Cargo Securing (Chocking/Lashing) and Independent Loading Survey

A block is cargo with a high centre of gravity and a tendency to shift; if securing is inadequate, the cargo moves during transport. The result is not only product damage — shifting cargo damages the container or vehicle structure and can lead to the vessel side refusing loading. The chocking and lashing plan is prepared before loading according to the type of cargo and mode of transport, and its application on-site is checked.

A survey report is a finding tied to the moment the observation was made; a report stating "loading was adequate" is not issued retrospectively after loading has finished. What can be done after damage occurs is a separate damage survey aimed at establishing the current condition. This is why, in shipments with an insurance condition, the surveyor must be on-site at the moment of loading; the record cannot be produced afterwards.

It can. In sea transport, the ship's officers also check the securing, and if it is found inadequate the shipper is asked to fix it. This means a missed sailing and additional handling cost. Preparing the plan to suit the mode of transport from the outset significantly reduces the likelihood of a dispute on-site.

Scope is determined by the value and risk of the cargo. In a full survey, the process is monitored from pre-loading preparation through to closing; in a partial survey, only the critical stage (e.g. stowage or sealing) is checked. For high-value or sensitive cargo, a partial scope can leave an evidence gap in a damage dispute. The decision is made based on what the insurance and buyer contract require.

Responsibility for supply varies by contract and delivery terms; in practice, the material most often comes from the party doing the loading, while its adequacy is checked by the survey. The type of material is chosen according to the weight of the cargo and the mode of transport — wooden chocks, lashing straps, and corner protection can all be used together on the same cargo. Securing done with inadequate material is recorded in the report as non-conforming.

What matters here is seal integrity and the record made at the moment of loading. If the seal is intact, the dispute turns toward the loading and securing side; this is why the photographs and survey report taken during loading are the firm's strongest defence. In files without a record, responsibility mostly stays with the shipper, and the insurance assessment is also made based on these documents.