CLS — The Final Checkpoint Before Departure
Container Loading Supervision in India
Independent on-site supervision of every container stuffing — carton-by-carton count, container condition verification, ISO 17712 high-security seal applied by our inspector. Walmart / Target / CTPAT compatible.
Book a CLS InspectionContainer loading supervision scope
Container condition check
Inspector verifies the empty container — no holes, dents, water-marks, contamination or odour. Photo of container number plate, CSC plate and seal.
Quantity & SKU verification
Counts cartons by SKU as they're loaded. Cross-checks against packing list and invoice. Stops short-shipment disputes at destination.
Carton condition & strength
Drop-test sample cartons. Verify edge-crush (ECT), board grade and palletisation against buyer spec. Damaged cartons rejected on-site.
Stuffing pattern & load plan
Confirms loading sequence per buyer's pre-agreed plan (heavy bottom, fragile top, SKU separation). Photographs each row of loading.
Lashing, dunnage & desiccants
Verifies airbags, kraft paper, desiccant bags, lashing straps — critical for Mumbai-to-US East Coast 25-day transit times.
Container seal & departure
Inspector personally affixes the high-security ISO 17712 bolt seal, photographs the seal number and timestamp, and emails the buyer before departure.
Why CLS matters even when PSI passed
Stops 'last 5%' fraud
Some factories ship inspected goods on top of un-inspected goods below. CLS is the only checkpoint that physically confirms every carton loaded matches what was inspected at PSI.
Locks in the seal of custody
An inspector-applied ISO 17712 seal is legally stronger than a factory-applied one. Critical for insurance claims and customs disputes.
Resolves quantity disputes
Carton-by-carton count signed off at loading prevents the most common Indian export dispute: 'You shipped 1,180 cartons, not 1,200.'
Required by major retailers
Walmart, Target, Costco, Tesco, Sainsbury's CTPAT/AEO programmes mandate independent CLS for first-time suppliers and high-value lanes.
CLS FAQs
What is container loading supervision (CLS)?
Container Loading Supervision (CLS) is the physical presence of an independent inspector at the factory or CFS during container stuffing. The inspector verifies container condition, counts cartons as they're loaded, confirms loading pattern, supervises lashing and dunnage, and personally applies and photographs the ISO 17712 high-security seal. It is the final checkpoint before the goods leave the country.
When is CLS needed?
CLS is mandatory for: first-time suppliers, high-value FCL shipments (>$50K), retailer-mandated lanes (Walmart, Target, Costco, etc.), LCL consolidations, and any shipment where the buyer cannot trust the factory's self-reported quantity. For repeat trusted suppliers on standard LCL, CLS can be optional.
What's the difference between CLS and pre-shipment inspection (PSI)?
PSI checks the product quality (AQL sampling on finished goods, 80%+ packed) — usually 5–10 days before loading. CLS supervises the physical loading event itself — quantities, carton condition, container condition, sealing. The two complement each other: PSI proves the goods are good; CLS proves the goods that were good actually made it onto the ship.
How much does container loading supervision cost in India?
$220–$280 per inspector per 8-hour man-day. One 40HC container typically takes 4–6 hours to load, so 1 man-day covers most jobs. For multi-container loads or remote ICDs, expect 1.5–2 man-days. See our QC inspection cost page for full 2026 pricing.
Can CLS happen at an ICD (inland container depot) or only at the factory?
Both. We supervise loading at the factory, at the CFS (Container Freight Station) for LCL consolidation, and at major ICDs (Tughlakabad, Dadri, Mulund, Whitefield, Bengaluru ICD, Chennai ICD). For port-side stuffing at JNPT, Mundra, Chennai or Kolkata we have local inspectors with port-entry passes.
Inspection & Audit Hub
Complete Quality Inspection Services in India
Independent third-party inspections and factory audits across 15+ Indian manufacturing hubs — supporting buyers in the US, UK, EU, Australia, Canada and UAE since 1994.
Third Party Inspection
Independent AQL-based product inspections
Pre-Shipment Inspection (PSI)
Final QC before goods leave the factory
Quality Control Company
End-to-end QC programmes & supervision
Inspection Company India
Full-service inspection partner since 1994
Product Inspection Services
Category-specific quality checks
Factory Audit
On-site capability & compliance audits
During-Production Inspection (DUPRO)
AQL 2.5 mid-run quality check at 20–80%
Pre-Production Inspection (PPI)
Raw material, trims & golden sample verification
Initial Production Check (IPC)
First-article inspection at 10–15% completion
AQL Inspection Services
ISO 2859-1 / ANSI Z1.4 sampling inspections
ISO 17020 Inspection Body
Type A independent inspection methodology
Amazon FBA Inspection
FNSKU, polybag, carton & AQL for FBA sellers
QC Inspection Cost (2026)
Per-man-day pricing benchmarks vs QIMA/SGS/BV
Supplier Audit
Verify suppliers before placing orders
Garment Inspection
Apparel QC in Tirupur, Ludhiana, Delhi NCR
Furniture Inspection
Wood, metal & upholstery QC across India
Electronics Inspection
Mobile, EMS, battery & LED QC in India
Leather Inspection
Footwear, bags & saddlery — Chrome VI, SATRA, LWG
Home Textile Inspection
Towels, bed linen, rugs — OEKO-TEX & ISO 105
Toy Inspection
EN 71, ASTM F963, CPSIA & BIS IS 9873
Ceramics Inspection
Morbi tiles, tableware, sanitaryware — ISO 10545
Jewellery Inspection
Gold, silver, diamonds — BIS HUID & XRF
Auto Components Inspection
IATF 16949, PPAP, dimensional CMM
Cosmetics Inspection
EU CPNP, US MoCRA, ISO 22716 GMP
Inspection — Tirupur
Knitwear & T-shirt QC specialists
Inspection — Moradabad
Brass, metal & home-décor QC
Inspection — Delhi NCR
Garments, leather & fashion QC
Inspection — Jaipur
Block-print, quilts & jewellery QC
Inspection — Panipat
Towels, blankets & home textile QC
Inspection — Jodhpur
Wooden furniture & moisture QC
Inspection — Ludhiana
Sweaters, bicycles & hand tools QC
Inspection — Mumbai
Chemical, pharma & JNPT loading QC
Inspection — Chennai
Leather, auto & Karur textile QC
Inspection — Kolkata
Jute, leather & tea QC
Inspection — Bengaluru
EMS, PCBA & aerospace QC
Inspection — Ahmedabad
Denim, chemical & Morbi ceramic QC
QIMA Alternative
30–40% lower cost, same AQL standards
SGS Alternative
India-specialist QC, 24-hr reports
Bureau Veritas Alternative
Same ISO 2859-1, 30–40% lower cost
Intertek Alternative
Same AQL methodology, 25–35% lower cost