...
An indicative cargo seal’s primary function is to be a visual indication of a tampering.
Scope
Carriers and shippers should be aware of their cargo seal options, including indicative cargo seals.
Regulatory citations
- None
Key definitions
- None
Summary of requirements
Indicative cargo seals are manufactured for a one-time use and may or may not be used with an accompanying lock. Typically, they are made out of plastic, wire, or thin strips of sheet metal marked with unique serial numbers or an identifier. The seal is slipped through a hasp or around locking bars or handles. No one can enter the cargo container without first breaking the seal.
The indicative seal can be easily broken by hand or simple tools and offers no physical protection from intrusion. An example of an indicative seal is the label seal. It is a fragile paper- or plastic-backed seal with adhesive. Obviously, the combination of paper and adhesive will not prevent entry, but it will cause the seal to tear if someone breaks into a cargo container or attempts to do so.
The following are some of the more common examples of indicative cargo seals:
- Plastic and metal strip types of seals. Plastic and metal strip type trailer seals are designed mainly to maintain cargo integrity and prevent cargo claims, since they are not tough to break. The plastic seals come in a variety of colors, and both plastic and metal strip seals come with sequential number coding. These types of seals are fairly inexpensive and are used on nearly every type of general commodity and cargo.
- Metal ball types of seals. Metal ball strip trailer seals serve basically the same purpose as other strip seals - mainly to maintain cargo integrity and prevent cargo claims. Again, they are not tough to break, come with sequential number coding, and are fairly inexpensive.
- Plastic robo-lock seals. Robo-lock trailer seals are the next step up from plastic or metal strip seals. The main difference is that robo-lock seals are adjustable - making them more versatile. In addition, they are a bit tougher and can serve both as a cargo theft deterrent and to maintain cargo integrity. They are a little more expensive than strip seals. Robo-lock seals come in a variety of colors and sequential number coding.