--- title: "Load securing for shippers: rules, checklist | RNJ Transport" description: "Load securing in the EU must hold 0.8 of the cargo weight forwards and 0.5 sideways. Who does what, what inspectors check and how to prepare your pallets." url: https://rnjtransport.lt/en/guides/load-securing-for-shippers/ language: en --- # Load securing on trucks: a guide for shippers Written by - [Nerijus Daujotas](https://rnjtransport.lt/en/about/) Director, RNJ Transport - Vytas Dargis Consultant Updated 19 October 2026 10 min read RNJ Transport, a freight forwarder in Klaipėda, explains load securing for shippers. EU Directive 2014/47/EU says the securing must hold 0.8 of the cargo weight forwards and 0.5 sideways and backwards. Shippers, loaders, carriers and drivers share the work. Under CMR, the carrier is generally not liable for damage from poor packing or loading by the sender. - Under Annex III of Directive 2014/47/EU, load securing must hold 0.8 of the cargo weight forwards and 0.5 sideways and backwards. - The EU guidelines on cargo securing (2014) give packers, loaders, carriers and drivers a role each, and advise agreeing the tasks in the contract. - As a general rule under CMR Article 17(4)(b) and (c), the carrier is not liable for damage from poor packing or from loading by the sender. - An EN 12642 L headboard (5,000 daN) can block 8.4 tonnes of plastic pallets on plywood, or 25.4 tonnes on rubber mats (EU guidelines). Transport team, Klaipėda A person in our Klaipėda office answers your call. [Get a price](https://rnjtransport.lt/en/guides/load-securing-for-shippers/#callback) [ +370 698 38573 ](tel:+37069838573) [WhatsApp](https://wa.me/37069838573) Mon–Fri 08:00–17:00, Lithuanian time ## Load securing rules in the EU The EU sets load securing rules for trucks in Annex III of Directive 2014/47/EU on roadside inspections. The securing must hold 0.8 of the cargo weight forwards, 0.5 sideways and 0.5 backwards. It must also stop the cargo from tipping. The rules cover goods vehicles and trailers over 3.5 tonnes. The European Commission’s 2014 guidelines on cargo securing use 0.6 sideways when the load could tip over. The guidelines are advice, and enforcement authorities should accept securing that follows them. __Load securing rules in Annex III of Directive 2014/47/EU__ | Rule | What it requires | | ------------------ | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Forwards (braking) | The securing holds 0.8 of the cargo weight | | Sideways | The securing holds 0.5 of the cargo weight | | Backwards | The securing holds 0.5 of the cargo weight | | Tipping | The securing stops the cargo from tilting or tipping | | Axle loads | The load stays within the maximum and minimum axle loads | | Truck parts | Headboard, side walls, stanchions and lashing points are used within their strength | | Standards | EN 12195-1 for the calculation, EN 12642 for body strength, EN 12195-2 for web lashings | ## Roadside checks of load securing Since 20 May 2018, inspectors in EU countries can check load securing during a roadside inspection. They look at the load, measure lashing tension or check certificates. Annex III groups findings as minor, major or dangerous deficiencies. For a major or dangerous one, the authority can ask for a fix before the truck continues (Articles 13 and 14). The table lists Annex III points a shipper can prepare for. __What inspectors check, from Annex III, Table 1__ | What the inspector checks | What the shipper can prepare | | --------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------ | | Packaging that allows proper load securing | Pallets wrapped or strapped so they can be blocked or lashed | | Gap to a headboard or side wall used for blocking | Load placed tight against the headboard | | Empty spaces between load units | Gaps filled with empty pallets or planks of wood | | Lashing strength against the required force | Weights sent in time, so the driver can plan the straps | | Edge protection, anti-slip mats and other extra equipment | Edge protectors and mats ready, in good condition | ## Who is responsible for load securing Responsibility for load securing is shared. The EU guidelines say packers, loaders, transport companies and drivers all have a role, in planning, loading and driving. Conventions, national law and contracts decide the final split, so the guidelines advise agreeing the tasks in the contract. Who does what Load securing is a shared job General position in the CMR Convention and the EU guidelines. Your contract and national rules can set a different split. Sender and loader - Describe weight, size and stacking limits - Pack each pallet to hold in transport - Load, fill gaps and add mats - Keep within axle loads and payload Carrier and driver - Provide a sound truck that suits the load - Check packages and their visible condition - Write reservations on the CMR note - Check the load during the trip In German law (§ 412 HGB), the sender loads and secures the goods unless circumstances or trade practice differ. The carrier ensures safe loading for driving. CMR Convention, Articles 8 and 17; European Commission, cargo securing guidelines (2014); § 412 HGB. Checked 19 October 2026. For planning, the guidelines ask for the weight, size, centre of gravity and stacking limits of each load unit, packed to withstand normal transport. The CTU Code says the shipper should deliver cargo that is safe and suitable for transport. The party that loads places the cargo, fills gaps and adds mats and straps. It also keeps within the axle loads and the payload. As a general rule, CMR relieves the carrier of liability for damage from poor packing, or from loading and stowage by the sender or consignee (Article 17(4)(b) and (c)). The carrier provides a truck that suits the cargo, and a truck defect stays its risk (Article 17(3)). The driver checks the packages and their visible condition, and writes reservations on the CMR note (Article 8). The guidelines add checks of the load during the trip. For contracts under German law, § 412 HGB says the sender loads, stows and secures the goods, unless circumstances or trade practice say otherwise. The carrier makes sure the loading is safe for driving. Check your contract and the national rules for your lane. ## Stable pallets: wrapping, straps and edge protection A stable pallet keeps its shape when the truck brakes or turns. The EU guidelines say a loaded pallet should withstand a sideways tilt of at least 26.6 degrees without clear distortion. That angle matches the 0.5 sideways force. Packing holds the goods on the pallet. Blocking and lashing hold the pallet in the trailer. The EU guidelines make five points about packing on the pallet. - Wrap by machine. Film wrapped by hand puts almost no force on the load and does not stop layers from sliding. - Tighten straps well to stop parts of the load from tilting. Plastic straps (PP, PET, PE) lose tension over time. - Put edge protectors under straps, or the straps can damage the goods. - Avoid a load much smaller than its pallet. With low friction, film can hardly stop it from sliding. - Use anti-slip sheets between layers. Plain corrugated board raises the risk of sliding. ## Loading the trailer: gaps, friction and axle loads Good loading leaves no room for the cargo to move. Place the pallets tight against the headboard and against each other. With blocking only, the EU guidelines allow empty spaces of 15 cm in total in any horizontal direction. Fill larger gaps, for example with empty pallets standing on end or planks of wood. Anti-slip mats raise friction. Under EN 12195-1, a clean rubber mat has a friction factor of 0.6, sawn wood on a plywood floor 0.45 and a plastic pallet on plywood 0.2\. On a floor that is not swept clean, or has frost, ice or snow, use 0.2 at most. Heavy goods change the axle loads. The EU guidelines say the full payload can be used only when the centre of gravity of the load is near the middle of the floor. In international traffic, at least 25% of the total weight must rest on the driving axle (Directive 96/53/EC). Friction alone does not secure a load, because road vibration can still move it (CTU Code). Friction does set how much cargo a standard headboard can block. An EN 12642 L headboard on a trailer with over 12.5 tonnes of payload is rated at 5,000 daN. Above the weight in the table, add lashings. __Cargo weight an EN 12642 L headboard (5,000 daN) can block forwards, by floor friction__ | Contact surface | Friction factor | Cargo weight against the headboard | | ------------------------------------------------- | --------------- | ---------------------------------- | | Plastic pallet on plywood | 0.2 | 8.4 t | | Floor not swept clean, or with frost, ice or snow | 0.2 at most | 8.4 t at most | | Planed wood on plywood | 0.3 | 10.1 t | | Sawn wood on plywood | 0.45 | 14.5 t | | Rubber anti-slip mat | 0.6 | 25.4 t | ## Curtainsider trailers and the check at loading The side strength of a curtainsider depends on its EN 12642 code. The EU guidelines treat code L curtains as weather protection only. Code XL side walls are tested to hold 40% of the payload. Ask for the certificate before your load plan relies on the sides, and use the side boards it names. RNJ Transport’s own 2 MAN TGX trucks pull curtainsider trailers and mostly run full loads between Lithuania and Sweden. On other lanes, we book checked partner carriers. Send us the pallet count, the weights and the packing with the booking, so we can match the truck to your load. Use these three steps when the truck arrives. 1. ### Check the trailer before loading Look for a clean floor, undamaged curtains and enough straps in good condition. 2. ### Agree who secures the load Decide who places the straps and the mats. You can write it on the CMR note (Article 6(3)). 3. ### Read the driver’s reservations A reservation about the packing binds you only if you agree to it on the note (Article 8(2)). ## Pre-loading checklist for shippers Use this checklist before every truck arrives. Send us the first line with the booking. __Shipper’s checklist before loading__ | Check | Why | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Weight, size, stacking limits and centre of gravity of each pallet written down | The truck, the load plan and the axle loads depend on them | | Pallets wrapped by machine or strapped | Film wrapped by hand does not stop layers from sliding | | Edge protectors where straps cross edges | Inspectors check for them, and they keep straps from damaging the goods | | Anti-slip mats ready for the floor | A rubber mat has friction 0.6, a plastic pallet on plywood 0.2 | | Load tight against the headboard, gaps filled | With blocking only, empty spaces may total 15 cm at most | | Trailer floor swept clean, with no frost, ice or snow | On a dirty or icy floor, friction counts as 0.2 at most | | Packing method and who loaded written on the CMR note | CMR Article 6 asks for the packing. Article 17(4)(c) depends on who loaded. | ## Frequently asked questions 1. Who is responsible for load securing, the shipper or the driver? Both, for different parts. In the EU guidelines, packers, loaders, carriers and drivers each have a role. As a general rule under CMR, the carrier is not liable for damage from poor packing or from loading by the sender. Check your contract and national rules, and agree who loads and who secures. 2. Is stretch film enough to secure pallets on a truck? No. Film keeps the goods on the pallet, and blocking or lashing keeps the pallet in the trailer. Film wrapped by hand puts almost no force on the load and does not stop layers from sliding. The EU guidelines say a loaded pallet should withstand a sideways tilt of 26.6 degrees. Use machine wrapping or straps. 3. Are anti-slip mats required in a truck? No, not for every load. A clean rubber mat has a friction factor of 0.6, and that changes how much cargo the headboard can block. With rubber mats, an EN 12642 L headboard can block 25.4 tonnes forwards. With plastic pallets on plywood and no mats, the limit is 8.4 tonnes. 4. What happens at a roadside check of load securing? Usually the inspector looks at the load and the securing, and may measure strap tension or ask for certificates. Findings are grouped as minor, major or dangerous deficiencies. For a major or dangerous one, the authority can ask for a fix before the truck continues. The inspector judges each case. 5. Can the curtains of a curtainsider hold the load? Only on a body certified to code XL. The EU guidelines treat the curtains of an EN 12642 code L curtainsider as weather protection only. A code XL body has side walls tested to hold 40% of the payload. Ask for the XL certificate and use the type and number of side boards it names. 6. Does a load on a ferry need extra securing? Sometimes. The CTU Code sets values for the sea by area. On the Baltic Sea, it uses 0.5 of the cargo weight sideways, the same as on the road. On the North Sea and the Skagerrak, the sideways value is 0.7\. Ask which sea crossing the truck takes, and secure the load for that value. ## Sources (6) 1. [Directive 2014/47/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 3 April 2014 on the technical roadside inspection of the roadworthiness of commercial vehicles circulating in the Union](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32014L0047) 2. [European Commission, Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport: Cargo securing for road transport. 2014 European best practices guidelines](https://op.europa.eu/en/publication-detail/-/publication/30c7c1dc-f26e-44af-bd4c-2434b43edd7e) 3. [Convention on the Contract for the International Carriage of Goods by Road (CMR), Geneva, 19 May 1956\. United Nations Treaty Series, vol. 399](https://treaties.un.org/doc/Publication/UNTS/Volume%20399/volume-399-I-5742-English.pdf) 4. [IMO/ILO/UNECE Code of Practice for Packing of Cargo Transport Units (CTU Code), MSC.1/Circ.1497, 16 December 2014](https://www.mardep.gov.hk/en/msnote/pdf/msin1669anx1.pdf) 5. [Council Directive 96/53/EC of 25 July 1996, consolidated text of 14 August 2019](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:01996L0053-20190814) 6. [Handelsgesetzbuch (HGB), § 412 Verladen und Entladen. Verordnungsermächtigung](https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/hgb/%5F%5F412.html) We checked these sources on 19 October 2026. ## Plan your next load with us Send the route, the date and the load size in the price form. Add the pallet weights and the packing. We call you back. You can also call us during working hours. [ +370 698 38573 ](tel:+37069838573) A person in our Klaipėda office answers your call. Mon–Fri 08:00–17:00, Lithuanian time - [WhatsApp](https://wa.me/37069838573) - [info@rnjtransport.lt](mailto:info@rnjtransport.lt) ### Get a price Send your route and your phone number. We call you back about the price. --- RNJ Transport (UAB "RNJ Transport", company code 305801389), Šilutės pl. 105A, LT-95112 Klaipėda, Lithuania. Phone: +370 698 38573. Email: info@rnjtransport.lt. Company summary for AI assistants: https://rnjtransport.lt/llms.txt. All pages: https://rnjtransport.lt/sitemap.xml.