What Is Cargo Restraint And Why Does It Matter?

Cargo restraint is a term used for describing the various tools and methods for ensuring that goods being transported are held down and cannot move in transit. The shifting and movement of cargo in transit can result in damage to property as well as potential injury to the personnel who have to work with the cargo ‒ whether it is unloading, loading or otherwise. Therefore, it is an extremely important aspect of logistics, as goods cannot be transported safely without it. There are various kinds of cargo restraints available. Some are experimental and quite innovative, whereas most are classic and are essentially a spin on the age-old practice of tying things down with ropes.  

Lashing And Strapping

Modern-day cargo restraint centres mostly on lashing and strapping, with the use of dunnage bags and other paraphernalia to pad the cargo after it has been secured. Lashing uses ratchets and lashes, which are usually made out of robust nylon ‒ similar to seatbelts ‒ and are tensioned to the point where the cargo cannot move at all. Lashing can also involve a complex array of nets that are stitched and shaped in certain ways to prevent the cargo from shifting. Strapping, on the other hand, is made of a type of polymer nicknamed ‘plastic steel’, which is extremely hard and tough and has an extremely high tensile strength. This disposable yet recyclable material is used to secure heavy loads and is pre-tensioned using special tools.        

How Cargo Restraint Helps

One of the most significant benefits of cargo restraint is that it results in a reduced risk of damage to one’s cargo. This significant risk reduction creates a higher degree of certainty for logistics service providers and their clients, which can assist in more accurate budgeting and reduce losses. The use of cargo restraints can also help one make the most out of the space available, whether on the back of a truck or in a shipping container. This maximisation of space will reduce shipping costs. Cargo restraint helps optimise space by ensuring that things are given as little wiggle room as possible and are restrained as efficiently as possible. The other major benefit of using cargo restraint is that it significantly reduces any risk of injury, whether to your own staff, customers or to other third parties who may interact with the load or come in contact with it at any time.   Browse the X-Pak Global website to see the different types of cargo restraint technologies and products that are available to you. Contact us for further advice on which options would be best suited to your specific requirements.