Ocean Container

A shipping container is a container with strength suitable to withstand shipment, storage, and handling. Shipping containers range from large reusable steel boxes used for intermodal shipments to the ubiquitous corrugated boxes. In the context of international shipping trade, "container" or "shipping container" is virtually synonymous with "(standard) intermodal freight container" (a container designed to be moved from one mode of transport to another without unloading and reloading)

Types of shipping containers

Intermodal freight containers
Freight containers are a reusable transport and storage unit for moving products and raw materials between locations or countries. There are about seventeen million intermodal containers in the world, and a large proportion of the world's long-distance freight generated by international trade is transported in shipping containers. In addition, it's estimated that several million of these containers have now been discarded due to the shipping cost of sending them back to their port of origin. Their invention made a major contribution to the globalization of commerce in the second half of the 20th century, dramatically reducing the cost of transporting goods and hence of long-distance trade

Corrugated box

Corrugated boxes are commonly used as shipping containers. They are made of corrugated fiberboard which is lightweight, recyclable, and strong enough to ship a variety of products.

Wooden box

Wooden boxes are often used for shipping heavy and dense products. They are sometimes specified for shipments of government or military shipments.

Crate

A crate is a large container, often made of wood, used to transport large, heavy or awkward items. A crate has a self-supporting structure, with or without sheathing.

Specialized shipping containers

Custom containers are used for shipments of products such as weapons and aviation components. Customized cushioning, blocking and bracing, carrying handles, lift rings, locks, etc. are common to facilitate handling and to protect the contents. Often, these shipping containers are reusable.

Specialized shipping containers include: High Cube Containers (Providing an extra 1 ft in height to standard shipping containers), pallet wides, open tops, side loaders, double door or tunnel-tainers and temperature controlled containers.

Another specialized container known as Transtainer is a portable fuel and oil freight container. The hybrid bulk fuel tank is originally intended for the construction, mining, logging and farming sectors. The tank can be used to transport and store bulk fuels as well as dangerous liquids, by road, rail and sea.

Transit and Flight Case

Flight cases and transit cases are usually custom designed for shipping and carrying fragile equipment: audio visual, camera, instruments, etc. Although generally light in construction, they tend to have reinforced edges and corners.

Road Case

Road cases are often used for shipping musical instruments and theater props.

More Details: Supply chain management services, Door to door logistics, Customs house agent in India, International Logistics Services in Chennai.

Freight forwarder

A freight forwarder, forwarder, or forwarding agent, also known as a non-vessel operating common carrier, is a person or company that organizes shipments for individuals or corporations to get goods from the manufacturer or producer to a market, customer or final point of distribution. Forwarders contract with a carrier or often multiple carriers to move the goods. A forwarder does not move the goods but acts as an expert in the logistics network. These carriers can use a variety of shipping modes, including ships, airplanes, trucks, and railroads, and often multiple modes for a single shipment. For example, the freight forwarder may arrange to have cargo moved from a plant to an airport by truck, flown to the destination city, then moved from the airport to a customer's building by another truck.

International freight forwarders typically handle international shipments. International freight forwarders have additional expertise in preparing and processing customs and other documentation and performing activities pertaining to international shipments.

Information typically reviewed by a freight forwarder includes the commercial invoice, shipper's export declaration, bill of lading and other documents required by the carrier or country of export, import, and/or transshipment. Much of this information is now processed in a paperless environment.

The FIATA shorthand description of the freight forwarder as the 'Architect of Transport' illustrates the commercial position of the forwarder relative to its client. In Europe, some forwarders specialize in 'niche' areas such as rail-freight, and collection and deliveries around a large port.

Document transfer fee/document handover fee

International freight forwarders, NVOCCs and customs brokers often charge for transferring documents to another transportation company at destination. This fee is a part of the ocean freight charges, being paid by the importer at the port of discharge in the International Commercial Term (incoterm) FOB (free on board), and by the exporter at the origin in the incoterms CFR (cost and freight) and CIF (cost, insurance and freight). This fee is separate from documentation fees charged by carriers and NVOCCs as part of the freight charges on a bill of lading and is separate from other fees for document preparation or for release of cargo. Some companies call this an administration fee, document fee, document transfer fee, but it exists in some form in most destinations and is well known to most shippers. Steamship carriers do not have this fee.

More Details: Logistic Companies in Bangalore, Contract logistics companies, CHA in India, Freight forwarders Services in Delhi.

Contract Logistics

As an extension of the services we provide, our logistic specialists are also available to assist you onsite, an effective time management and cost-saving way to achieve the desired result while making the best use of our resources.

This result in:

• Better and more effective communication between both parties
• Increased efficiency and enhanced productivity
• Prompt response to changing business needs
• Exchange of specialist knowledge and skills
• Proactive and long-standing business relationship
• Complete transparency, which helps build firm trust
• Our approach to contract logistics gives you complete Transparency

A third-party logistics provider (abbreviated 3PL, or sometimes TPL) is a firm that provides service to its customers of outsourced (or "Third Party") logistics services for part, or all of their supply chain management functions. Third party logistics providers typically specialize in integrated operation, warehousing and transportation services that can be scaled and customized to customers' needs based on market conditions, such as the demands and delivery service requirements for their products and materials.

Often, these services go beyond logistics and include value-added services related to the production or procurement of goods, i.e., services that integrate parts of the supply chain. When this integration occurs, the provider is then called a third-party supply chain management provider (3PSCM) or supply chain management service provider (SCMSP). 3PL targets a particular function in supply management, such as warehousing, transportation, or raw material provision.

Cost and time savings

Logistics is the core competence of third party logistics providers. They have the ability to possess better knowledge and greater expertise than any producing or selling company. This knowledge combined with the global networks of the often large company size enables a higher time and cost efficiency.

The equipment and the IT systems of 3PL providers are constantly updated and adapted to new requirements of their customers and their customer’s suppliers. Producing or selling companies often do not have the time, resources, or expertise to adapt their equipment and systems as quickly.

More Details: International Air & Sea Transporters, Warehousing and distribution companies, Warehousing and distribution company.