Safety Practices When Shipping High-Value Items

Freight forwarders often ship valuable items that require special handling. From pick-up to transportation and delivery, valuables are made extra secure through digital video recording systems, armored transportation, extra insurance coverage, and security professionals.

Factors to Take into Account

Different factors should be weighed in when shipping high-value goods, including current events, customs, legislation, geography, and transportation infrastructure. Other factors that play a role are distance to the point of delivery, business practices, and the types of valuables to be shipped.

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Securing Cargo

There are different ways and materials to secure valuable cargo as to protect items and ensure safe delivery. These include blanket wrap, sheets of plywood, dunnage materials, decking or load bars, and ratchet straps. Protective padding is also used for small shipments, including materials such as packing peanuts, plastic bubble-bursting pads, polystyrene fillers, and Styrofoam padding. Plastic wraps with bubbles are often used to secure valuable items as they are durable and lightweight and help preserve the contents of packages. Plastic wraps are also used to keep fragile items from breaking and damage. Polystyrene is used as well because it comes in a variety of sizes and shapes and absorbs impact. Filling gaps with polystyrene helps keep items in place to prevent damage.

Other Ways to Ensure Safe Transit

There are other things to do to ensure safe transit and delivery, one being extra insurance coverage for valuable items. Whether extra coverage is required depends on factors such as the value of goods to be shipped and the standard insurance coverage. Many logistics services providers also have team trucks so that trucks only stop for short breaks. This helps prevent theft and improves the level of supervision for high-value goods. Satellite tracking is also used to gain access to information such as the direction and speed of the truck. Many forwarders use satellite tracking for real time updates as to ensure safe transportation.

Valuable Items on the List of Forbidden and Restricted Items

Many valuables are on the list of forbidden and prohibited items and cannot be shipped. Examples include precious stones and metals, gems, currency, and perfumes that contain alcohol. Certain items are not insurable, including furs and collections of stamps and coins. Other items of this type are security or deeds, money, watches or trinkets, and jewelry. Obviously all items that are prohibited by law are unacceptable, regardless of their value.

Valuables that are unacceptable for carriage also include traveler cheques, money orders, payment cards, and antique knives, swords, and weapons. The same goes for replica and fake weapons and toy and dummy weapons. Items of exceptional value are also on the list of prohibited items, including antiques, works of art, and diamonds. International passports cannot be shipped to certain destinations, and it is important to check before shipping abroad. Members of the International Forwarding Association always check whether it is allowed to transport items as certain goods cannot be shipped under any circumstances.