1. What load securement netting is
Load securement netting is a fabric net that restrains cargo on a vehicle or inside a container so the load cannot shift, tip or fall during transport. The same product appears under several names in buyer enquiries: load containment netting, cargo netting, webbing net, restraint net. All of them describe one family: a polyester or polyamide mesh with a reinforced border rope and attachment points that anchor the net to the vehicle.
It sits alongside ratchet straps in the EN 12195 framework. Straps tension the load down against the loading surface; a net spreads restraint across the whole load face and keeps small items inside the load envelope, which is why the two are often specified together.
Terminology varies more than the products do. "Load securement" is the established term in North America, while European documents tend to speak of lashing and securing; "load containment" and "cargo net" are used in both markets. What matters is what the specification requires, not which word it uses.
2. A cargo net is not lifting equipment
Securing and lifting load the product in different directions, and each product family is built and rated for its own direction of use. A cargo net is rated by lashing capacity (LC) in daN; a lifting net is rated by working load limit (WLL) in tonnes. A cargo net must never be used to lift, whatever figure appears on its tag.
The rating systems are different too: EN 12195 works with a 2:1 factor and LC in daN, while the lifting standards (EN 1492-1, EN 1492-2) work with a 7:1 factor and WLL in metric tonnes; HMPE slings supplied under JB/T 8521.1/.2-2025 (Chinese industry standard) use 6:1. For a fuller comparison, see the standards comparison linked in Further reading below.
If a net is ever used over a load that will be crane-lifted later, the net comes off before the lift and a rated lifting sling goes on. Mixing the two jobs on one product is how both get mis-rated.
3. How LC is rated
LC (lashing capacity) is the force the assembly may exert on the load. For netting it is declared per design and evidenced by a type-test report against the EN 12195-2 test method.
The declared LC refers to the complete assembly: mesh, border rope and attachment hardware together. Ratchet straps and other tensioning accessories are rated separately, and the weakest component governs the assembly rating.
A modified net is a new design. Cutting a net down, re-spacing its anchors or changing the border rope takes the assembly outside its declared LC unless the change is re-tested and re-declared, so any alteration belongs in the order, not on the workshop floor.
4. EN 12195-1 decides how many nets you need
EN 12195-1 is the securing calculation standard. It sets out how cargo mass, friction between load and loading surface, acceleration coefficients and the lashing geometry combine into the securing forces a transport leg must resist.
A net contributes to that calculation through its LC and its anchorage geometry. The number of nets is an output of the calculation, not a rule of thumb based on cargo weight alone: two loads of equal mass can need different securing depending on friction and route.
If the calculation is not run in-house, send the cargo mass, dimensions, loading surface and route with the enquiry, and ask for the securing calculation to be stated in writing alongside the offer.
5. Anchorage and attachment points
A net is only as useful as what it anchors to. The attachment points (grommets, hooks or loops along the border) connect to lashing points on the vehicle or container, and the weakest link in that chain limits the whole assembly.
Three checks before ordering: match the attachment hardware to the anchor type fitted on the vehicle; size the panel so the border rope lands on real anchorage points instead of spanning them; and keep the net within the geometry its LC was declared for rather than over-spanning it to cover a larger load area.
6. Mesh, edging and reinforcement
Mesh openings for cargo netting commonly run from about 45 mm to 100 mm, with 50 x 50 mm and 100 x 100 mm as the standard grids. The selection rule is the one that applies to any netting: the opening has to retain the smallest item the load can shed.
The border rope and edge reinforcement matter more than they first appear. The border carries the load into the anchors, so reinforced edging and corner construction decide how the net ages in service. UV-stabilized polyester or polyamide mesh suits open decks, flatbeds and long outdoor storage.
7. Sizing for trailers, flatbeds, containers and pallets
Cargo netting is normally made to the load area rather than stocked in one size. Full trailer beds, flatbed decks, container door sections and single pallets each take a different panel dimension and anchor spacing.
For pallet work, a panel sized to the pallet footprint with corner or edge anchors keeps the load contained through handling and transhipment. For trailers and containers, the panel is sized to the anchor lattice so the border rope lands on the anchorage points, and multiple panels can overlap where the load area is larger than one net.
8. What the tag and the documents should state
As with lifting nets, the paperwork is where a cargo net rating is verified.
| Item | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Declared LC with the design basis | The figure to use in the EN 12195-1 calculation |
| Type-test reference to the EN 12195-2 test method | Shows the rating was verified, not assumed |
| Unique serial number per net | Links the physical net to its record |
| Manufacture date | Starts the inspection and record-keeping clock |
| Mesh size and border rope specification | Lets a replacement match the original |
| Batch material certificate and declaration of conformity | Underpins the rating at material and product level |
A tag that shows only a size and a model code is not enough. Without the declared LC and a test reference, the net cannot enter a securing calculation.
9. Inspection and replacement
Check the declared LC and the mesh against the cargo before each use, and inspect the net for cuts, abrasion, UV embrittlement and damage around the border rope and attachment points.
Webbing products are replaced rather than repaired: there is no field repair method that restores the declared LC, so a damaged net comes out of service. Keep the serial number with the inspection record so the replacement matches the original specification.
10. FAQ
Is load securement netting the same as a lifting net?
They are different products. A lifting net carries the load on a crane hook and is rated by WLL in tonnes; load securement netting restrains cargo in transit and is rated by LC in daN. A cargo net must never be used for lifting.
Which standard applies to cargo netting?
In Europe, EN 12195-1 governs the securing calculation and EN 12195-2 covers web-lashing components and the test methods cited for the assembly. North American shipments follow the FMCSA cargo-securement rules with WSTDA material standards, so confirm the destination market before ordering.
How many nets does my load need?
The EN 12195-1 securing calculation decides it, from the cargo mass, the friction between load and loading surface, the acceleration coefficients for the route and the lashing geometry. Cargo weight alone is not the basis for the number.
Can a damaged cargo net be repaired?
No field repair restores the declared LC, so webbing products are replaced rather than repaired. A cut, burned or abraded net comes out of service, and the replacement should carry the same mesh, border rope and LC declaration as the original.
What mesh size should I choose?
Work backwards from the smallest item the load could shed. The opening has to retain it with allowance for stretch under load, and 50 x 50 mm or 100 x 100 mm grids cover most trailer and container applications.