Cargo theft accounts for a huge loss in the economy. With rising number of theft and contamination cases during transportation, their security measures are being modified continuously.
Use of One Time Locks is one of the most effective measures in securing cargo. As the name suggests, these locks can only be used once. They can also be called security seals as they secure the shipment.
There are different types of security seals available in the market. These seals are used according to the needs of the transportation. Following are two of the most commonly used security seals. These are metal seals.
1. Bolt seals- These are highly efficient security seals which can even be used for international cargo shipping if they meet ISO 17712 High security seal requirements. Although they have complex locking system, it is quite an easy task to put them on place thus one need not have any special skills. The seal is manually separated into the metal bolt and seal head. The metal bolt is then pushed into the groove of the seal head with a sound of a click which ensures the safe locking of the seal. Bolt seals work on the basic principle of padlocks, though there aren’t any keys designed for them. Their outer body is made up of plastic which is tamper evident. They come in different colours, along with unique identification number and bar-coding that give them more security. Bolt seals can be used to secure containers, trucks and trailers. They are One Time Locks and can only be opened once with a bolt cutter.
2. Cable seals- They Consist of metal wires, which are thin, long and a seal body. They are easy to put just like bolt seals. Since they have adjustable cable length, they have various applications. Their locking mechanism is based on the cable length. The cable is put in through the small space in the seal body, and cannot be pulled back unless cut with a cutter. Cable seals with High security standards can even be used in international shipping. Cable seals are usually employed to seal trucks, containers, valves, locked doors, etc.
There are many more types of security seals available in the market. Plastic seals, Electronic seals, tamper label seals being some of them. Each type of security seal has it’s own utility in cargo shipping. One needs to have knowledge about the type of shipment and their requirements in order to choose the right seal.
