Since the time of primitive relations, trade has been developing. Initially, it was not something complex and circulated within society. But gradually there was a need to ship goods over a long distance. Which form to choose? What to use? These are the questions faced by the first merchants. Over time, this resulted in what is known as international container shipping.
How did it all come about?
Since ancient times, people have been trading. Originally within the community where he lived. Then he began to travel to the neighbors. Since then, two of the most popular routes have appeared - land and water. But in the first case, the princes were waiting for the merchant with their taxes, bad roads and robbers. The wind allowed in a relatively calm environment to deliver the goods where necessary. And faster than on the ground, and more in volume.
Since ancient times, man has mastered the water. And since then he has not refused to use it. But he did not renounce the roads. Over time, operating time improved, more and more advanced equipment was used, and international container shipping arose.
Land ways
This option accounts for a fairly small percentage of traffic. For transportation, cars or railways are used. A rather significant drawback of this option is the small volume of simultaneously transported goods and high unit costs. But if you need to urgently deliver something, then this option is best suited. After all, by car or rail you can arrange prompt delivery to anywhere in the world. But because of the costs, the approach is more convenient to apply within the country.
Sea routes
International container shipping provides approximately 80% of all movements of goods between countries. This is a truly convenient tool, which is also very economical. Although quite lengthy. Using sea routes allows you to:
- Save the load. What is remelted in containers is stored in them. Moreover, they are closed and loaded in such a way that theft or intentional damage is excluded.
- Universality. By sea it is possible to transport liquid, bulk, piece, small-, medium- and bulky goods. Cargo can be delivered by water, which is impractical or even impossible to move using a car, railway or air.
- Economic benefit. When transporting goods, materials, equipment over a considerable distance, using sea routes is much cheaper than automobiles, railways and air transport. After all, fuel for ships in terms of a unit of cargo costs much less than the same gasoline. In addition, loading work requires a little cost.
What can be transported?
The range of possibilities and forms of transportation of objects there is a great variety. So, it could be:
- Agricultural machinery.
- Food.
- Cars and trucks.
- Threads, fabrics, accessories, shoes, clothes.
- Tableware.
- Electronics.
- Appliances.
- Cosmetical tools.
Instead of listing what can be transported, it’s easier to say that only prohibited goods are not transported. What options for work and interaction exist? Conventionally, we can distinguish the following:
- Full or partial container loading. The first option is the most profitable of all presented in this list.
- Transportation of rolling cargo. Used for what cannot fit in a container. For example - a large wheeled vehicle.
- Direct loading into the hold. For this, pallets are not used, and boxes and boxes are loaded and removed individually.
How much does international container shipping cost? The cost largely depends on the product and its quantity, which is planned to be forwarded. Therefore, to say something specific is quite difficult.
What are the benefits here?
Why do most organizations rely on sea freight forwarding during shipping? Prices, of course, are a weighty argument, but there are a number of other advantages:
- Accurate information about the location of the goods in a certain period of time.
- Availability to insure the cargo.
- Ability to work with dangerous, fragile and valuable objects.
In addition, specialists of the appropriate level are selected for such a complex matter as sea transportation of a large amount of cargo. Therefore, you can be sure for their safety. In addition, the location of the ship is constantly monitored by the global positioning system.
Intermodal container shipping
Cargo in this case is transported in a combined way. What does it look like in practice? Suppose a company rents a container in which all of its cargo is placed. In this case, for delivery to the final destination, the container will travel by rail, cross the sea / ocean on a ship, and travel by car. To avoid delays, logistics specialists are engaged in synchronizing all processes.
Are there any risks?
Where without them? And there are a great many of them. For example, if there is a delay at one stage, it is entirely possible that the entire transportation chain will fail. But that is not all. Although international container shipping by sea is considered reliable in terms of the safety of goods (and indeed, it is very difficult for the ship’s team to open containers), the fact of piracy should not be ignored. Yes, alas, this business is still alive and thriving.
The fact that the pirates have not disappeared yet, the world community remembered a decade ago, when actions east of Somalia sharply intensified. Although this is not the only region that poses a potential danger. So, pirates were seen both near Indonesia and northern Africa. Although since then, sea patrol missions have intensified significantly. Therefore, shipping lanes are more or less safe.
In addition, in some regions piracy is supplanted by a more profitable occupation, for example, smuggling. As an example of such a transformation, you can look at the Mediterranean Sea, washing the north of Africa. Previously, there was piracy, albeit a small one due to the presence of a fleet of European powers. But in recent decades, people smuggled in violent colors. Although this is a departure from the main topic of the article. Therefore, we will not consider it in detail.
When transported by land, there is a rather high risk of accident and cargo damage. But most transport companies worry about their reputation. It is for this reason that they try to minimize all negative influences.
Finally
Here and considered land and sea container shipping. Services in this area allow us to provide international trade and cooperation processes of different states. It is difficult to overestimate how necessary they are.
Now a large number of various goods, raw materials and materials are transported in this way. From China go to other continents ships loaded with their products. Yes, and he does not come back empty. Even small examples from the recent past - in 2017, gas and coal, respectively, were delivered from the United States to Poland and Ukraine by sea.
This is how effective maritime international container shipping is. Land transport is used to transport small cargoes in order to quickly and efficiently deliver something to a certain point, the distance to which is not too great.