If you ever have to face this decision, it’s prudent to know that ocean freight is a more cost-effective method of shipping goods internationally; however, there are some drawbacks– like longer transit times.

Be Prepared for The Strain of Ocean Freight on Goods

If ocean freight is the most viable method of international shipping for you, as the exporter, you need to be aware of the demands that international shipping puts on packaged goods. There are four potential problems that exporters need to keep in mind when they are preparing goods for ocean freight international shipping: breakage, moisture, pilferage, and excess weight.

Generally speaking, cargo is transported in containers, but on occasion, it is still shipped as breakbulk cargo. What this means is that beside the normal handling that is typically encountered during domestic transportation, a breakbulk shipment that is being transported via ocean freight could be loaded aboard their vessels by net, sling conveyor, or chute–all of which adds strain onto your shipment. Not only that, but overseas handling facilities may have less quality control than the facilities in the US– cargo can be dragged, pushed, rolled, or dropped during the unloading process, while making its way through customs or in transport.

Ocean Freight: Moisture and How to Avoid It

Moisture is also a constant concern– condensation can develop in the hold of a ship that has air conditioning and a dehumidifier. Other factors that can play into this are if cargo is loaded/unloaded in precipitation, or the foreign port lacks covered storage facilities.

With these threats in mind, it’s important to prepare your goods for ocean freight using these guidelines:

• Observe product-specific hazard labels
• Packaging and filler should be moisture-resistant
• Good should be containerized (when possible) and palletized
• Evenly distribute the weight of your goods to ensure proper bracing in the container
• Pack in strong containers, sealed and filled.
• To avoid theft, do not write contents on packages. You can further protect your freight by using straps, seals, or shrink wrapping.

There Are Viable Packing Materials for Ocean Freight Shipments

It’s common for those who use ocean freight for their international shipments to use containers that have been obtained from carriers/ private leasing companies. It’s a fantastic option for ocean freight shipments because these containers are able to accommodate most cargo.

Shipping internationally on ocean freight is different– cargo can be heavier than air shipments, but it must be adequately protected– in the majority of cases, standard domestic packing is acceptable, this being especially pertinent if your goods are durable.

And lastly, transportation costs are calculated by volume and weight– and the exports industry has stepped up to the plate, creating reinforced and lightweight packing materials specifically for ocean freight exports. You could possibly save money on international freight by packing goods in such a way to minimize volume and weight, while reinforcing your freight as well. This will also ensure that your goods are adequately protected for the journey.

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Understand the Hazards of Air Freight

First, you must understand the hazards involved in shipping goods internationally on air freight:

• Punctures and abrasions: when the product shifts, or has insufficient internal packaging.
• Compression: stacking, shock, vibration, or tie-down straps all generate compressive forces that can cause product damage.
• Shipment handling: proper packaging must be able to protect the contents from the drops and impacts that are common with handling operations.

All of these can be minimized with proper packaging and preparation before air freight shipment of your goods. Here’s a few ways to accomplish that.

Packing Materials Perfect for Air Freight Shipments

Using Corrugated Fiberboard boxes:

Commonly mislabeled as cardboard cartons or boxes. CFB’s are the most commonly used shipping container, but an overwhelming majority of people are unaware of the package’s strengths and weaknesses. The greatest point of compression on the box is within 1” of the edges that are created by two of the adjacent panels.

CFB can also degrade over time– by up to 50% of its strength within 6 months. A humidity of 90% has the ability to weaken CFB packaginging by as much as 60%. These often aren’t strong enough to be reused and should be treated as single use packages.

Wood packaging for Air Freight

Crafting your shipment for air freight can help protect your goods, allowing for damage-free transit if done properly. Here are some do’s and don’ts of packaging with wood:

• Always use interlocking corners on wooden crates
• Don’t put fasteners into the end grain of wood– fastener resistance can be reduced by 35% when placed in the endgrain; place them in the side or edge grain of your container
• Knots should not be larger than 30% of the surface area they appear in
• Do not place fasteners in knots
• Use diagonal braces on each panel to increase strength

Air Freight Pallets

Pallets are commonly made out of either wood or plastic. Pallets make moving packages more efficient by assisting in the consolidation and handling of packages. Using pallets also allows shipments to be moved without direct contact to packages, reducing exposure to damage. Here’s some things to note about air freight pallets:

• Pallets should be large enough to accommodate shipments without overhang
• Broken pallets should not be used
• Protruding fasteners should be removed before packages are placed on pallet.
• Pallets on any shipment are required to have a floor-bearing load of more than 100 lbs per square foot.
• Know the rated capacity of your pallet; never exceed it.

Following these general best standards will keep your international shipments safe and secure while using air freight. It’s a good idea to properly cushion goods as well as to reduce the effect that shock has on your goods.

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Crates

Crates are perfect for shipping fragile items. When special care has been taken to avoid damage during transit, they can be superior to pallets for more delicate goods. Still, even though freight crating can protect your goods to a certain extent, you can take extra steps to ensure your shipment’s safety:

Fragile items like glass or electronics should be wrapped separately.
If you are shipping fragile and non-fragile items together, keeping them separate. Doing this will minimize damage during transit.
Pack crates with fragile goods as full as possible. This gives the items less room to shift during transit.

Using crates for international shipments provides a safe, flexible option to ship fragile items. There are crates built to accommodate standard and non-standard freight dimensions that can continue to provide protection for fragile goods.

When using crates to ship goods internationally, there are a few tips you should know:

• Minimize movement when shipping fragile items by packing them closely together.
• Place heavier items on the bottom of the crate.
• Fill crates to capacity to minimize shifting during transit.
• If crates cannot be filled to capacity, use cushioning packing material to fill excess space.

Pallets

Pallets’ popularity exploded early on in the industrial boon of the first half of the 20th century– but has been largely taken for granted in modern day materials handling strategy. The industry had made movements to eliminate their cost, weight, or the cube (space that pallets require during transport and storage).

When they were first introduced, they had an enormous impact on the efficiency of material handling in the exports industry. Goods transported by rail had previously taken a day or two to unload– now they took just a couple of hours.

As it was in the past, using pallets as a base unit load presents a number of benefits:

• A quicker turnaround of delivery vehicle; increasing operational efficiency of transport equipment
• The next arrival gets a more efficient turnaround of the trailer door
• Dramatically reduced labor costs vs the manual handling of goods
• Reduced risk for perishable goods on unrefrigerated docks.

Palletized goods, by nature, require less manual handling which offers further protection of goods– reducing product damage by a significant amount. Pallets are a good option if goods are not immediately arriving at a destination other than a warehouse. If they need to be stored for a significant portion of time, pallets can be moved more efficiently and stored more efficiently in warehouses– making them more cost effective for the exporter in long-term storage situations.

Customers also prefer palletized goods– they are easier to manage. Palletized goods are typically easier to manage with material handling equipment than other methods of unit load bases– things like slip sheets may require special equipment, which can prove to be costly.

Pallets also provide an opportunity for air circulation and drainage for goods that need it; fresh produce especially comes to mind.

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It is important to be upfront with what you are shipping to avoid any delays, fees as well as possible loss of your items. When completing your packing list or shipping manifest it is important to document all items in your shipment. If you have any questions regarding any of your items our staff is happy to help. Please contact us with any questions you may have.

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Are you ready to go on a trip and need to send your motorcycle internationally? World Cargo has been helping the adventurer ship their motorcycles to all international locations. If you are shipping your motorcycle to South America or Europe we are offering our summer special rates. Australia is currently offering discounted rates as well. Contact our rates department with any inquiries.

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