Security Seals in Transport:
Security seals play a crucial role in the logistics industry and maintain the integrity of a shipment by ensuring that it remains unopened and undamaged during transportation. This helps to ensure that the goods reach their destination in the same condition they were in when they were shipped.
If you export goods, you will have to deal with a range of regulations with which your shipment must comply to proceed through border control. These include C-TPAT regulations (Custom Trade Partnership Against Terrorism) and the ISPS code (International Ship & Port Facility) for sea cargo. The seals for these shipments must be ISO 17712:2013 certified which demand strict testing requirements such as tensile strength, grip and material quality.
But also customs shipments that are transported by air (air cargo shipments), or by land, road or rail.
Recommended customs seals:
- High Security Bolt Seals for sea containers
- Metal Security Cable Seals for drums and barrels
- Pull-Tight or Fixed-Length seals for trucks and trailers
Whether you are transporting valuable goods, food, or medical supplies, it is important to take precautions to protect your supply chain. In this blog , we will explore the different types of security seals, their benefits, and how they can help to prevent theft and tampering.
Transport Seal Options
1. Container trucks
High-security container seals are designed to provide the highest level of protection against theft and tampering. These seals are typically used for the transportation of high-value goods, such as precious metals, and are made from heavy-duty materials that are difficult to break or tamper with.
When trucks are part of a intermodal transport regime, their cargo is standardised in containers to ensure a fast and compatible transfer between different modes of transport. In these cases, the most commonly used seals are high security seals: adjustable cable-type seals or bolt-type barrier seals. These must comply with ISO/PAS 17712 and, for the United States, C-TPAT.
Cable seals are a type of tamper-evident security seal that are used to secure containers, trucks, and trailers. These seals are made from a metal cable that is looped through a locking mechanism, making it difficult to tamper with the shipment.
2. Trucks on international routes (TIR Convention)
The TIR Convention is an international agreement regulating the transport of goods by road. Trailers affected by the TIR rules must meet all the requirements regarding the sealing of goods. The slightest indication of tampering of these customs seals can result in the truck being searched and not allowed to continue through its border.
3. Security labels for delivery vans
Smaller vans or trucks, normally used for local goods distribution often do not need, nor have any devices designed for attaching security seals. However, if you wish to secure the cargo, a good option is to fix security labels between the rear doors. Security stickers that leave no residue have the advantage of not damaging the van’s paint. Our Non-Residue
Security Labels also known as Non-Transfer Security Labels can be placed on the seam of vehicle doors. This restricts entry without removing the label and activating the hidden security feature, leaving a VOID message on the label. Non-Residue Security Labels will not damage the vehicle or any paint work, as they do not leave a glue residue on the surface of the door.
4. Adjustable strap seals for trucks with roll-up rear doors
Certain types of trucks have rolling doors at the rear. This type of vehicle, since it is larger than the previous one, does incorporate a basic security lock. A strap seal is easily inserted and there is a wide range of compatible products that are suitable depending on individual requirements.
5. Fixed-length or ring-type seals for articulated vehicles with trailers
The most widely used trucks for the transport of goods by road domestically are articulated trucks. These consist of a cabin to which a trailer is attached. These trailers may have many different types of security mechanisms for sealing their doors.
This makes it possible to use indicating security seals such as adjustable strap, fixed length or ring-type seals. Fixed-length or ring-type strap seals are not fixed tightly around the bolt, which means that they can move freely for reading and examination (and tampering can be detected more directly). They can also be used on trucks with trailers with tarpaulins.
6. Seals for oil and chemical tankers
Hazardous goods are often transported in road tankers. Security is therefore key and so they should always be sealed for public safety and transport. The most commonly used types of security seals are seals with metal cable seals and high strength pull-tight seals.
