In this article you will learn the essential differences between locks and how they can impact your business and cargo protection.
There are countless differentiators -locking mechanism, material- but this guide will focus on the 5 questions we get asked the most:
Placement: internal or external?
Resistance to attack!
Resistance to weather and mode of transportation
Traditional Keys vs Digital Keys
For shipping containers or for trucks
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Internal or External locks?
Shipping container and truck locks can be divided in two broad families:
Internal Locks: all locking points are hidden on the inside of the vehicle or container.
External Locks: all locking points are placed on the external side of the vehicle or the container.
Internal locks
Internal locks have the advantage that they are invisible from the outside: they are more discreet.
Also, criminals do not know where to strike to break into your container: it’s difficult to break a lock when you cannot see it!
In the case of Seguratainer, all internal locks are fixed: install them once and never worry about them again.
PROS: hidden and protected from plain sight.
CONS: not portable.
Seguratainer Internal Locks for Shipping Containers and Trucks
External locks
One advantage of external locks is that they are generally faster to install than internal locks.
Also, some external locks are portable: you can use them in different containers, they are not permanently matched to one another.
In this family there are very low security options, such as traditional padlocks or reinforced seals: criminals will break this in few seconds and with no noise at all.
However, there are also high security solutions that can withstand all types of weathers, transportation method and even the most violent theft attempts.
PROS: easier to install and can be portable.
CONS: visible from the outside.
Seguratainer External Locks for Shipping Containers and Trucks
Locks resistant to all sort of attacks and theft attempts!
Another critical aspect to consider when you buy your locks, or when you analyse the “pricing vs features” ration, is the resistance to actual theft attempts.
Padlocks, reinforced seals and most lock boxes in the market are not strong to resist a basic attack with bolt cutters, crowbars or brute pulling force.
You are looking for a lock that can repel heavy attacks. This will force criminals to spend valuable time trying to break into the container. The longer it takes to break a lock, the riskier the theft becomes.
Time is not the only aspect involved: an attack with crowbars can take time but be silent. However, certain locks require industrial equipment to break into the container or truck. This makes a lot of noise which will attract the attention of the security forces or the authorities.
The ideal lock is the one that requires too much time and too much noise to be attacked.
Read more about Seguratainer internal and external heavy-duty locks!
Locks resistant to all weather conditions and modes of transportation!
Your truck or container locks need to also be resistant to all weather conditions: dust, extreme cold, extreme heat. A lock that is corroded, jammed with sand or frozen will give you problems at the destination.
You also need locks that are robust and capable to travel by truck, train, sea…: the vibration of a train can jam or damage weaker locks, while the salt from an exposed container in a transoceanic trip can corrode key elements. You need locks that are ready for all weathers and all means of transportation!
Also, traditionally seals have been an indicator of cargo integrity during a journey: if the seal is intact, the cargo is intact, right? Wrong! Seals are easily tampered with, broken and replaced, and you will not notice until it’s too late.
Read more about Seguratainer locks: protected with Electrophoretic Paint Coatings: extremely high corrosion resistance.
What type of key for your shipping container or truck lock?
Traditional Keys
Traditional keys are a liability for your business.
Keys can be:
Lost
Forged
Borrowed among colleagues
Kept by former employees
Broken into the keyhole
Traditional keys are anonymous: you do not know who really opened your doors. This means that keys are a security risk and a cost (each time they need to be replaced and distributed).
PROS: 100% analogic
CONS: very high risk of misuse and high cost associated to manage.
E-Keys / Digital Keys for Shipping Containers and Truck Locks
A new generation of electronic keys (different names are used: e-keys, smart keys, digital keys) solve this problem: the keys are associated to a mobile phone, and each mobile phone belongs to a person.
Each time the person uses the phone to open (or try) a lock, it is logged into the digital management platform: you can see on your computer all keys and all users. With digital keys you can control:
What has happened: history of each lock; who, when and where was there access.
What can happen: you create and delete digital keys with few clicks, in few seconds.
And remember, a key with no physical key cannot be picked: there is no keyhole to attack!
PROS: each key matche with one person, each action is logged, can be managed remotely.
CONS: requires data access at some point after each edit.
Create Rules for your Locks and Keys
Working with e-keys, or digital keys, in combination with a smart management platform, offers another advantage: you can create rules to limit the access of keys. For example:
Geofencing: establish a defined area on a map where a lock can be opened. All attempts at opening it outside this area will fail (and be logged onto the system).
Time rules: choose a time window where the lock can be opened, based on personel shifts, delivery time or any other variable. Any attempt at opening the lock outside of that time frame will fail (and will be logged onto the system).
No keys! You can have locks with no keys at all. Forget about access rights, time or place. You can create a key for any user in few clicks when the time is right.
Screenshot of the Seguratainer Management Platform: create time rules for locks and keys.
NFC
NFC technology is the safest solution to transform your smartphone into a digital key, and the lock into a smart lock.
NFC is the same technology used by financial institutions around the world for touchless payments: it’s what you use with your contactless payment card or watch. All new phones are equipped with NFC antennas.
Also, NFC does not require online access to work. This serves as extra protection against hacking attempts and means the locks and keys can be used in remote areas with poor GSM coverage.
All NFC communication is heavily encrypted and since the phone needs to be few millimetres away from the lock, the signal cannot be intercepted by third parties.
Learn more about Seguratainer Management Platform and Mobile App (NFC Digital Key).
PROS: short discance and touchless, does not require data, heavily encrypted.
CONS: some people are not aware their phone is already and NFC antenna.
Locks for shipping containers or for trucks?
Yes, we left the most important point for the very end!
Some locks are made to fit all but, considering the differences in design and use between containers and trucks (not to mention truck door materials), is that wise?
We recommend you to choose a lock that matches you specific needs and vehicles. The nature of the cargo (valuable or sensitive, heavy or light, fully fixed or movable) should also affect your final decision.
The best option? Contact us to find out!
We have locks designed specifically for containers and for trucks with patented locking mechanisms. You are in good hands!
Why Seguratainer
Seguratainer locking systems are a full solution: high security to attacks -all locks are market tested in South Africa, one of the most dangerous markets in the world-, tolerance to all means of transportation and weather, and include a wide arrany of smart features: remote access control, digital smartphone keys (NFC), 24/7 log, geofencing and time rules.
High security and full control.
Contact us!
Seguratainer: an ALL IN ONE locking system for truck and shipping container locks. heavy duty, digital smartphone keys (NFC) and remote management platform.