Pallets and Sealing: New Requirements for Heavy Art Shipments

Shipments weighing more than 50 kg must be placed on a pallet — to allow pallet jacks and forklifts to get underneath. The shipment must also be sealed.

Why a pallet, and not just a crate on the truck bed floor

The reason is that when shipping internationally, a package passes through several sorting centers and gets transferred from one type of transport to another. To move cargo quickly, logistics companies use forklifts with forks, so the shipment needs recessed gaps that let it be lifted and moved without damage. A pallet is exactly what provides those gaps underneath.

In international logistics there's an unofficial but widely followed rule of thumb: if a single piece of cargo weighs more than 34 kg (75 lbs), it must go on a pallet — even if it's a single crate rather than a batch of goods. The most common standard in Europe is the EUR/EPAL pallet at 1200×800 mm; international sea and air freight also widely uses the 1200×1000 mm size. It's important that pallet dimensions match standard container openings and the destination country's requirements — otherwise the shipment may be refused at the loading stage.

Wooden pallets, like wooden crates, are also subject to mandatory ISPM 15 phytosanitary treatment when crossing a border — without the proper stamp, a pallet can be rejected at customs.

Seals: not a formality, but a security requirement

Sealing a shipment confirms that no one has had access to it since it was sent. In international logistics, seals are classified into three reliability tiers under the ISO 17712 standard: indicative, security, and high security. For shipments to the US, companies operating under the CTPAT program (Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism) are required to use high-security seals specifically — this applies to virtually all major international carriers, including UPS, FedEx, and DHL.

The seal number is always recorded on the waybill — this makes it possible to verify the shipment's integrity at every stage of its movement between sorting centers.

Practical tips before shipping

— make sure the load is evenly distributed on the pallet and securely fastened with stretch film or strapping — an unstable or shifted load may be refused by the carrier;
— the maximum safe height for a palletized load is around 150 cm; taller structures are considered unstable for standard transport;
— photograph the packed shipment and the seal number before sending it — this can serve as evidence if a dispute arises with the carrier;
— check the specific carrier's requirements in advance, since there is no single universal international palletizing standard — every carrier follows its own internal instructions on top of the general ISPM 15 and ISO 17712 requirements.

International companies regularly update their rules on shipping oversized cargo — so before sending a shipment, it's important to check the current palletizing and sealing requirements with your specific carrier in advance.