Dunnage Wood

ISPM 15 in plain terms

Any wood thicker than 6 mm used in international trade must be treated and marked under ISPM 15, a standard enforced by more than 180 countries. The wood must be debarked and heat treated to a core temperature of 56 °C for at least 30 minutes, then permanently marked with the IPPC stamp: the wheat symbol, the ISO country code, a unique facility number and the treatment code.

The purpose is phytosanitary — stopping wood-boring pests travelling between continents inside packaging and dunnage. Customs and plant health authorities check the mark, not your paperwork.

The detail most suppliers miss: the DUN mark along the length

Dunnage gets cut to size at the moment of loading. If the batten is only stamped at one end, the offcut you actually place under the cargo may carry no valid mark at all — and an inspector looking at that piece sees uncertified wood.

Our dunnage carries the DUN mark repeated along the full length of every batten. Whatever length you cut, every piece keeps a valid mark. That is the difference between wood that is technically certified and wood that stays compliant in practice.

Kiln dried is not heat treated

This catches out more exporters than any other point. Commercial kiln drying (KD) reduces moisture content, but most kilns run at 45 to 55 °C — below the 56 °C core temperature ISPM 15 requires. KD-stamped timber alone does not make your shipment compliant. Only wood verified to the HT standard and carrying the IPPC mark does.

What non-compliance actually costs

• Container held in quarantine at the destination port, with demurrage running
• Fumigation or heat treatment on arrival, at your cost
• Fines that in some jurisdictions reach several times the value of the cargo
• Re-export or destruction of the shipment

Untreated timber is cheaper — until your container is stopped. One rejected container costs many times a pallet of certified dunnage.

Choosing the section

• 75 x 75 mm — the standard bearer section in Benelux ports. Creates forklift and sling clearance under steel, cases and unit loads.
• 70 x 90 mm — versatile mid-section for blocking, bracing and cross-braces inside 20ft and 40ft containers.
• 100 x 100 mm — heavy blocking and load spreading under machinery, transformers, project cargo and out-of-gauge loads.

Correct use in practice

• Use dry wood. Wet dunnage releases moisture inside a sealed container and contributes directly to container rain — pair it with desiccants on longer voyages.
• Place bearers across the load direction so the cargo cannot roll or creep along them.
• Combine with dunnage bags to fill the remaining voids; timber blocks, bags fill.
• Keep the marked face visible where practical, so inspection can verify without dismantling the stow.

Non-standard cross-sections and lengths available on request. Fast dispatch across the EU, including Ireland, and to Switzerland. Contact info@sorbpack.com.

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