Ethiopian Cargo & Logistics Services Packaging Guidelines for Shipping Freight by Ethiopian At Ethiopian Cargo & Logistics Services we understand that proper packaging of your cargo is undeniably the best way to ensure that your shipment arrive safely at their destination. So we offer these guidelines for shipments weighing morethan 50 KGs per AWB.
Contents Introduction Transportation...1 Hazards...3 Pre-Shipment Testing...4 Marking and Labeling Shipments...5 Long or Oversize Air Freight...7 Corrugated Fiberboard Boxes (CFB)...9 NEW CFB Strength Guidelines...10 Column Stack, Interlock Stack, Overhang, Misaligned, High Humidity, & Pyramid Shaped Loads Wood Packages...14 Corners and Diagonal Braces, Cushioning, Blocking and Bracing, Foam Cushioning, Wood Blocking, Bracing, Banding & Stretchwrapping, Load Protectors and Edge Boards & Bands Air Freight Pallets...19 Stretchwrap, Securing Unique Freight, Tires, Bags, Drums, Spools & Transit Cases, Engines and Other Exposed Items and Glasses & Televisions Ethiopian Cargo Pharma Wing...26
1 Introduction Shipments must be properly packed to ensure damage-free transportation with ordinary care in handling. The proper packaging of goods for transportation requires a good understanding of the product and distribution environment. It also requires knowledge of packaging materials, experience and patience. Understanding and following these packaging pointers can help you ensure damage-free freight movement. The purpose of the packaging and shipping guidelines is to inform shippers about our requirements and their responsibilities. It is designed to be a simple, easily understood, practical guide to allow a smooth transportation of shipments in Ethiopian fleet network.
Key deliverables Where freight is transported over long distances, a metal strap over an item on a softwood pallet will often be in a poor state when it reaches its final destination. This in turn can present a harmful safety hazard to staff, transport providers who handle the freight. With this in mind freight must be presented in such a manner that it: Can withstand road transport over long distances and rough terrain Can be safely lifted on and off transport vehicles Minimizes the risk of Injuring to those Involved In freight and handling Minimizes the risk of damage to that particular item, and Minimizes the risk of damage to other freight other road users or the general public. All items that require mechanical lifting must have a forklift access points, lifting lugs must have suitable access for slings. Heavy or large items that do not fit the case of the crate must be strapped with steel strapping the skid or pallet.the pallet must be strong enough to support the weight of the item and multiple handling movements. Any package deemed unable to be handled by one person must be packed suitably for either crane or forklift handling. If safe forklift handling is not possible, approved lifting s & sling lugs must be fitted by the shipper to facilitate safe crane handling. This document states minimum requirements for the packaging and acceptance of Inbound and outbound goods and equipment for delivery. It is the consignor's responsibility to comply with the requirements of this document and the specific packaging requirements of the current IATA Standards and Regulations stipulated on IATA manuals (IATA DGR, IATA PCR, IATA TCR, IATA LAR...) for the goods, equipment or materials being transported. 2
Transportation Hazards Below are the most common hazards present in distribution. These are normal hazards of distribution and therefore must always be considered when preparing your air freight shipment. Punctures and Abrasion: Occurs when the package shifts or comes in contact with other packages or material handling equipment during sorting and other shipping operations. They can also be the result of improper or insufficient internal packaging that does not prevent the contents from shifting, resulting in the product being damaged or the package failing to contain the product. Compression: Occurs when external forces are applied to the sides, faces or corners of a package. Stacking, shock, vibration, material handling equipment and tie-down straps all generate compression forces that may result in package or product damage. Proper packaging offers the necessary level of protection against these forces. Environmental exposures: High and low atmospheric pressures are not restricted to air transit and can have a dramatic effect on some products or packages. High and low humidity can result in condensation or corrosion, and it can greatly reduce the stiffness and compression resistance of paper-based products. Temperature extremes globally can range from -80º F to +160º F and can dramatically affect the performance characteristics of packaging material. Other common environmental exposures include, but are not limited to, dirt, dust, odors and precipitation. If a product or package would be considered damaged if exposed to these hazards, then the shipper must take extra measures to ensure the package can protect the shipment from these known hazards. 3
Shipment Handling: Proper cushioning can reduce damage caused by the shock incurred during shipment handling. It is important to note that your shipment will most likely be handled with a forklift at some point during distribution. Proper packaging must be able to protect the contents from the drops and impacts commonly associated with handling operations. Shock: Occurs during handling and transportation as a result of impacts with forklifts, racks, containers, floors and other shipments. Proper cushioning can reduce damage caused by shock. Most products will require some level of shock protection to prevent damage during normal distribution. Vibration: Occurs in transport vehicles like trucks, planes or ships and on virtually anything else that moves, such as forklifts or conveyor belts. Proper cushioning can absorb and reduce the negative effects vibration can have on your product Pre-Shipment Testing. It is highly recommended that you conduct some type of package performance test to verify your air freight package can withstand the normal rigors of transportation and protect the product. The major advantage of pre-shipment performance testing yourself is the opportunity to evaluate the product protection performance of the packaging and to make any necessary changes to the packaging before you invest money into new packaging materials or methods. Conducting pre-shipment performance tests in a laboratory setting will help you evaluate the packages ability to protect the product from the normal hazards of distribution. 4
When determining your testing protocol, remember that shock, compression, vibration and atmospheric conditioning can all have very different effects on your packaged product, so your testing should not focus on just one hazard, such as the shock incurred when a package is dropped. Marking and Labeling Shipments All air freight packages must be properly labeled per the Terms and Conditions of Contract. Each piece must be legibly and durably marked with the name and address, including correct ZIP code of the shipper and consignee. If a package is reused, all old labels, tags, markings, etc., must be removed, and the container must still retain adequate strength for transportation. Failure to follow these basic requirements can result in the denial of a cargo claim. Handling labels should be highly visible and, with few exceptions, on all sides of the package. This can reduce the chances that a package is flipped, rolled or tumbled in search of shipping labels. It is recommended that both pictorial markings and text be used for each of the special handling requirements. For a complete list of acceptable markings, please refer to ASTM D5445 Standard Practice for Pictorial Markings for Handling of Goods and/or ISO 780 Pictorial Marking for Handling of Goods. Below are a few examples of handling markings commonly used by our customers. Do Not Fork Place on all sides of package where forklift entry is restricted. Depending on package size and space availability in aircraft containers or semitrailers, it is not always possible to honor this request 5
Top Heavy Place on all sides of package. Recommended any time a package height is more than 48" and the center of gravity is higher than 24" or when the package falls over when tipped 22º or less in any direction. Center of Gravity Place on all side panels and on the cover or top panel. Forklift access points should allow handlers to keep the center of gravity between the fork blades for oversized cargos. 6
Fragile Place in the upper left corner of all side panels Long or Oversize Air Freight Any shipment with a length & width dimension greater than 93inch (236.33 cm) will likely need special packaging to provide protection from flexing and bending during handling and transit. The package needs to be a thick-wall spiral-wound tube, heavy laminate paperboard; multiple-layer corrugated and/or including a rigid reinforcement such as wood to protect it from flex or damage during normal handling. A quick check for sturdiness is to pick the package up at both ends and determine sag at the middle. Then lift at middle and note sag at both ends. 7
If your product or package cannot handle the sag seen during these checks, then reinforcement is required. Shipments longer than the width of the ULD or transport vehicle door will be handled from the ends during loading and unloading. Often they are also handled from the ends during sorting due to the confined spaces on loading docks or in warehouses. Because long shipments have to be handled from the ends, it is extremely important that the product be well cushioned on the ends. In addition, the ends must be reinforced and capable of withstanding multiple drops and impacts with material handling equipment during distribution. 8
NOT RECOMMENDED: BANDING AND BLOCKING PIPES AND OTHER LONG FREIGHT TO A PALLET Banding long freight to a pallet is not recommended because it does not provide outer protection for double stacking, there is no blocking on the ends to prohibit side-to-side shifting, and shipping labels will not adhere to the uneven surface. Corrugated Fiberboard Boxes (CFB) These are often improperly referred to as cardboard cartons or boxes. Even though CFBs are the most common type of shipping container, many people do not know the strengths and weaknesses of the package. The greatest compression strength of the box is within 1" of the edges created by two adjacent panels. Corrugated fiberboard can degrade over time, losing as much as 50 percent of its strength after sitting just six months. Humidity and moisture also cause major problems for this Paper-based product. A relative humidity of 90 percent can weaken a CFB by as much as 60 percent. Most CFBs do not maintain enough strength and integrity to be reused and should be thought of as single-use packages. 9
Sealing Corrugated Fiberboard Boxes Another common problem occurs when the boxes are closed and sealed. Glue, staples, tape or strapping can be used as closures. Tape is the most common closure used by our customers, and improper application is the leading cause for closure failure. Taping a CFB to contain the product and improve the integrity of the package is easy if you follow these steps: Use a quality packaging tape specifically designed for box sealing. Non-packaging tapes such as masking tape, duct tape, cellophane and other such tapes should not be used as a substitute for quality box sealing tape. Completely seal all flaps, top and bottom. One strip where the flaps meet is seldom adequate. Rub the entire tape surface to ensure contact and adhesion Column Stack A common misconception is that interlocking cartons on a pallet is a good practice. In all cases but one, this can reduce the carton s top-to-bottom compression strength up to 50 percent. Therefore, column-stacked loads on pallets are the recommended method. 10
Interlocking Stack The exception to the interlocking rule would be if the items inside the cartons were rigid, such as pails of paint. Interlocking these types of cartons will result in a more stable load. Stack boxes in columns, corner-to-corner and edge-to-edge for the greatest stacking strength. RECOMMENDED: INTERLOCKING STACK Overhanging Cartons that overhang the pallet edge can have their compression strength reduced by as much as 32 percent. Overhang also exposes the packages to tears, punctures and impacts during normal handling and sorting operations.. NOT RECOMMENDED: OVERHANGING STACK 11
Misaligned Misaligning cartons can reduce the boxes compression strength by as much as 30 percent. NOT RECOMMENDED: MISALIGNED High Humidity Do not store corrugated or other paper-based packaging material in high humidity. A relative humidity of 90 percent could reduce the packages resistance to compression by 60 percent. 12
Pyramid-Shaped Loads Pyramid-shaped pallet loads are one of the biggest packaging problems confronting the transportation industry. Since pyramid pallet loads don t provide a level surface, the top cartons are exposed to potential damage from other shipments. A level surface will provide maximum strength and stability, and ensures that the load, to the extent practicable, will remain intact. Pyramid-shaped loads also have the potential for costing more to ship because transportation costs are based on the greater of the actual weight or the dimensional weight. In addition, pyramid-shaped pallet loads are subject to being broken down and/or delayed in transit. Pyramid-shaped loads on pallets are not acceptable method by Ethiopian since they also don t allow stacking in addition to the above problems. NOT RECOMMENDED: PYRAMID-SHAPED PALLET 13
Wood Packages Always use interlocking corners when building crates. Do not locate fasteners in the endgrain of wood, especially plywood. A fastener s resistance to pullout can be reduced by 35 percent when located in endgrain rather than in the side or edge grain of a board. Use plywood not Oriented Strand Board (OSB), Medium Density Fiberboard (MDF) or Particleboard. Experience has shown these materials do not withstand the normal rigors of transportation as well as plywood. Knots cannot be larger than one-third of the surface they appear in. For example, a 3"-wide board should not have a knot that occupies more than 1" of space across the width of the board. Fasteners should not be located in knots or other defective areas of the wood. Use diagonal braces on each panel to increase the strength and integrity of the crate. Corners and Diagonal Braces Diagonal braces have a dramatic effect on the strength of a crate. The graphics below illustrate the relative strength of four different designs. It is not the amount of wood used as much as how the wood is used. 14
Cushioning, Blocking and Bracing Shock and vibration forces naturally occur during carriage of your goods throughout the transportations process; consequently, most products require some form of cushioning to protect them. Blocking and bracing are also important for larger single-item products that cannot be boxed or crated. To effectively stabilize your shipment, remember to choose the type and size of lumber that s appropriate for the weight of your shipment. RECOMMENDED: BLOCKING AND BRACING Foam Cushioning When developing crates or packaging for your palletized shipments, foam is a natural option for cushioning. As part of the end design, it should be engineered to provide the foam density required to protect the fragility level of the product. 15
It should also be validated through testing that simulates the shipping environment. RECOMMENDED: FOAM CUSHIONING Wood Blocking Ethiopian suggests a blocking material such as wood, fastened to prevent any movement, when shipping single heavy goods. The blocking should be placed tightly against the object with a goal of keeping it in a fixed position during all transportation and handling. As a general rule, blocking requires a minimum of two fasteners in each end to prevent pivoting and maintain adequate strength. RECOMMENDED: WOOD BLOCKING 16
Bracing Items that can roll or shift during transportation due to their shape should be braced on a forkliftable pallet base for shipping. These blocking-strength recommendations are critical when it comes to ensuring stationary orientation during shipping. Your selection of lumber should be based on the product that you are bracing and its weight. As the shipping weight increases, the grade and thickness of the bracing lumber should increase. As an example, No. 3 or utility-grade lumber is often used to construct pallets and for bracing materials. However, if the product you are shipping is very heavy, you should choose a better grade of wood, like a No. 1 or No. 2 grade (construction grade), for proper protection. RECOMMENDED: BRACING Banding and Stretchwrapping Typically, any damage during transit to palletized corrugated boxes occurs because the shipment was improperly stacked, bundled or secured for transport. This is a particular issue with retail goods such as TVs and DVD players. If there is cosmetic carton damage, the customer is likely to assume the contents are also damaged. As discussed earlier, pallet strength and stacking play an important role in freight shipment integrity. So do load protection, stretchwrapping and banding, which we will cover here. RECOMMENDED: BANDING AND STRETCH WRAPPING 17
Load Protectors and Edge Boards Top and bottom load-protector pads (corrugated pad/tray) help reduce damage to top and bottom layers of your shipment. They also help distribute the weight of top loaded freight. Bottom load protectors provide a level surface and help keep boxes from slipping into the gap between the boards on the pallet. Corner or edge boards should run the full length of the stack to help stabilize the load, increase vertical stacking strength and reduce damage to box edges that make up the load corners. RECOMMENDED: LOAD PROTECTORS AND EDGE BOA Bands Banding is typically used to secure the bundled load to the pallet. You should band corrugated stacks on each side as shown. As a general rule, keep the banding close to the load to avoid exposure, damage or breakage. Individual pieces over 150 lbs. and large boxes and containers should be secured on all sides with heavy-duty steel, rayon, polypropylene, nylon or polyester strapping. RECOMMENDED: BANDS 18
Air Freight Pallets Two common materials used to fabricate pallets are wood and plastic. Pallets assist in the consolidation and handling of packages by allowing mechanical handling equipment to move shipments, thereby decreasing the amount of time it takes to move packages. Pallets also allow us to move Shipments without directly contacting the packages, thereby reducing the packages exposure to damage. Forklifts are used to load, unload and sort almost all air freight shipments, so a high-quality pallet can greatly reduce damages associated with manual handling. Pallets should be large enough to accommodate the shipments without overhang. Anything overhanging the pallet edges will be subject to impacts that can result in punctures, abrasions and compression damage as stated in the above. Pallets with broken or missing parts MUST NOT be used. Any fasteners that protrude must be removed or resecured so they are flat or below the surface before loading packages on the pallet. Spacing between the duckboards should be as narrow as possible to ensure the corners of corrugated boxes are supported and not aligned over the gaps and to prevent forklift damage from below. Know the rated capacity of your pallet & never exceed it and the height of the cargo in this pallet must not exceed 1.50 M or 1500mm (Note: this height reference DOESN T apply for Pharmaceuticals) Pallets with forkable bases as illustrated in the below are REQUIRED on any shipment unless the nature of the shipment is difficult to fit the below Euro Pallet Dimension 19
Stretchwrap Stretchwrap film is critical for bundling loads and also for securing and protecting large individual pieces of freight (e.g., shelf-ready electronic components). Wrap freight tightly to prevent load shifting. Use 70-gauge Stretchwrap that sticks to itself so it can be wipe-sealed as it is applied to the stack. When machine wrapping, spiralwrap the cartons with a minimum 50 percent overlap. Proper application includes a 3" overlap over the top of the pallet base and a 3" overlap at the top of the stack. To manually apply stretchwrap, tuck the lead wrap between the pallet and the bottom box. 20
Spiral around the boxes in an upward direction, overlapping the film by 50 percent. When you reach the top, stretch the film diagonally over the top corners with a 3" overlap to anchor the stack vertically before spiraling back to the bottom to finish the load with a 3" overlap of the pallet base. RECOMMENDED: STRETCHWRAP Securing Unique Freight Some uniquely shaped items such as tires, bags, drums, spools, transit cases, engines, pipes and copier machines require special handling. Ethiopian highly recommends that all packaging systems be tested to validate the performance of your design. Improper packaging of these freight shipments can disrupt service, causing damage or delays. We ll explore ways to palletize or crate and secure the Shipments here 21
Tires Band and stretchwrap a tire or multiple tires to a pallet for freight shipping. Ethiopian recommends an anti-skid surface for tall stacks to reduce product movement. To complete your shipment, use a tie-on tag or a tire/crate label. Bags Add a solid bottom cushion or load protector (corrugated pad/tray) to help prevent puncture, and use the interlock stacking method to help guard against products shifting during transit. All bags must stay well within the pallet perimeter. Cushion the outside of bags with cardboard when possible. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED: 22
Drums Use the appropriate drum and cap for shipment. Whether you re shipping one or several, drums should be supported by a solid-bottom pallet for shipment. And the same basic banding, edge-protection and stretchwrapping recommendations apply to these shipments. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED: Spools Spools and reels tend to roll and shift during transit and are difficult to lift, so they should be secured to a forkliftable pallet. Use blocking and bracing to securely anchor spools and reels. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED: 23
Transit Cases If you are shipping transit cases with caster wheels, they must be palletized. Remove the wheels or use traditional blocking methods to prevent movement on the skid. If the wheels are not removed, the pallet deck must be solid to prevent wheels from falling through the slats and being damaged by the forklift. Banding kits are readily available to help you secure your shipment. 24
Engines and Other Exposed Items Drain the item of all fluids. When using expendable packaging, securely band it to its pallet, and block or brace it inside its corrugated container. Add stretchwrap for additional protection. Glasses and Televisions 25
Ethiopian Cargo Pharma Wing Reliable and efficient transportation of time and temperature sensitive healthcare or Pharmaceutical products for the industry is a key priority for Ethiopian Cargo & Logistics Services, as is the safety and wellbeing of end-user who depend on them. Ethiopian strategy to enhance its pharma shipping through investing in the latest cold chain technology and joining the IATA CEIV Pharma certification program demonstrates the airline's commitment to the health of its end-users. Pursuant to efforts made to modernize pharmaceuticals handling standards of the airline, all international shipments must be packed to travel without spoilage for minimum of 24 hours beyond an agreed delivery deadline. Ambient temperatures during transportation are not always controllable and can be extreme, so special care must be taken to ensure the package can provide the necessary protection in a variety of environments. Shipments requiring special care or attention between origin and destination are not acceptable. Expanded Polystyrene (Styrofoam) containers are not acceptable as an outer packaging material. These types of coolers must be overpacked to protect them from the ordinary rigors of transportation. If a corrugated fiberboard box is used as the overpack, we recommend a minimum of double wall corrugated be used to fabricate the box 26
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Mandatory points 1. All pharmaceuticals or healthcare products planned to be transported must be covered with thermal blankets or other equivalent material to protect them from different temperature variation. 2. All pharmaceuticals or healthcare products must be labeled with IATA Time and Temperature sensitive label. 3. All pharmaceuticals or healthcare products must be palletized using stan dard Euro Pallet. 28