How to Prevent Damage and Theft of Cargo in Export & Import ? Complete Guide 2023

To prevent damage and theft of cargo, we analyze the ways of how the sea and air cargo shipments get lost, damage and stolen in the origin port, transshipment port, destination port or in the process of transit.

We can summarize the reason of the sea and air cargo shipments getting lost, damage and stolen in the below 3 ways.

1. Handling and storage of the goods in a careless way for which the goods get lost.
2. Theft or pilferage of cargo
3. Water damage or damage of goods because of poor packaging

Let us analyze the ways of how can we prevent Loss, Damage and Theft of Sea & Air Cargo Export.

1. Usage of only new, well-constructed packing for the goods to export. Do not use flimsy or previously used fiberboard boxes, wood crates, or bags for the package. Good packaging will prevent theft and damage of the goods.
2. Usage of consolidation methods – i.e., larger boxes, crates, etc. – for smaller, multiple, or non-uniform parcels. Unitizing, palletizing, and containerization will help keep shipments together and discourage the thief and loss of the small items.
3. Use of cautionary markings in English and if necessary in the language of the country of destination is important. The use of international handling symbols provides added effectiveness.
4. Rain, high humidity, condensation, and seawater (separately or in combination) can reduce otherwise stable cargo into a ruin of soggy, stained, mildewed or rusty merchandise. We need to apply preservatives, corrosion inhibitors, or waterproof wrapping directly to the item being shipped to prevent the exported products from getting ruined.
5. Inspection of the container to ensure proper accommodation and protection of the cargo is important to prevent damage of the cargo.
6. The stowing (stuffing) and securing of goods in the container needs to be carefully done and also the unloading of the cargo need to be cautious to prevent damage to the goods in the unloading stage.
7. Need to have clear documentation of the cargo that is exported, to keep in track of the number of goods exported from the shipper to the buyer.
8. It is good to handle the cargo with mechanical handling equipment, as a result reducing exposure to the inherently rougher manual-handling techniques. So it is wise to unitize, palletize, or assemble cargo into the largest practical unit.