As a general rule, all loading/stowing operations in a transport medium (container, vessel, truck) involve lashing. The only exception is when the characteristics of the cargo and of the transport medium allow the space to be totally occupied with no gaps. This occurs very rarely, hence the logical need for lashing to complement the loading and stowing operations.

Carrier insurance and current regulations governing air, land and sea transport safety specify, among other causes, the lack of lashing or insufficient lashing as grounds for not covering a loss or for rejecting goods in transit.