Take a Port Tour

Most people in the shipping industry have driven past a major port at some point in their lives, but not as many have stopped to take a closer look. Of course stopping in when you are not authorized is not an option, but there are port tours available to people who are not otherwise allowed at the ports. Taking a port tour can not only be educational, but it can also open your eyes to a part of the world that even many customs brokers and freight forwarders do not get to see a lot of in person. Although shipping companies and port operators do not randomly open their port spaces to outsiders, sometimes forwarders and other companies can set up port tours for shippers and related people to have a tour. These tours can even include a walk on a container ship. Usually, the person setting up the tour will be able to take a few people at a time and will include things like a going through the stacks of shipping containers and getting an up-close view of the giant cranes and other large tools that assist in taking containers on and off the ships. Depending on who is giving the tour, people can also get a few good insider stories about things that have happened at that particular port. This can humanize the experience and make for a more pleasant visit. No matter what happens on a port tour, it can be a great experience for people to understand just how much goes into moving their cargo.