International shipments get handled, stacked, vibrated and sometimes dropped many times between your warehouse and your customer. Good packing is cheap insurance against expensive damage. Here is how to prepare cargo that arrives intact.

Start with the right carton

The outer carton is the first line of defence:

Use double-wall corrugated boxes for heavier or fragile goods; single-wall is fine only for light, robust items.
Do not overfill or underfill. Cartons should be full enough that they do not crush when stacked, but not bulging.
Fill void space with appropriate dunnage so contents cannot shift, but avoid excessive bulky fill that inflates volumetric weight.
Seal with proper packing tape in an H-pattern across all seams.

Choose and build the pallet properly

For anything beyond a few cartons, palletizing protects the goods and speeds handling:

Pallet type: standard wooden pallets are common, but for export, remember that wood packaging must be heat-treated and ISPM 15 stamped for most destinations. Untreated wood can trigger inspection or rejection. Plastic and pressed-wood pallets avoid the treatment requirement.
Size: match the pallet to your cartons so boxes sit fully on the deck without overhang. Overhanging boxes lose most of their stacking strength.
Weight distribution: put heavier cartons on the bottom, lighter on top, with weight spread evenly across the pallet.

Stack and secure for the journey

Column stack (boxes directly on top of each other) maximises strength; interlocking improves stability but reduces stacking strength, so balance the two.
Keep the load within the pallet footprint and at a sensible height.
Stretch-wrap the full load, anchoring the wrap to the pallet itself so cartons cannot slide off. Add corner boards under the wrap for sharp-edged or heavy loads, and strapping for extra security.

Label clearly

Mark each carton and the pallet with handling symbols (fragile, this way up, keep dry) where relevant.
Include shipment marks that match your packing list so the cargo can be identified without opening it.
Keep labels on visible faces and protect them from moisture.

Match packing to the mode

LCL ocean and air consolidation mean your goods sit alongside others and are handled more — pack more robustly.
FCL is sealed at origin, so handling is lighter, but the long sea journey still brings vibration and humidity; consider moisture protection like desiccants for sensitive goods.

The bottom line

Strong cartons, a correctly built and compliant pallet, a well-secured load and clear labels prevent the great majority of transit damage and customs hold-ups. Spend a little more on packing than feels necessary — it is far cheaper than a damaged shipment, an insurance claim, or a pallet rejected for untreated wood.

How to Pack and Palletize Export Cargo Safely