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Knowledge base
Inspection and recovery
Practical guides on transport to the UK, customs clearance, exhibition logistics and warehousing.
What is in the OTSL knowledge base?
The OTSL knowledge base is practical articles on international road freight: customs clearance and border procedures (SIVEP, GMR, PBN, ATA carnet), transport to the United Kingdom, Ireland and Switzerland, trade fair logistics, warehousing and returns. We cover the real risks and how to prevent them before they hit your cargo.
Articles are coming soon.
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Distressed load management and rejected supermarket loads, recovery in the UK
A load rejected at a supermarket gate is not a write-off. In our Milton Keynes warehouse we take in distressed, damaged…
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Cargo inspection step by step and the report for the insurer
When something happens to a load, an orderly assessment and documentation matter, not haste. What the inspection…
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Odour and cross-contamination: why a foreign smell disqualifies food and cosmetics
Odour-absorbing products, meaning food, coffee, tea, cosmetics and pet food, can take on a foreign smell from a…
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Shortage and overage at unloading: how to count pallets and protect your claim
When you take delivery, the number of pieces and pallets received must match the transport documents. A shortage…
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Moisture and mould in cargo: when the goods are already lost
Temperature differences inside a trailer or container condense moisture on the walls and roof, from where it drips onto…
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Breakage of fragile cargo: how to segregate, document and safely dispose of it
With fragile cargo a single breakage rarely stops at one item. Shards, spills and pressure can contaminate or damage…
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Cargo after a collision or a rolled-over trailer: inspection and the decision on what happens to the goods
After a road incident, goods can be damaged even when they look fine from the outside. See why a post-accident…
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The damage report in transport: how to draw it up and which evidence to preserve
A damage report is the document which, with photos and a description, records the extent and nature of cargo damage. We…
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A broken cold chain: why goods become un-sellable before they physically spoil
A temperature excursion recorded by the data logger lets the receiver or the food-safety authority reject the whole…
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ADR spill in transit: what damaged dangerous-goods packaging really costs
A chemical leak, a damaged lithium cell or a breached ADR pallet is not a fender bender. It means neutralisation…
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Quarantine, hold and release, and photo condition reporting
A cargo hold stops doubtful goods before they move on. In our Milton Keynes warehouse we hold suspect loads, quarantine…
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Cargo condition and contamination inspection: leaks, spillage, fluid ingress, collapsed load
Something in the trailer leaked, spilled, or the load collapsed and fluid soaked into neighbouring pallets? Before the…
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Sanitary inspection of a food cargo after a trailer breach (EHO / HACCP)
A broken seal, signs that unauthorised people entered, or damage to a trailer carrying food is not only a customs…
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Trailer inspection after clandestine entrants: procedure and driver checklist
A driver checklist after clandestine entrants are found in the trailer, and the practical course of inspecting the…
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UV inspection and UVC decontamination of cargo in a UK warehouse
UV light reveals traces invisible to the naked eye, and UVC radiation lowers the number of micro-organisms on a…
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Food safety after a trailer breach (EC 178/2002) | OTSL
When food is involved, a trailer breach is not only about the state of the goods but about the rules. Why food law and…
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Are goods fit for sale after trailer tampering? | OTSL
What determines the fitness of goods after trailer tampering and how to document the condition for a safe decision.
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Clandestine entrant penalties in the UK: how the civil penalty scheme works
The British civil penalty scheme fines carriers and drivers for people hidden in a vehicle, even when no one is found…
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