Being a business owner is not an easy thing. There are lots of issues you have to solve all the time. It’s necessary not only to find affordable and reliable suppliers. You have to attract new and retain regular clients. It’s your task to promote your brand. Shipping seems to be one of the easiest stages of the supply chain. You may think so until you face the necessity to prepare your cargo for transportation. It suddenly appears that there are so many aspects to be considered. Moreover, if you miss some points, you are to experience significant financial losses.
The following information will be useful for those shippers who want to transport their goods and products by sea. It’s a traditional mode of transportation. It has both pluses and minuses. It’s an ideal solution when it comes to shipping voluminous and heavy items. It’s one of the most popular ways to deliver cargo from one continent to another.
Ocean or sea freight has a couple of distinguishing peculiarities you should know about. Thus, it’s not the best solution for time-sensitive goods. Although modern technologies allow keep products safe and intact for a long period of time, the risks of damaging or spoiling are rather high. Moreover, it’s not an ideal variant for expedite logistics.
The main risks you have to keep in mind are the following:
- Moisture.
It’s the major enemy of your cargo. Excessive water is able to ruin any material. Your task is to protect items from extra humidity. There are various wrapping materials you may apply.
- Stormy weather.
If the boxes are not properly secured, they may fall. As a result, the content can be broken. Pallets or supporters are able to fix this issue. Straps, seals, and shrink wrapping are your best helpers.
- Temperature.
Sometimes it may take several weeks or even days to deliver freight from one point to another. Temperature changes are able to cause damage to your items. It’s necessary to use temperature-controlled containers.
- Rats.
Although it sounds funny, rats are able to spoil your products. Especially when it comes to cooperation with questionable freight forwarders. It’s of prime importance to choose reliable logistics brokers. They do everything possible to prevent damages.
The greater part of problems has a simple solution. It’s necessary just to pack everything carefully. Nowadays there are various types of packing materials. They are able to protect from humidity, dirt, and even rodents.
The next important thing is proper labeling. It should be mentioned that thefts are a rather common experience when it comes to sea transportation if you hire questionable carriers. If you are not sure your logistics broker is reliable enough, it’s better to leave precious items without labels. Yet, all the containers have to include information about the owner of the cargo.
So, ocean shipping is still popular and sought-after among many business owners. It allows you to save money when it comes to transporting space-consuming items. The best way to avoid possible problems or difficulties is not to ignore proper preparation.