Shipping goods around the globe used to be a tedious and time consuming process that involved physically lifting the small units of packed material. Malcolm Mclean in 1956 came up with the idea of standardized shipping containers that could easily be loaded onto ships, railcars and trucks. Thus, International container shipping transformed from a labor-exhaustive chore to an equipment driven enterprise. Regardless of what the figures on the shipping containers may indicate, a standard 40 foot container measures 39’4″ long, 7’6″ tall, and 7’8″ wide inside holds 2261 cubic feet of area. For business purposes, ships are divided into 20 foot container units known as “twenty foot equivalent units.” or TEU. Click for more information on shipping container prices
Everything from household goods to commodities like clothing, foodstuffs, agricultural products and industrial goods are now routinely shipped through rented or owned containers. Since some merchandise is perishable like medicines or foodstuff, special handling may be needed, so containers with special features are available. Containers may have dehumidification systems for optimal humidity control inside a container, super freezer containers with the ability of maintaining temperatures as low as -60°C/ -76°F, super payload versions with the capacity to hold up to 29.5 tons, and even environmentally friendly CFC free refrigerants are available.
Additionally, it is possible to have containers with hanger beams so garments can be transported on hangers, thus eliminating the need for any extra packing. There’s also high payload versions with extra wide doors and ventilated containers for crops like coffee or wheat can also be obtained.
Normally, the forty foot containers are stored on the deck of a ship while the refrigerated containers are placed in specialized areas with electrical outlets. The ones containing perishable items are given the special name of Reefers. The lighter weight containers are placed on the deck at the top of the container stacks.
There are a multitude of considerations when physically moving goods from one country to another. One important point that needs to be kept in mind is that handling facilities are not always very sophisticated at all ports around the world, and cargo can be pushed, rolled, or dropped while unloading or moving through customs.
Moisture is a major concern during the voyage as condensation can develop in the ship’s hold even with air conditioning or dehumidification facilities. Additionally, the destination country may not have covered storage, or the cargo may be unloaded during rain. Theft or pilferage is always a risk. To minimize these risks the exporter must ensure the following:
• He must make sure goods are packed properly in strong containers that are properly sealed and filled so they arrive in good condition.
• To give proper bracing inside a container, make certain the weight is evenly distributed, regardless of the size of the individual units packed within the container.
• To eliminate pilferage, avoid writing brand names or contents on the package. Additionally, make use of straps, shrink wrapping and seals where possible.
• Follow all product specific hazardous materials packing requirements.
• All goods should be properly documented to meet not only the U.S government regulations, but the requirements of the foreign government as well.
• The goods must be insured against damage, loss delay or pilferage.
Individuals or companies doing business which involves the shipment of goods to other countries need to be aware of shipping laws. Failure to comply with international shipping laws may delay the clearance or shipment of goods, which may ultimately have negative impact on a business. It is common practice to get assistance from International container shipping agents for the logistics of shipping operations. Such agents have in-depth knowledge of shipping laws of the country where the cargo is headed; this can help in minimizing needless delays, excessive costs and any potential legal issues.
International container shipping agents work with custom brokers and customs departments of the destination country to make sure that goods declared on the invoice are not overestimated by the customs department. Additionally, they will make sure that the fees charged are as per the custom policies of the designated country. The shipping companies themselves will ensure that the goods are delivered to the target location without having to endure any entry or exit custom problems. Also, a professional International container shipping company will be aware of all the duties and taxed levied on the goods being transported and will deal with the issues regarding these costs.
