Plywood Container Loading Process

I. Pre-loading Preparations

1. Cargo Inspection

- Verify birch plywood specifications, thickness, grade, and quantity; ensure panel surfaces are free from damage, delamination, edge chipping, or mold, and that packaging is intact.
- Control board moisture content to prevent issues caused by excessive humidity during sea transport; boards showing signs of moisture damage are strictly prohibited from loading.
- Ensure each pallet or bundle is securely strapped with steel or plastic banding and fitted with edge protectors to prevent damage from bumps or impacts during handling.

2. Container Inspection

- Inspect the interior: ensure walls and floors are free from protruding nail tips, damage, leaks, oil stains, or standing water; check that door seals are intact.
- Clear out debris, sand, and dirt; ensure the interior is dry and free from odors.
- Measure actual internal dimensions to plan the loading layout and calculate the total load quantity based on board dimensions.

> Plywood is typically loaded on pallets or in loose stacks.

3. Auxiliary Material Preparation
Prepare stretch wrap, edge protectors, Timber blocks/dunnage, tension straps, bubble wrap, desiccant (essential for sea freight), and cardboard dividers in advance.

II. Stacking and Placement Requirements

Method 1: Palletized Loading (Recommended; for forklift operation)

1. Stack plywood neatly on pallets; ensure the top and bottom surfaces of the stack are flat and vertically aligned, with no protruding or overhanging edges.
2. Limit stack height to avoid crushing the bottom boards while adhering to container height restrictions; ensure boards do not overhang the pallet edges.
3. Fully wrap the exterior of the pallet with stretch film for moisture and dust protection; orient pallet blocks to facilitate forklift entry and exit.
4. Place pallets lengthwise within the container, positioning them tightly to minimize gaps, while maintaining a small clearance between the pallets and the container walls. Method 2: Loose Stack Loading (No pallets; manual or forklift loading)

1. Lay dunnage (wooden strips) across the container floor to allow airflow beneath the plywood boards and prevent direct contact with the floor, which could cause moisture damage.
2. Stack boards neatly in layers, laying them flat with the board face facing downwards.
3. Align the edges of each stack so the stack stands vertically; do not stack at an angle. Keep different specifications separate; strictly prohibit mixed or disorderly stacking.
4. Minimize gaps between stacks; fill any large gaps tightly with timber blocks or cardboard to prevent shifting, friction, or surface damage during transit.

III. Moisture Protection (Crucial for Sea Freight)

1. Place sufficient desiccant inside the container, distributing it evenly across the top and around the sides of the cargo stacks; ensure the desiccant does not directly touch the board surfaces.
2. Ensure the plastic wrapping on the Plywood boards is intact; repair any damaged stretch wrap beforehand.
3. Do not load the container outdoors during rain; minimize loading time in high-humidity environments.
4. Apply moisture-pRoof shielding to cargo near the container doors to prevent seawater or rainwater from seeping in through the door gaps.

IV. Securing and Reinforcement

1. Once loading is complete, reinforce the area at the container doors using timber blocks to prevent the cargo from toppling over when the doors are opened.
2. Tightly fill gaps between stacks with timber blocks or cardboard; avoid leaving large gaps that allow movement, as the turbulence of sea transport can cause chipped edges or surface scratches.
3. Do not nail timber blocks directly to the container walls, as this damages the container; use bracing or tension straps for reinforcement instead.
4. If the cargo does not fill the entire container, use bracing to secure the load and prevent it from sliding back and forth.

V. Container Loading Precautions

1. Forklift operations: Keep forklift tines steady; strictly prohibit forceful prying or ramming into the stacks, which could chip the plywood board corners or edges.
2. Handle with care; do not drag the boards, as this can scratch or abrade the surfaces. 3. Container loading sequence: Load the innermost section first and stack progressively toward the container opening.
4. Conduct real-time inventory counts and take photographs for documentation: photos of the empty container, the loading process, and the fully loaded container before sealing.
5. Account for varying board thicknesses and allow for the space occupied by packaging film and edge protectors when calculating loading quantities.

VI. Prohibited Practices

❌ Do not stack plywood upright against the container walls; this risks bending or collapse.
❌ Do not allow boards to overhang the edges of the stack or pallet.
❌ Do not load boards that are damp or show water stains.
❌ Do not leave cargo unsecured or with large gaps.
❌ Do not drive nails directly into the container structure.

VII. Sealing the Container

Once loading and securing are complete, verify that no tools or debris remain inside, close the container doors, apply the seal, and record the seal number.