Can you leave you own padlock on a container ? (home owners insurance, movers) - Hawaii (HI) - City-Data Forum

maleko · 09-11-2008, 06:27 AM

Hi everyone.

I just have a quick question about padlocks and containers.

Matson tell me that I should not ship the container with my own padlock in place. They said that they will seal the container (somehow) before it starts its journey. This concerns me a little as our container is going by rail as well as ship and will no doubt spend many hours lying around in various container depots.

Can anyone who has used Matson recently please verify this as I thought I had read here somewhere about people leaving their own padlocks on the container for the entire journey. Or maybe I"m getting concerned about nothing and our things will be secure.

Thanks.

Calico Salsa · 09-11-2008, 11:20 AM

Hi maleko,
I checked the Matson site, and you are right. This is a change from 2004 when we moved. At that time, we were encouraged to put our own locks on the door. They also had a seal, but we were, and did, use our own locks as well.

As a suggestion, how about this - Put one set of webbing at the back end of the container, and use colorful zip ties (available at Home Depot) to ALSO secure the webbing to the container bottom/sides. The idea is that if someone does get into your container either to inspect or steal, you will see the zip ties have been cut. They won't prevent inspection or theft, but when the container is delivered, you can have the driver wait until you open it and check the zip ties. If the ties are cut, then you can have a quick look to see if anything is disturbed.

I use zip ties on my luggage when I travel, for the same reason. TSA can (and sometimes does) cut the ties to take a look. When I take my luggage off the belt at my destination, a quick look tells me if someone has been inside. It's better than using the TSA locks, because you would have to open your luggage to see if there is a TSA note or anything missing.

Use the brightly colored big zip ties - check your Home Depot aisle where they have the cables for hooking up your electronics, usually near the lightbulbs. The bright colors are ones that people aren't likely to have on hand to replace themselves, and you can easily spot them.

PacificFlights · 09-11-2008, 04:06 PM

They say not to padlock the container because it may need to be inspected. If so, all they do is cut off the lock. If they don't inspect, it stays lock.

Lindsey_Mcfarren · 09-11-2008, 04:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PacificFlights

They say not to padlock the container because it may need to be inspected. If so, all they do is cut off the lock. If they don't inspect, it stays lock.

Thats what I was thinking, they may need to inspect it but from what I understand they inspect very few containers coming into the US. I know when I flew to the UK prior to 9-11 I had pad locks on all my luggage. YOu can't use your own anymore because they inspect the luggage. There is a system of padlocks you can get that the inspectors can open, otherwise they cut them off.

kaohinani · 09-14-2008, 01:18 AM

Interesting. We are in the process of moving from Kauai to the mainland and the movers offered us the choice of putting our own lock on the container, which we did. I hope its not cut off when we get our stuff back. I don't know what shipping service it is. It might be Horizon.

newUHprof · 09-15-2008, 03:24 PM

We didn't use a full container, but an ABF cube. We were told to put our own lock on it, and not to give them a key. We had to sign that we weren't bringing bad stuff (don't remember the full list of prohibited items). When the cube arrived in Hawaii, the lock was still on it. And again, no one had the key but us. Maybe the rules are different if you get a full container?

Frangi914 · 09-16-2008, 10:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by maleko

Hi everyone.

I just have a quick question about padlocks and containers.

Matson tell me that I should not ship the container with my own padlock in place. They said that they will seal the container (somehow) before it starts its journey. This concerns me a little as our container is going by rail as well as ship and will no doubt spend many hours lying around in various container depots.

Can anyone who has used Matson recently please verify this as I thought I had read here somewhere about people leaving their own padlocks on the container for the entire journey. Or maybe I"m getting concerned about nothing and our things will be secure.

Thanks.

Matson uses a large plastic tie to secure the container. I called them yesterday to make sure and the rep said they do not want you putting your own locks on the container. Mine is right outside now and the packers will be here tomorrow to load it up and Monday it's off on it's journey accross country by rail and then to sea. Call them and make sure they put in a request to secure your container when they come pick it up. It's also a good idea to insure your stuff just in case and for us, we were able to use our home owners insurance (we sold our house, but we are still covered until we cancel the policy), and they will insure it for something like $240,000 which is way way more than all out stuff is worth.

Good luck

808state · 09-18-2008, 04:23 AM

Aloha,

I work for a self-storage facility and we have containers dropped at our faciolty regularly by folks who are either moving on-island or moving off-island.

Those container ALWAYS leave here with a customer lock on them.

Warmest aloha

PacificFlights · 09-20-2008, 11:13 AM

Locks or no locks is the Shipping Company's policy. Some say yes you can lock. Some say no you can't lock. Some don't care. Since verything traveling through the ports and airports are subject to search, if they need to look inside, they will cut off any lock and take a look. Likewise, if they don't need to look inside, they won't touch the lock.

If you lock the container and they don't inspect the container would be locked for the entire trip. If you lock and they do inspect, it was locked up till they inspected and seal tied for the rest of the trip. If you don't lock the container and they don't inspect your container, it was unlocked for the whole trip.

Only a fraction of containers are inspected, but never assume it will always be or that it will never be inspected.

cynthia007 · 09-20-2008, 11:47 AM

We just moved and used Matson. Also went by barge, rail, and truck. We could not use our own lock. Yes, we were a little nervous, but when we opened our container after four weeks, everything was there...exactly like we put it in! Good Luck.