{"id":4390,"date":"2026-09-28T08:52:12","date_gmt":"2026-09-28T01:52:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vietmarinecontrol.com.vn\/?p=4390"},"modified":"2026-09-28T08:55:27","modified_gmt":"2026-09-28T01:55:27","slug":"the-seal-was-intact-the-cargo-was-not-necessarily-secure","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vietmarinecontrol.com.vn\/en\/the-seal-was-intact-the-cargo-was-not-necessarily-secure\/","title":{"rendered":"The Seal Was Intact – The Cargo Was Not Necessarily Secure"},"content":{"rendered":"

The container arrived with the seal intact.<\/span><\/p>\n

The seal number matched the shipping documents. There were no obvious signs of tampering, and the container appeared to have remained closed throughout the transit.<\/span><\/p>\n

When the doors were opened, however, the cargo was found in a different condition.<\/span><\/p>\n

Some packages had shifted. Stacks had leaned against the container walls. In more serious cases, heavy units had moved from their original positions, causing crushed packages, deformation and other damage.<\/span><\/p>\n

The first reaction is usually predictable:<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBut the seal was intact.\u201d<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

It is a valid observation. But it answers only one question.<\/span><\/p>\n

It tells us about the condition of the container doors. It does not tell us what happened to the cargo inside.<\/span><\/p>\n

What Does an Intact Seal Actually Prove?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

After many years surveying container cargo, I have seen this misunderstanding repeatedly.<\/span><\/p>\n

An intact seal, with the correct seal number, is useful evidence that the container was not apparently opened after sealing.<\/span><\/p>\n

But it does not confirm how the cargo was packed or secured.<\/span><\/p>\n

A seal does not:<\/span><\/p>\n