Shipping containers are just large size cuboid-shaped boxes that you might have noticed in huge numbers either on the deck of the ships or being hauled by a long whistling train or traveling alone at the back of the truck. Looking at them, some of you might wonder what would be inside the box? The safety and care with which they are being carried bring to us more curiosity to figure out what could be moving inside it.
Well, ever since the invention of shipping containers, they have been used to carry numerous types of products. The answer to- ‘What all can we transport in a shipping container’ could be winded up in a single word- ‘everything’. Why was it necessary to invent something like this? Before the birth of shipping containers, trade between countries was extremely arduous, impractical, unsafe, and restricted due to several reasons. Goods were packed in sacks, drums, buckets, barrels, and had to be loaded and unloaded manually (using hand). Loading of 100,000 individual packets of cargo would take up to 2 to 3 days. Not only this, the cargo after leaving the port wasn’t enough safe. Sacks, buckets, barrels, drums could not withstand the harsh weather. Encountering extreme climatic condition most of the cargoes would get destroyed during the transition. The goods that were left after the attack of pirates and robbers then finally used to reach the port of destination. Remembering all this, history pays a big tribute to McLean Malcolm for his visionary idea that led to the invention of the shipping containers. Ever since then, the container became one of the important components to keep the trade profitable and prosperous between the countries. Initially, the container could only carry certain types of goods. Later the discovery of different types of containers led to the seamless transportation of almost all types of goods. Today, the container has the capability to carry everything you see around you. From the flowerpots, TVs, bed, sofa, fruits, dairy products, meat, blood, oil machines, to automobiles, they leave no area untouched- and that what makes them versatile. To make it simpler, here I am categorizing my answers 1. Dry Cargoes: Dry cargo includes many things- from machines, grains, furniture, to wood but still not all dry cargoes are carried in a similar kind of box. Big size dry cargo is mostly carried in dry van, side door, double door, or open-top while small size goods like grains, sand, coffee beans are carried in bulkers. Bulker is a type of container that has hatches on its top for injection and holes at the bottom for unloading. 2. Perishable Goods: Perishable goods like dairy products, meat, fish, medicines, organ, blood were very challenging to transport until the invention of refrigerated containers (reefers). Reefers are just like a big sized fridge. They are of the size of standard shipping containers, but they have a temperature control device attached to them enabling them to maintain temperature for longer days. Temperature-sensitive goods like fruits, vegetables, meats, dairy are transported via reefers. 3. Heavy Size Cargo: Heavy size goods like machinery, industrial equipment, construction materials, automobiles are best transportable on either flat rack or platform containers. They are specifically designed for such goods because most of the goods protrude the standard dimension of the shipping boxes. 4. Liquid Cargoes: Transporting liquid cargoes demands extreme care especially during the transition. A type of container called tankers is used to transport almost all types of fluid materials- from oil, petroleum, water to hazardous chemicals. Even gaseous cargoes are also shipped via tankers. The only thing that could not be transported via shipping containers was human beings. But with time, the man proved it wrong by bringing the idea of constructing prefab houses from shipping containers. Now even people have started to live inside the container-built house which are portable and mobile.
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The supply chain is one of the most pivotal parts of businesses of all kinds whether it be small, medium or large scale business. A proper supply chain management ensures that the products are supplied to you without any damage. Shipping goods in a proper condition is imperative for customer satisfaction as well as the business itself. Every day tons and tons of goods are being loaded in shipping containers and transported from one place to another via several intermodal transportation services. The overall activities of transporting goods from manufacturers to the end-consumers need lots of care and effort during the journey. Many freight forwarders avoid this need simply by overlooking some important points that should be kept into consideration to prevent any damage to your product.
Let’s dive deep into some helpful measures to avoid freight damage Proper Packaging: Not all goods are of the same size, same weight or same type. The properties of freight vary and similarly the way of packaging also varies. To fulfill your top priority of shipping goods profoundly to your customer, you must enquire what special packaging does your freight requires. The packaging is done in different ways- from using simple carton boxes, pallets, shrink wrap, bind or staple to large wooden crates. Knowing what packaging suits your freight is of uttermost importance. You must avoid a few mistakes while packaging Single Risk Packaging: Wrapping your consignment is good but it can only protect it from scuff and dust, it cannot avoid the damage from crush, vibration or any kind of crashes. To safeguard your product, you should not only wrap it but also pack it inside stiff boxes, etc. Leave Space: While packing goods inside boxes, one must leave adequate space between the goods and inner walls of the boxes. The vacant space then must be filled with thermacol, airbags, foams, etc to avoid breakage. Avoid Recycled Packaging: Some packing materials like cartons or polystyrene are not suitable to use the second time for packaging. Instead of protecting your freight, it may cause extra damage. Proper Palletizing: One must be very cautious while considering the type of pallets on which the cargoes are to be loaded. It’s not the pallet type that ensures safety but the way in which goods are stacked over also matters a lot for cargoes' safety. Pallets differ in size, types, materials, stackability, structural integrity, etc that make it either fit or unfit for your cargo type. Wrapping your goods with at least 5 layers of plastics and shrinking them by a heat gun or sending them through a shrink tunnel makes the packing durable and strong enough to stand firmly on pallets. The boxes should be laid on pallets like bricks; the pyramid structure should be avoided in arranging boxes. Heavy and bulky loads must be placed below the light-weighted materials. Proper Labeling: The chances of freight damage can be reduced by labeling each box with every necessary detail used between the destinations. The shipping label is a type of identification label sharing important information to describe and classify the cargoes inside the boxes. It helps shippers to make important decisions during the entire supply chain. Proper labeling of packaged cargoes helps to avoid extra handling and reduces manpower efforts. Shippers would not need to open each box and know what’s inside and then process accordingly. Effective Containerization: Shipping containers are extensively being used by the freight forwarding companies to transport loads of goods in a safe and protected manner from more than 50 years. Obviously, containerization provides safety to the goods but only if it is loaded keeping few things in mind. The goods must be distributed evenly on the floor with no vacant space to maintain its center of gravity. Before loading, you must investigate whether the cargo containers are properly cleaned or not. The essence of previously loaded materials may destroy your freight or may give rise to the birth of certain bacteria and fungus. Proper Loading: Proper loading of goods in containers and then containers on a ship is a requisite to avoid freight damage between transits. By applying given below points one can succeed in having effective loading.
Proper Handling Practices: Proper handling practice can be achieved by improvising two important factors of the supply chain- First- machinery & equipment and Second- human resource. Using proper equipment that can easily and systematically handle freight is a must to ensure customer satisfaction regarding his freight. Before practicing it for loading or unloading, make sure material handling equipment like cranes, forklifts, trucks, pallet jacks, conveyors, strapping machines, etc are at proper working conditions. Apart from the machinery or tools, employees and staff should also be provided with adequate training to reduce in-time mistakes. For example- the forklift operators should know well about the weighing capacity of the forklift. Unaware of the machinery knowledge may damage machines and freight both causing great loss to the company itself. Proper Warehousing: Proper warehousing plays a key role in ensuring your freight safety. You must verify from your shipping company that the warehousing facility they are handling is good or not. A good warehousing company will identify the atmosphere required by your freight and will keep your freight accordingly. You must ensure about cleanliness, spaciousness, security, place, electricity, etc as it will give an idea that whether the particular warehouse is safe for your type of freight or not. Associate With The Right Freight Partner: Even if you keep in mind all the above-discussed points, but you ignore the importance of selecting the right shipping company the chances are high the above-applied things won’t work for you. It’s always advisable to think multiple times before coming into a contractual agreement with a freight forwarder. The right freight partner works with the motive to deliver excellence in each service to its customers. LOTUS Containers, serving clients from all across the world from decades is one amongst profound shipping Container companies, known to deliver A+ services for your freight storage and transportation both. |
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