TRANSPORTING SOLID STEEL: HOW CAN YOU SECURE YOUR CARGO SAFELY?
CALCULATING THE NUMBER OF LASHINGS FOR SECURING CARGO PROPERLY
Last weekend, transport online posted an article about a truck which was fined by the German police due to the cargo being poorly secured. The trailer was loaded up to the roof with solid steel components. 10 9-metre long components weighing 2.1 tons each and 9 components weighing 500 kilos were secured using just 7 lashings. Those lashings were also worn and no longer suitable for securing cargo safely. According to the German police, at least 55 lashings should have been used. But is that really the case?
In this article:
Calculating lashings
- Solution 1: Securing cargo using lashings
- Solution 2: Securing cargo using lashings and anti-slip mats
- Other cargo securing solutions
- European legislation on cargo securing
- App: calculate how many lashings you need
The Transport Online article gave rise to a whole discussion on the number of lashings to use. The reactions show that a lot of people consider it ludicrous that the cargo securing control measures carried out in Germany are so strict. “Only those crazy Germans could require 55 lashings.” But is 55 really such a crazy number of lashings? And is this only mandatory in Germany or does it also apply in the Netherlands? We asked our cargo securing specialist Niels Bouwmeester what the actual requirements are according to European guidelines.

NIELS BOUWMEESTER
“I am surprised at the opinions expressed during this discussion. There is a reason for these strict cargo securing rules. Every year, thousands of accidents – and all the ensuing consequences – are caused by cargo not being secured properly. The penalties may not be very high but transshipment and re-securing also costs time and money. Besides, the reason you secure cargo is not to avoid penalties: the main reason for securing cargo is to improve safety! No-one wants to have an accident on their conscience, do they?”
“Unfortunately, incidents of this type are quite common. I come across poorly secured cargo on the road on a daily basis. In fact, 70% of the cargo on the roads in the Netherlands has been secured poorly or incorrectly. Often it’s down to ignorance, people think that a few lashings will keep the cargo secure. Nothing could be further from the truth. So the rules are there for a reason. A carrier should secure 80% of the cargo to the front, 50% to the side and 50% to the back,” says Bouwmeester.