determine how easily the cargo slides;
  • sliding and tipping: depending on its shape, a load will either slide or tip over (tall loads on a narrow base);
  • the strength of the vehicle body walls (EN 12642 Code L and Code XL for trucks, curtainsiders and box vans, shipping containers, etc.);
  • standard calculation rules for the effectiveness of each lashing method: top-over (friction) lashing, direct lashing (straight or diagonal), loop lashing and head loop lashing.

The principle is simple:

The standard is used to calculate the inertial forces acting on the load in every direction (during acceleration, cornering or emergency braking). It also calculates the forces holding the load: friction, blocking (resistance of the vehicle walls) and the lashing method used. The sum of these three must exceed the inertial force, with safety factors built into the calculation.

IMO CTU Code 2014 – IMDG

Its annex on packing, blocking and securing is harmonised with EN 12195-1, using the same inertial forces and securing rules. It also sets out the standard calculation of dunnage bag strength and describes proven loading solutions.

These two main texts rely on other standards, which define the strength of lashing points (ISO 1496 and EN 12640) and lashing straps (EN 12195-2), among others.

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