Cargo theft is not uncommon, especially in international shipping. Countries are doing their best by constantly changing rules and regulations in an attempt to prevent it from happening so often. However, there are not as successful as they would like it to be, at least for now. And thieves always seem to be one step ahead. Luckily there are things that you can do as far as securing your cargo during shipping is concerned. However, it all starts with choosing reliable air freight Kuwait as your carrier. Only then, you can look for additional measures and procedures to secure your cargo during shipping.
The first step in securing your cargo during shipping is to choose a reliable carrier
As mentioned above, the first and most important step for securing your cargo during shipping is to choose a reliable and trustworthy shipping company, moving services Kuwait or freight forwarder. If you are deciding which company to hire only by affordability, you cannot expect that you will get the best service. So take your time and do good research before deciding.
How to find a trustworthy shipper
Use the internet to locate at least several reliably looking shipping companies that are capable of transporting your cargo to your desired destination. Then do thorough research on them. Many good websites could give you detailed insights into how a particular shipping company operates. You can read reviews and complaints, and see how they are resolving their disputes. After you locate a few good companies, get their quotes, do a comparison, and pick the right one. On the other hand, if you are working with the right freight forwarder in Kuwait this process could be much easier.
Establish security policies for securing your cargo during shipping
If you are not the only employee at your company, you will need to train your staff as well. Therefore, it is important to establish strict security policies that all employees will have to implement in their work. You can use tips from this article to establish the rules that everyone will have to follow. Print them and hang them somewhere so that everyone can see it.
- Establish company security processes and procedures for everyone to follow in favor of securing your cargo during shipping
- Use hard security devices, such as high-security rear door locks, air cuffs, landing gear locks
- Use appropriate technology devices, GPS trackers, cameras, and such
- Strengthen your cyber-security and prevent unauthorized access to your sensitive information.
Do not pre-load the truck or secure it additionally against straight cargo theft
One of the most important things in your security protocol should be to avoid cargo pre-loading. Companies sometimes pre-load their cargo to save time. However, leaving your cargo unattended in a truck on a parking lot is not a good idea. Unfortunately, sometimes it is inevitable.
Luckily, there are some things that you can do to secure your cargo additionally against straight cargo theft if it has to sit unattended in a truck. You can install high-security rear door locks on the vehicle. Also, you can use an air cuff lock to prevent your trailer to be released. Besides, you can install landing gear locks to stop your trailer from leaving without you.
Technology cargo thefts
Even though GPS trackers in truck trailers successfully fought against thefts for years, nowadays they are not 100% safe. Thieves are now using GPS blockers and they could easily block the signal from the truck. And while you figure out when and where it happened, your cargo is long gone. The only defense against this is to avoid pre-loading and leaving your cargo unattended.
Protect against pilferage
Pilferage is becoming more often in recent years. The biggest problem with this type of theft is they are usually discovered too late. The driver will make multiple stops along the way and if he is not careful he can easily overlook the theft. When the theft is discovered he will have a hard time explaining to the police where and when it happened. So these thieves usually go unidentified. The best way to fight against it is to use high-security locks and cameras. Plus to make sure that the driver acts responsibly and check the trailer before and after the break. Also, it would be smart to identify known theft-prone routes and to avoid them whenever you can.
Strategic cargo theft is a genuine threat
Strategic cargo theft is when thieves are using fraud or other deceptive means of getting to your cargo, other than stealing it directly from the truck. Of course, their strategies evolve constantly. This involves identity thefts, false pick-ups, double brokering frauds, fake carriers as well as different combinations of these methods, which can create even more perplexity. And seriously aggravate the possibilities to fight it.
One of the characteristics of strategic cargo thefts is that they are usually conducted late in the afternoon on Fridays. They are doing it since most mistakes happen at this time, because of the deadlines and usual time limitations.
Unfortunately, there are no clear guidelines on how to fight this except to be extra careful. Use the internet to check the shipping companies in Kuwait you are working with. Also, be in contact with your shipper to confirm driver identification and their information. And check the truck license plates as well as the shipping container serial number.
Securing your cargo during shipping against cyber attacks
Even though cyber-attacks sound like something from sci-fi movies, they are a real threat. And the thieves are using it to help them get to your cargo. They could be using phishing e-mails to install malware to get to your sensitive data. From there they only need to fake the paperwork and your cargo at that point is in great danger without you even knowing it. Luckily, if you train your staff and install good cybersecurity it should be enough for securing your cargo during shipping as far as cyber-attacks are concerned.
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