Load Securing
Anatoly V. Shmelev, a former deep-sea master mariner, has been involved in the sphere of insurance services since 1997. He is currently holding the position of senior expert / deputy director of LLC “Russurvey” (Minsk, the Republic of Belarus).
Still, Captain Anatoly Shmelev is better known and renowned as the first Lloyd’s agent in the Republic of Belarus. Having taken up an academic career, he has become a senior research officer of the scientific-research sector “Cargo road transportation management” of JSC “Scientific Research Institute of Road Transport” (JCS “NIIAT”).
The principal purpose of this web-site is to draw the public attention to the necessity of issuing the “Rules of Cargo Securing for Road Transport” (for Russian and CIS).
It is evident from the experience, that the cause of over 70% of unsafe transportations is the cargo insufficient securing. Moreover, 40% of road accident involving one motor vehicle happen because of the loss of control over truck/trailer due to the shifting of an insufficiently secured cargo.
The point 23.2 of the “Road Traffic Rules” demands that “Prior to and during the transportation the driver is to control the loading, securing and condition of cargo to avoid its falling, blocking other traffic”.
This norm is being violated each and every day due to the absence of Rules or cargo securing calculation methodology. Most driver are not acquainted with either theory or methods of cargo securing, neither are most of forwarders.
There is also no methodology for investigating the road accidents, that would take into consideration the aspects of cargoes loading and securing. Thus, road police officers do not regard cargoes as a possible cause of accident, and explain it away with general phrases “failed to choose correct speed rate” or “lost control over the motor vehicle”.
As the result of such conclusions, the full responsibility for a road accident lies upon carrier; at that the liability of a shipper for insufficiently secured cargo is blurred. On every occasion, over and over again, we would bring up the point of the necessity for a special document to regulate the rules and norms of cargo securing, similar to those existing analogues abroad.
Such a standardizing document is essential not only for carriers themselves, but for many other business entities. This document would become the only tool to actually asses if carriers do comply with the point 23.2 of the “Road Traffic Rules”.
In our opinion, the Rules of Cargo Securing for Road Transport are meant to regulate the following aspects:
- The scope of Rules and the responsibility for non-fulfilment.
- Maximum forces, affecting the cargo in the course of road transportation, to be compensated by securing;
- Requirements for motor vehicles and existing securing systems;
- Methods of standard cargoes securing.
All interested are mostly welcome to cooperate!