5 Tips To Choose The Right Shipping Containers For Your Consignments

Goods transportation through ships ha been carried out from ancient times. With technology development it has advanced in many ways especially the Shipping Containers. All these are strong enough to sustain the rough handling, storing and transportation process. Today they are made from various materials that include steel, wood, corrugated fiberboard, plastic, composite etc. and come in various shapes and sizes. With this it does really become difficult to choose the right container, shape and size for your consignment. Here are 5 tips that makes this job easier.

Product Assessment

First of all assess your goods for its type, whether it is liquid, gas, frozen, fragile or general solid matter or completely dry. While fragile products need double packaging, one on an individual level and placed in a small container which would then be placed in a bigger container. If it is frozen foods then insulated containers need to be used, which ensures that they retain their required temperature and remain fresh. For liquid and gas products there are bottles, tankers and steel drums.

Quantity

Secondly you need to find out the quantity of goods to be transported which is normally divided into three categories namely small, medium and bulk amounts and depending upon which the container would be selected and also the consignment would be booked accordingly. The Shipping Containers come normally in three standard sizes namely the 20 ft container, the 40 ft container and the 40 ft high cube Shipping Container. While the first one is for normal goods, the second one is for medium amount and the last one is an unusually bigger one that is meant not for the quantity but the height of the goods.

Sensitivity

Thirdly, the sensitivity of the goods is to be seen. These can be durable, perishable, highly inflammable or can be dangerous on leakage. This is a very important factor because based on this some of them may require the Shipping Containers to carry a Dangerous Goods / Highly Inflammable Placard which is in many places a mandatory process on the security front.

Shape

Based on the above three, the fourth point comes into effect. The shape of the Shipping Container. Depending upon the type and size this needs to be decided. If it is a liquid goods and of lesser quantity it can be packed in vertical drums but if it is of bulk quantity the rounded tank containers would be suitable. Sometimes there would be goods that need to be sent in an upright manner and tilting would damage or let the fluid flow out of it. For such goods this 40 ft high cube container is used.

Packaging

Finally comes the packaging. If it is normal dry product they can be directly packed in sacks but if they are in bulk they can be put on to dry vans. The inflammable and leaking items need to be filled in solid steel containers.

If you adopt these methods you would ensure that your products reach their destination safely and without any hassles.