International & National Best Practice Guidance Resources
Access international and national sources of Best Practice information and advice on the safe loading/unloading, transport and declaration of loads inside shipping containers:
IMO/ILO/UNECE Code of Practice for Packing of Cargo Transport Units (CTU Code)
The IMO CTU Code provides comprehensive information and references on all aspects of loading and securing of cargo in containers.
Informative Material Related to IMO CTU Code
The Informative Material does not form part of the CTU Code but provides trainers and managers with further practical guidance and technical background information.
CTU Code - A Quick Guide
Produced by the international Cargo Integrity Group made up of seven international industry bodies (BIC, COA, FIATA, GSF, ICHCA, TT Club and WSC), the "CTU Code – a Quick Guide" acts as a route-map for the broader industry to engage more successfully with the CTU Code and to assist in achieving a wider understanding of good container packing practices.
The Quick Guide has been translated into many languages, including Chinese (traditional and simplified), Arabic, Spanish, Italian, French, Russian and English - all available to download free from the link below.
A writeable PDF version of the CTU Code Container Packing Checklist is also available in these languages.
International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code (IMDG Code)
The International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code (IMDG Code) lays out the regulatory framework for all aspects of handling dangerous goods and marine pollutants in sea transport.
CoRsafe Safe Container Loading and Transport Guide (Australia / NZ, in collaboration with CTAA)
The Guide walks you through the critical compliance steps you need to know when loading and restraining containers for transport within Australia and New Zealand.
It is designed to help you understand and implement the best practices for container packing, load restraint, and risk management.
Australian Dangerous Goods Code (ADG Code)
The Australian Code for the Transport of Dangerous Goods by Road & Rail (ADG Code) sets out the requirements for transporting dangerous goods by road or rail.
National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) Regulatory Advice - Managing the risks of transporting freight in shipping containers
This regulatory advice provides guidance on identifying and managing the safety risks of transporting freight in shipping containers by road and obligations under the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL).
Chain of Responsibility (CoR)
The Chain of Responsibility (CoR) is the part of the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL) that makes parties other than drivers responsible for the safety of heavy vehicles on the road.
Everyone who works with heavy vehicles - from the business that employs a driver or owns a vehicle, to the business that sends or receives goods, is accountable for the safety of the heavy vehicle, its driver, and its load throughout the journey.
Container Weight Declarations (CWDs)
The Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL) sets out the obligations for operators, drivers, consignors and consignees about the handling of freight containers and the requirements for container weight declarations (CWD).
Although there is no specific form for a CWD, it must include the following information:
- weight of the container including its contents
- container number and other details necessary to identify the container
- name and residential address or business name and address in Australia of the responsible entity for the freight container
- date of declaration.
Load Restraint Guide 2018 (National Transport Commission (NTC))
The Guide provides best practice load restraint systems to meet loading requirements and loading performance standards.
It includes technical information, detailed diagrams and worked examples to help you determine the restraint required for your heavy vehicle load.
The section on "Contained Loads" (page 81. onwards) is applicable to cargo inside shipping containers.
TT Club Webinar: The Importance of Securing Cargo in Freight Containers
According to TT Club, approximately 65% of cargo damage claims can be attributed to poor packing practices. This contributes to an estimated $6 billion in annual losses worldwide.
Watch a Webinar recording highlights different types of cargo which present unique challenges and require specialised securing methods, including steel coils, vehicles, moisture-sensitive goods, drums & kegs, machinery and flexible bulk products.
Safe Work Australia: Working Safely with Containers
This Guide focuses specifically on the handling of containers during container terminal operations and provides a range of options to address identified risks.
It sets out what compliance could look like for a range of issues identified by stakeholders.
SafeWork NSW: Guide for Unpacking Shipping Containers
The SafeWork NSW Guide provides information on how to manage health and safety risks when unpacking containers transported by land or sea.
From the opening of the container doors, through to removing and transporting items to the storage location – the guide covers your obligations under NSW work health and safety legislation.
CTAA is acknowledged as a stakeholder which provided an invaluable contribution to the development of the Guide.
WorkSafe Victoria: Unpacking Shipping Containers Information Sheet (2010)
The Information Sheet describes practical ways to safely unpack shipping containers and helps you develop work practices to eliminate or reduce these workplace health and safety risks.
The document tells you:
- the main risks associated with unpacking shipping containers
- possible health and safety consequences from these risks
- recommended controls to eliminate or reduce these risks
WorkSafe Victoria: Preventing musculoskeletal injury from packing and unpacking shipping containers and enclosed trailers
Guidance for employers on how to eliminate or reduce musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) risks when packing and unpacking shipping containers and enclosed trailers.
Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA): Obtaining a Verified Gross Mass (VGM)
The shipper must provide the gross mass as part of the cargo information.
The shipper must also ensure that the gross mass of a cargo unit recorded on the shipping documents is accurate.
The shipper must provide a VGM for both packed and empty containers.
There are two methods of obtaining a Verified Gross Mass (VGM) of a shipping container:
- Method 1 involves weighing a loaded container.
- Method 2 involves weighing the contents of a container and adding this to the tare weight of the container.
UK P&I Club Video Part 1: "Any Fool Can Stuff a Container"
Video produced by the UK P&I Club to explain the dynamic forces applied to shipping containers on vessels at sea, in port and during road & rail transit.
Describes cargo loss from poor packaging, unrestrained loads, and poor container packing.
UK P&I Club Video Part 2: "Any Fool Can Stuff a Container"
Continuation of the video produced by the UK P&I Club to explain the dynamic forces applied to shipping containers on vessels at sea, in port and during road & rail transit.
TT Club: The "Container Packing Game"
The World's leading international transport insurer, TT Club, has developed the "Container Packing Game" as a simplified but fun way to highlight key container packing skills.
The game consists of blocks of various shapes and sizes, which need to be packed correctly into a scale model container.
The blocks display their nominal mass and a number of other symbols that are commonly used in the industry to denote specific risks.
It helps people understand the complexities and importance of correctly packed cargo.
