Is validating a load the same as planning it in 3D?

Not necessarily. A planner places the load and draws it; validating means checking that plan against the transport rules and giving a verdict with what needs fixing.

Which rules are checked when validating a load?

In general, the weight rules (the SOLAS VGM, the equipment payload, the maximum authorised weight and the axle load), the stowage and securing rules (CTU Code and EN 12195-1) and, in air freight, chargeable weight.

Can I use a calculator and validate afterwards?

Yes. Many teams calculate to quote quickly and validate before booking or loading, which is when a mistake costs money.

Blog · Technology

What load validation is and which rules it checks

Q: Does validation replace the scales?

No. Validation works with the data entered. The declared VGM is obtained by one of the two methods set by SOLAS, with calibrated equipment.

Load validation means checking, before a load ships, that it meets the rules for its mode of transport: weight (VGM, equipment payload, maximum authorised weight and axle load), stowage and securing and, in air freight, chargeable weight. A calculator tells you how much fits; validation tells you whether it can travel as it is and what to fix.

Updated: 28 October 2026

In short

Calculating answers a question about space; validating answers one about compliance.
The rules involved are SOLAS (VGM), the CSC plate, Annex IX of the Spanish RGV, the CTU Code, EN 12195-1 and the IATA chargeable weight rule.
The result of validating is a verdict with the reason for each warning and what to fix.
Validating does not replace the scales: it works with the data entered.

What does validating a load mean?

Validating a load means checking that, as well as fitting in the container, truck or aircraft, it can travel as it is under the rules for its mode of transport. The question is no longer “does it fit?” but “can it ship like this?”.

To answer it, you have to look at three things at once: how much the load weighs and how that weight is distributed, how the goods are placed and secured and, in air freight, which weight will be charged. If something does not meet the rules, validating also means saying what is wrong and how to fix it.

How is validating a load different from calculating it?

A calculator plans the space: how much fits and how to place it. Validation checks that the plan meets the rules and says what to fix. The full comparison, with the cases where each one is enough, is in the guide load validation vs load calculation.

Which rules come into play when validating a load?

The ones that set the limits for each mode of transport. None of them is new: what changes is checking them together before loading.

Category	Rule	What it requires, in short
Weight (sea)	SOLAS VI/2: the VGM	Declare the verified gross mass of each packed container. No VGM, no loading.
Equipment weight	The container’s CSC plate	Do not exceed its maximum gross mass: usually 30,480 or 32,500 kg for dry containers (shipping line specifications; Hapag-Lloyd, p. 4); each unit’s value is on its CSC plate (CTU Code, 6.2.2).
Weight (road)	Annex IX of the RGV (Spain)	Respect the vehicle’s maximum authorised weight (in Spain, 44 t for an articulated vehicle with 5 or more axles, and up to 2 t more in intermodal transport; note (*) to table 2 of Annex IX of the RGV) and the axle load (12 t for a single drive axle).
Stowage	CTU Code	Distribute and centre the load, without concentrating weight on the floor or exceeding the payload.
Securing (road)	EN 12195-1	The securing must withstand 80% of the cargo’s weight forwards and 50% sideways and backwards.
Air	IATA rule	Charge by the greater of actual and volumetric weight (6,000 cm³ equals 1 kg).

Each rule has its own guide: VGM, truck weights and axles in Spain, CTU Code and air chargeable weight. For the rule across the EU, see EU truck weight limits.

Which errors show up when validating?

Fitting is not complying: a load can fill the space perfectly and still not be able to ship. These are the most typical cases:

It fits, but it is too heavy. With dense goods, the payload is reached before the volume. A 40-foot container takes roughly 26,500–28,800 kg of cargo, depending on the unit, even if there is space to spare.
It is within the maximum authorised weight, but not the axle loads. A truck can be under 44 t and still have an overloaded axle if the weight is concentrated at the front or the rear. In Spain, Annex IX limits both.
It is well placed, but poorly secured. A load plan does not tell you whether the securing will withstand braking or a bend. That is set by EN 12195-1.
The VGM does not match. If the tare, the pallets or the dunnage are left out, the declared mass does not match the weighing.
In air freight, the charged weight is not the one on the scales. A light, bulky load pays by its volumetric weight.

A calculator is very useful for quoting, comparing equipment and preparing the loading dock. But when a mistake costs money, time or safety, the plan needs checking against the rules.

When is it worth validating a load?

Whenever a mistake would be expensive. Above all:

with heavy loads, close to the container’s payload or the truck’s maximum authorised weight;
on trucks, when it matters how the weight is distributed between the axles;
with mixed, stacked or multi-shipper loads, such as groupage;
before booking, so you do not find out at the terminal that the VGM does not match;
when the person planning is not the person loading and the plan has to reach the dock clearly.

If the load is light, uniform and always repeated the same way, a calculator is usually enough.

Does validation replace the scales or the certificates?

No. Validation works with the data entered: packages, dimensions, weights and equipment. The declared VGM is obtained by one of the two SOLAS methods, with calibrated equipment, and the shipment’s certificates and documents are still required. Validating helps you catch the problem before the load ships; it does not replace those steps.

How do you validate a load with SendContainer?

SendContainer is a load validator for containers, trucks and air freight. It checks the load against the rules for its mode of transport in three categories: weight (VGM, payload, maximum authorised weight and axle loads), stowage and securing (CTU Code and EN 12195-1) and air (chargeable weight). It gives a verdict (Validated, Validated with warnings or Not validated) with the reason and fix for each warning and, if data is missing to check everything, it says so. Validate your load and see what it would tell you before you book.

Sources

Validate your load before it ships.

Last reviewed: 28 October 2026