Thanks to generous funding from the Kieserling Foundation, a total of 48 students from two maritime degree programmes at Hochschule Bremen, City University of Applied Sciences (HSB) received a free certified training in cargo securing. HSB offered its students a total of four courses during the summer semester of 2026 in collaboration with the maritime training centre ma-co maritimes competenzcentrum.
The courses add a valuable practical dimension to the teaching in the two international Bachelor’s degree programmes in Ship Management – Nautical Sciences and Shipping and Chartering. The modules at Hochschule Bremen cover the theoretical basics of cargo securing as well as the associated calculations. Implementing what has been learnt – the practical securing of cargo under real conditions, whether for road, rail or maritime transport – then takes place in the courses at ma-co. This bridges the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application.
“In the teaching courses, we calculate the required securing forces and discuss the basics of cargo securing. But the actual process of securing a load can only be understood through hands-on practice. Thanks to the Kieserling Foundation, our students have the opportunity to acquire these practical skills first-hand,” explains Hendrik Jungen, lecturer in Nautical Sciences at HSB.
Load securing is the technical term for securing goods on a means of transport or a load carrier. It takes into account the forces acting on the load during transport and ensures that cargo goods are reliably secured for transit. In this practical course, students are once again made aware of this topic and receive further training in both theory and practice.
Topics covered include, for example, the economic consequences of cargo damage, as well as packaging and the packaging procedure itself. Responsibilities relating to load securing are a key topic, as are the standard technical rules and norms (VDI 2700, DIN EN 12195-1). The course content delves even deeper into the key factors for effective load securing: the load-bearing capacity of containers and lorries; stowage and securing rules for containers, lorries and trains; preparing homogeneous and heterogeneous loads appropriately for sea transport; the correct selection of securing methods; and, here too, the calculation of the required securing forces and lashing equipment.
Having successfully completed the course and all its training sessions, the participating HSB students were awarded their certificates. They have thus acquired a valuable qualification that will enable them to take on responsibility for planning or supervising the securing of goods in containers or on lorries later in their professional careers.
The Kieserling Stiftung aims to promote science and research, education and training, as well as youth welfare, with a particular focus on the transport industry and logistics.
