What does “guaranteed vehicle” mean in container transport?

In container transport, a guaranteed vehicle means that the carrier takes on the financial responsibility for the container and, where applicable, the cargo inside it, against damage or loss during the journey.

In practice this changes three things:

• Who carries the risk. With a guaranteed vehicle the risk sits with the carrier, not with the cargo owner.
• The price. A guaranteed vehicle costs more, because that risk is priced in.
• The paperwork. The guarantee has to be stated in the transport agreement before loading.

Whether a guaranteed vehicle is worth it depends on the value of the cargo and on the route. For high-value or hard-to-replace cargo it usually is. If you are unsure, tell us the cargo value and the route and we will tell you which option we would choose.