Freight: Fragile and Umbrella Marks
A reference catalog of ISO 780 cargo directives. How standardized monochrome stencils safeguard sensitive goods across maritime voyages and multi-tier parcel sorting hubs.
Essential Handling Pictograms
First codified internationally by the International Organization for Standardization, these symbols eliminate language barriers in shipping yards, distribution warehouses, and final-mile courier vans.
Fragile / Handle With Care (ISO 780-01)
Visual Cue: A stemmed drinking goblet with a fracture line.
Mandate: The internal contents can shatter or deform under drop impact or crushing loads. Freight must not be rolled, thrown, or subjected to abrupt mechanical shunting.
This Way Up (ISO 780-03)
Visual Cue: Two parallel vertical arrows pointing upward from a horizontal baseline.
Mandate: Indicates the precise vertical spatial orientation required for transport and stacking. Inverting causes seal leakage, hydraulic oil migration, or internal structural collapse.
Keep Dry (ISO 780-04)
Visual Cue: An open umbrella canopy facing downward with falling droplets.
Mandate: Must be stowed in enclosed trailers or dry cargo holds. Cardboard fluting absorbs moisture rapidly, reducing pallet stack crush resistance by up to 70%.
Center of Gravity (ISO 780-16)
Visual Cue: A circle split into alternating quarters of black and white.
Mandate: Denotes the non-central center of mass on asymmetrical crates. Critical for crane rigger slings and forklift tines to avoid sudden tip-over during elevation.
Maximum Stacking Limit (ISO 780-14)
Visual Cue: Horizontal line over stacked rectangles, often accompanied by a numeral (e.g., '4' or weight '500 kg').
Mandate: Exceeding this numerical tier count triggers box wall buckling under compressive load.