Spanish ports of general interest registered a total of 520.2 million tons up to November 2019, which represents an increase of 0.95% over the same period last year. Likewise, the Spanish port system has managed 252.8 million tons of general cargo up to November, 2.86% more.
These figures show that Spain is a leading maritime power and the logistics sector is a fundamental part of the Spanish economy. In this context, shippers are a very important part of this whole gear and those who know all the peculiarities and needs of the security of their own goods.
In Operinter, as logistics operators of national and international reference, we have a specialized technical team that we make available to our customers to advise and counsel them when they consider it necessary. Excellence and continuous improvement mark our day-to-day work.
Some of the most relevant issues that every global logistics operator takes into account are transport insurance, packaging, stowage or lashing.
Transportation Insurance
Transport insurance has exclusion clauses directly related to the packaging, loading, stowage and lashing of unsuitable and/or insufficient goods in the TCUs (Cargo Transport Units). These units can be containers, trucks, wagons, platforms or plates, among others.
In the event that there is an accident, and the survey determines as the cause of the accident some irregularities mentioned above, the insurance company will not compensate the company receiving the insurance (Incoterm) and the cargo company will be responsible. We are not referring to the damages that may have been caused to the goods, as a consequence of such negligence, but also to those that may have been caused to third parties as a consequence of the same (damage to the truck, container, means of transport or other goods).
Other aspects
Some relevant issues that must also be taken into account in any transport operation are:
–Packaging. It must be adequate to withstand the pressure of some packages on others, introducing, if necessary, panels or air bags between the stacks for a correct distribution of the pressure on the load. The packaging must be able to withstand the stacking of the goods themselves, within the UTC , marking, where appropriate, the maximum number of packages to be stacked and even that it is not re-stackable goods. In this last case there will be a loss of space that will be invoiced as a greater volume to the person responsible for paying the cost of freight (Incoterm). The concealment of this information, with the aim of saving costs, only multiplies them, increasing the risk.
–Stowage. Stowage is the correct distribution of goods in the UTC (Freight Transport Units) taking into account their measurements, shape and weight. These are international loading units designed for use in intermodal transport.
–Shackles or lashing are all the different measures applicable to the fastening of the load inside the UTC, blocking the movement of the same to avoid the damages that they can produce on themselves, to other goods or to the own one to the UTC.