Breakage Is a Packing Decision
Marble survives 35 days at sea or arrives cracked — and the difference is almost never the stone. It is the packing. After shipping thousands of containers, we have refined an export packing system that keeps breakage below 0.3% even on the roughest routes.
The Standard: Fumigated Wooden A-Frames
Slabs stand vertically on steel-reinforced wooden A-frames, leaned at a controlled angle so weight transfers through the stone's strongest axis. Each frame holds 6–12 slabs depending on thickness and size. Frames are bolted to the container floor through the wooden rails — never simply blocked with loose timber.
Between Every Polished Face
Polished surfaces never touch each other. Depending on material value, we insert plastic foam sheets, corrugated plastic, or rubber mats between slabs. For onyx and other fragile materials, each slab is additionally wrapped. The cost of separation material is trivial compared to a single cracked premium slab.
Bundle Bracing Inside the Container
- Frames are cross-braced with steel straps anchored to container lashing rings.
- Airbags fill residual gaps so nothing can shift during rolling seas.
- Total cargo weight is distributed to respect axle load limits.
- For 20' containers: maximum 8 bundles / ~26 tons; for 40' HC: up to 12 bundles depending on slab dimensions.
Documentation That Protects Both Sides
We photograph each stage: empty container condition, each frame as loaded, bracing before door closing, and the sealed container with seal number. The loading report travels with the shipping documents. If damage ever occurs in transit, the exact responsibility point is clear — which is precisely why insurers favor well-documented loads with lower premiums.
Special Materials, Special Rules
Onyx and thin 16mm slabs travel in reinforced crates rather than open A-frames. Travertine with open pores is packed to avoid resin transfer between surfaces. Book-matched sets are loaded in installation order, clearly numbered, so site teams can unload sequence-correct. Sending fragile or high-value material? Ask us for a packing specification sheet tailored to your order.