It does not matter if you are a consigner or carrier; cargo damage is the last thing you want to occur during freight transit. Impacting the bottom line and adding to the transportation costs, cargo damage can bring a loss of reputation, harm customer relationships and even thwart business growth. Understanding and addressing the causes and issues behind cargo damage can help freight transport companies to prevent the loss of goods during transit. If you are a carrier company, you can take some steps to ensure the cargo reaches its destination safely without any damage or loss. Before we discuss the measures to avoid cargo damage, let us briefly analyse the reasons behind the damage during the transit process.

Reasons for Cargo Damage

Physical damage usually happens during handling, for example, dropping, rolling, knocking or transporting against the norms prescribed for safe transport (varies with the nature and type of cargo/products). Nine times out of ten, poor packaging techniques remain one of the prominent reasons for damaged goods. Also, it can lead to infestation and contamination damage caused due to insects, rodents and goods coming in contact with other hazardous materials. Improper packing due to torn or crushed or used packages leads to cargo damage. Also, temperature fluctuations in reefer trucks resulting from the breakdown of cooling equipment, power disruption inside the unit, incorrect temperature settings, and cargo overloading may eventually lead to cargo loss. In addition to the above, improper loading and unloading techniques result in cargo loss.

These are all common causes of physical damage while transporting cargo. Even though shippers and carriers expect a certain amount of damage, freight forwarding companies can prevent these flaws. By checking into the packaging practices and the prescribed norms for moving goods based on their nature while using well-maintained vehicles, optimised routes and adhering to reduced lead times, freight transport companies can save cargo from transit damage.

Having discussed the most apparent reasons for the goods’ damage during their transportation, we shall straightaway go through a few best preventive steps for reducing such loss.

1. Improve Packaging

As aforementioned, improving packaging techniques is one of the most significant steps freight transport companies can adopt to check transit damage. Choose the right carton type, size and safe stacking heights before transporting cargo on pallets. If stacking is possible, follow the maximum stacking height and dynamic load capacity. Packaging products in the proper, desired manner ensure safety in shipping. Make sure you use a box that is slightly larger than the product it holds. Too small and too large packages can cause damage during transit. Also, check if the corrugated boxes can handle the weight of the product inside. Check the packaging material, and rely on package fillers such as packing peanuts and Kraft paper to keep products inside. Once done, use packing tape to close and seal the package thoroughly.

2. Choose Express Transport or a Full truckload

Wherever possible, go for express transport service or full truckload to prevent transit damage during handling. In the case of express transport and full truckload, unlike less-than-truckload service, the chances of handling issues are minimal because the goods travel in the trailer from pickup to destination without any halt during the journey. Your freight travels from origin to destination without ‘contacts’. Therefore, shippers can prevent damage from handling while helping it reach its delivery point without any risk of loss or damage. Further, for both express transport and full truckload service, there is no issue with the unloading and loading of cargo. Only a single shipper can hire express freight transport and full truckload service, and therefore sharing there is no question of space inside the trailer for other cargo is not possible. In other words, it helps the goods stay safe and free from loss due to contamination and mishandling.

3. Check the Quality of Pallets

Select the best pallets to reduce product damage during transit. In the first place, freight transport companies have to ensure that the pallets can handle the weight of the cargo. A pallet insufficient to hold the weight of the package would get loosened, and a damaged pallet can move during transit which in turn can shift the load further would result in the damage of goods inside. Avoid such mistakes by regularly checking and removing the pallets which are damaged. Check the maximum weight they can hold while selecting second-hand corrugated pallets. Steel and metal pallets are a better option than wooden and paper pallets to prevent damage and provide maximum safety for freight during transit. By carefully choosing the pallets and constantly monitoring their quality, freight transport companies can avoid cargo damage due to the poor selection of pallets.

Book Load Movement through Ianis Cargo

Ianis Cargo, one of the leading freight transport and freight forwarding companies in Europe, offers full truckload (FTL), express transport, and less-than-truckload (LTL) services at cost-effective rates. As we have partnered with several reputable courier companies, shippers can compare freight quotes in real time and access the lowest quotes. The live shipping calculator considers prevailing market price rates and sends the quotes instantly. Apart from FTL, LTL and express freight transport solutions, we also provide fast eCommerce deliveries for B2B and B2C online stores. When time is of the essence, shippers can rely on our express service using air shipping. Furthermore, monitor the transit status of your freight in real-time through our advanced tracking facility, get electronic proof of delivery (ePOD), 24/7 customer support and many more while sending cargo through Ianis Cargo digital shipping platform.