What is a Container Loading Check (CLC)?
A Container Loading Check is supervision on the day your goods are loaded. The inspector is at the warehouse or factory while the cartons go into the container, counts what actually goes in, checks how it is stacked and secured, and records the seal number. Once that door is closed and sealed, whatever went wrong inside becomes almost impossible to prove.
During the loading, our specialists verify:
Quantity against the packing list
We count the cartons as they are loaded and check the total against your packing list and purchase order.
Carton condition and markings
We check that cartons are undamaged, correctly marked and that shipping marks match the documents.
Container condition
We inspect the container before loading for holes, damp, odour and residue, because a clean container is the cheapest damage prevention there is.
Loading and securing method
We check how the goods are stacked, braced and secured, so the load survives the road and the sea leg.
Seal number and photographs
We record the seal number and photograph the loading from empty container to closed door, so you have evidence if a claim follows.
Where we inspect
Container loading checks in sixteen countries
Select your country of manufacture when you order. We supervise container loading in sixteen countries, using the same checklist and the same report format everywhere. Lead times and inspector availability differ per country, which we confirm when you book.
- East Asia: China, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan.
- South Asia: Bangladesh, India and Pakistan.
- Europe and North Africa: Poland, Tunisia and Turkey.
- Southeast Asia: Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam.
- Most inspections are booked three to five working days ahead. In peak season, before Chinese New Year and before the summer shutdowns, allow a week.
- Not on the list? Ask us. We can often arrange an inspector through our partner network.
Quality Control
What to expect from a Container Loading Check?
A container loading check is the last moment you can still intervene. After the seal goes on, you are relying on paperwork and goodwill.
Why a Container Loading Check is important
Short shipments and transport damage are usually created at loading, not at sea.
Confirm the quantity actually loaded
Catch damaged cartons before they ship
Reject a container that is wet or dirty
Prevent damage from poor stacking
Record the seal number for your claim
Have photographic evidence if goods arrive short
What we check during a Container Loading Check
We supervise the loading itself, not the product quality; that is what the earlier inspections are for.
Carton count against the packing list
Carton condition and shipping marks
Container condition before loading
Stacking, bracing and securing
Seal number and closing of the door
Photographs of the full loading process
Quality control at every stage of production
Choose the right inspection at each stage of production to reduce risk, ensure quality, and stay in control.
First Article Inspection
Validate your product before full production starts. Ensure samples meet your specifications.
- Before production
- Validate first sample
- Confirm specifications & materials
- Identify issues early
During Production Inspection
Monitor quality during production and detect issues before they affect the full order.
- During production
- Monitor production quality
- Check progress & consistency
- Reduce defects early
Pre-Shipment Inspection
Verify product quality before shipment and ensure your order meets all requirements.
- After production
- Final quality check
- Verify quantity & packaging
- Confirm compliance
Container Loading Supervision
Ensure your goods are loaded correctly and safely before shipment.
- During loading
- Verify quantities loaded
- Check handling & packaging
- Prevent shipping issues
100% Inspection
Inspect every unit to eliminate defects and ensure maximum quality control.
- Before shipment
- Inspect every unit
- Remove defective products
- Ensure full consistency
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some common questions about this service.
No. A pre shipment inspection looks at the product quality; a loading check looks at what actually goes into the container and how. They answer different questions and most importers who ship full containers use both.
The inspector reports it before loading starts, which is the only moment you can still refuse it. A container with a leaking roof is a total loss on a shipment of cardboard packaging, and nobody notices until arrival.
Because it is the link between what was loaded and what arrives. If the number on the arrival document does not match the number recorded at loading, you have a case. If nobody recorded it, you do not.
Usually less so. The value is highest with a full container that is loaded in one go at one location. For groupage the goods are handled several times anyway and the check covers only your part of it.
Normally a full working day, because the inspector is present from the empty container to the closed door. Loading itself often takes several hours and the value is in being there for all of it.
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Phone
Office
Fellenoordstraat 52 Unit 2.38, 4811TJ Breda, Netherlands
VAT
NL865927534B01
Chamber of Commerce
NL 92195873