DunLash Cargo Securing Services
Pre-Shipment Cargo Securing Assessment
A DunLash cargo securing assessment evaluates your current packing and securing procedures against CTU Code requirements and recommends corrective actions. The assessment covers:
- Container inspection procedures — is the CTU being checked for fitness before packing?
- Cargo weight distribution — is cargo loaded within the container’s rated capacity and with appropriate floor-load distribution?
- Lashing and strapping selection — are the products being used correctly rated for the cargo weight and transport mode?
- Lashing calculation method — are the number and arrangement of lashings sufficient for the dynamic forces of the transport mode?
- The 15cm rule — is the rear of the container loaded in compliance with CTU Code door-end requirements?
- Dunnage bag application — are void-filling bags correctly sized and inflated for the void dimensions?
- Container Packing Certificate — is the CPC being completed correctly and retained as part of the export documentation?
The assessment report provides a written record of findings and recommendations, which can be used as evidence of due diligence in the event of a subsequent cargo claim.
Pack House Training — Hands-On Cargo Securing
DunLash provides on-site pack house training for export packing teams covering the correct application of strapping, lashing, and dunnage bags, CTU Code awareness, and the basics of cargo securing calculation. Training is tailored to the specific products and cargo types used at each facility.
Training covers:
- Correct application of composite polyester strapping — tensioning, buckle selection, and joint technique
- Correct application of woven polyester lashing — threading, tensioning, and buckle locking for sea transport
- Dunnage bag sizing and inflation — selecting the correct bag size for the void, inflation pressure, and placement
- Container desiccant placement — positioning and quantity calculation for different container and voyage types
- CTU Code basics — what the Code requires, who is responsible, and how to complete a Container Packing Certificate
- RAFT Kit installation (for fresh produce pack houses) — correct deployment for temperature uniformity in reefer containers
Training can be arranged at the client’s pack house, warehouse, or port facility. DunLash trainers are based in Johannesburg, Durban, and Cape Town and can travel to regional facilities across South Africa.
Lashing Calculation Support
For clients who need verified lashing calculations for specific cargo types — particularly for high-value or heavy cargo shipments, project cargo, or cargo moving under insurance or shipping line requirements — DunLash provides written lashing calculation support using the CTU Code simplified method applied to SGS certified DunLash product MSL values.
Calculation outputs include:
- Required securing force (daN) for the cargo weight and transport mode
- Recommended lashing product (size and grade)
- Number of lashings required and suggested arrangement
- MSL values from the applicable DunLash SGS Technical Inspection Report
Container and Packing Station Inspection
For exporters who want independent verification of their container packing and securing at point of stuffing, DunLash can arrange container inspection at pack house or depot level. The inspection includes review of container condition, cargo securing, desiccant placement, and CPC documentation before the container is sealed and dispatched.
Who Benefits from DunLash Inspection and Training Services
- Fresh produce exporters — pack houses operating under cold treatment protocol or market access requirements where cargo securing directly affects phytosanitary compliance
- Mining and heavy industry logistics — operations moving high-value equipment where a single cargo incident creates significant financial exposure
- Chemical cargo handlers — packing operations dealing with DG or regulated cargo where CTU Code compliance is a condition of carriage
- New packing operations — businesses setting up container packing for the first time who need to establish compliant procedures from the outset
- Operations with high claim rates — exporters experiencing recurring cargo damage claims who need to identify and correct the root cause in their packing procedures
- Large-volume exporters — operations packing high numbers of containers where a systematic compliance programme reduces the statistical frequency of cargo incidents
Where DunLash Operates
DunLash inspection and training services are available across South Africa from our offices in:
- Johannesburg (80 Ronald Ave, Meadowview, Linbro Park AH, Sandton 2090) — serving Gauteng, North West, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, and the Northern Cape
- Durban (Unit 1, Chestnut Grove Industrial Park, 122–136 Brackenhill Road, Waterfall 3610) — serving KwaZulu-Natal, Richards Bay, and East Coast operations
- Cape Town (60 Tower Road, Airport Industria) — serving the Western Cape, Eastern Cape, and Saldanha Bay
On-site visits can be arranged at client facilities across South Africa and into SADC markets for larger accounts.
