How a Container is Loaded is Important

When a person outside the shipping industry sees an international shipping container on a truck riding down the road or on a ship coming in to port, chances are good that they are not thinking about how this container was loaded. Loading a container is serious business. If a container does not arrive in tact it can mean the difference between thousands or even millions of dollars. When containers were first brought in to use, they were fitted with strappings for ships and doors that would allow for cargo to move easily in and out. Now, though some of the designs have changed, we are still using the same hollowed out container to ship our goods. None of these will work well if the shipment is not loaded correctly. This means balance, using pallets, and straps inside to keep the cargo from shifting around in transit, especially if the load is not a completely full container. Otherwise the results can be costly. For instance, if a company were to load something like drain cleaner, which is essentially acid, in boxes without any pallets and without being wrapped or strapped, they might have serious trouble unloading that container if it shifted in transit. They may also be in trouble with the steamship line. Not only could there be spills from boxes falling, but there could be spills into other containers which could ultimately cost thousands more than expected. This is why there are companies who specialize in stuffing containers and teach people how to properly load a shipment. No matter what you are shipping it is in everyone's best interest to load your container correctly and carefully.