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Field guide / 03

Cargo packing, with the details that matter

Protect the goods. Prove the condition.

Cartons protected by timber frames and secured with straps
Photo: Allwayforward website image library

A useful starting point

Pack & load
with a clear next step.

Good export packing is designed around the product and the journey. It must account for handling, compression, movement and the destination’s unpacking method. A photograph of a finished crate is useful; a record showing what is inside, how it is supported and how it is identified is much more useful.

Separate product-quality inspection from packing inspection. Confirm what each service checks, what evidence it supplies and who can approve rework. A packaging plan for a stone tabletop will differ from one for a sofa, a light fitting or loose metal fittings. The CTU Code provides a framework for safe packing and securing across transport modes; apply it through a competent packing team rather than treating a generic sketch as a load-securing calculation.

Specify the protection → Inspect the packaging → Check the container → Record the loaded cargo
Use these checkpoints to assign responsibilities and save handoff evidence.

Three practical guides

Read. Check. Put it to work.

From definition to action

Connect the details.

Use a glossary explanation for a term, then return to the guide to apply it to your shipment.

Gross Weight Ispm 15 Open the planning tool

Sources & scope

Primary references checked 21 October 2026. Carrier examples describe that provider’s process; confirm the requirements of your own booking and destination.

  1. IMO / ILO / UNECE — CTU Code ↗

Editorial preparation: Allwayforward Editorial Team. The worksheets and worked examples are original planning aids, not carrier forms or a substitute for shipment-specific instructions.