Guide · Sea and land
CTU Code: how to pack and secure the load.
The CTU Code is the IMO/ILO/UNECE code of practice for packing and securing cargo in containers, trucks, rail wagons and other cargo transport units. It is not mandatory, but it is the worldwide reference: it explains how to distribute the weight, centre the load and secure it for the journey.
What the CTU Code is
It is the "IMO/ILO/UNECE Code of Practice for Packing of Cargo Transport Units", published as circular MSC.1/Circ.1497 in 2014. It was approved by the IMO, the ILO and UNECE and replaces the 1997 guidelines. The IMO describes it as a global, non-mandatory code of practice for handling and packing cargo transport units for transport by sea and by land.
It does not replace existing national or international rules. It has 13 chapters and 10 annexes. Chapter 9 (how to pack the cargo) is the core, and annex 7 covers weight distribution, securing and the related calculations.
Who it is for
For those who pack and secure cargo, and those who train them. It also informs the whole chain, down to whoever unpacks. It sets out the functions of the CTU operator, the consignor, the packer, the shipper, road and rail hauliers, the intermodal operator, the carrier and the consignee.
The shipper remains responsible for any deficiency of the unit caused by poor packing or securing.
What it recommends
That the cargo stays within the unit's limits, is well distributed and centred, and is secured.
| Topic | What the Code says |
|---|---|
| Weight limits | Do not exceed the payload or the maximum gross mass on the CSC plate, or the limits of road and rail regulations. |
| Payload | Maximum gross mass minus the tare, any added equipment and the securing material. |
| Centre of gravity | Across the width, close to the middle; in height, below half the height of the cargo space; along the length, within the unit's limits. |
| Lifted containers | The eccentricity of the centre of gravity should generally not exceed 5% (rule of thumb: no more than 60% of the cargo mass in either half of the length). In particular cases, up to 10%. |
| Concentrated loads | Transfer them to the floor's longitudinal and transverse beams, without overloading the floor. |
| Gross mass | The packer determines it accurately and passes it to the shipper, who declares the VGM. |
| Stacking of the unit | Report it if the container has reduced stacking capacity (less than 192,000 kg on the CSC plate). |
If the centre of gravity cannot be kept within those limits, the Code calls for action: marking it on the outside or informing freight forwarders and carriers.
Common mistakes
Chapter 3 lists them as things not to do:
- Exceeding the payload or the maximum gross mass.
- Concentrating heavy cargo on small areas of the floor.
- Distributing the load off-centre.
- Building uneven layers or placing heavy cargo on top of light cargo.
- Packing wet goods, damaged packages or incompatible dangerous goods.
- Using incompatible securing equipment, over-tensioning it or tying knots in textile slings.
A wrongly declared gross mass can overload trucks and rail wagons or lead to a poor stowage position on the ship. More terms in the glossary: lashing, blocking and bracing and dunnage bag.
Lashing on the road
On a truck, cargo securing is calculated with the European standard EN 12195-1. The idea is simple: the cargo must withstand the forces of braking, cornering or pulling away without moving or tipping over. That is why the securing must resist 80% of the cargo's weight forwards and 50% sideways and backwards.
This is done by blocking the cargo against the vehicle body or other packages, lashing it with straps, chains or wire ropes, or combining both. Friction between the cargo and the floor helps, and an anti-slip surface reduces the securing needed. In EU technical roadside inspections, cargo securing is checked against these principles.
Sources
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