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Container inspection is the process of detecting each shipping container before loading and after unloading it with cargo. It is a vital step in international trade, adding to national security in shipping containers crossing foreign borders. International trade has also become the hub for illegal activities where miscreants tamper with shipping containers to place drugs, weapons, human trafficking, and other illicit activities. Shipping containers are thoroughly inspected at various points during their transit to ensure cargo security and adhere to the trade guidelines of the importing country.  What is a container inspection?   The supply chain uses multiple shipping containers daily for international shipping. These containers are loaded and unloaded at various transportation hubs and ports and are thoroughly inspected. Container inspection is the process of examining shipping containers at container terminals , depots, or transportation hubs to ensure they meet the ISO-pr...

Exporters and importers have used traditional shipping methods to transport their goods over international waters for years. Technological advancements have made shipping more efficient, economical, and digitised. Automation has taken over and minimises human interference in shipping to ensure cargo security and improve operational efficiency. Let us learn more about how technology will replace traditional shipping methods.    What do you mean by traditional shipping?  Shipping is moving goods from one place to another via sea routes. Traditional shipping refers to the conventional methods of shipping goods where, typically, manual practices are used to transport goods and cargo from one location to another. Traditional shipping methods have been in use for many years. It was chosen over moving freight through land routes as shipping was comparatively cost-effective, and the ships could accommodate large cargo volumes. In traditional shipping, workers loaded the goods in...

A prosperous trade business is based on all types of trade, big or small. For shipments that are small, containers are generally empty as the volume of goods cannot cover the entire shipping container . The leftover space in the container can be occupied by fitting in other shipments. Shippers with less-than-load (LCL) shipments can transport their goods by consolidation. Several small shipments for the same route are clubbed and organised for transit. The shipping carrier takes responsibility for consolidating shipments. It benefits the shippers with a relatively small load that does not fit the entire volume of any container and, thus, is instead transported as a part of various other cargo boxes. On the other hand, it takes a long delivery route, requires more management, and has certain associated risks. Let us learn more about the pros and cons of consolidation in the shipping industry. What is meant by carrier consolidation in the shipping industry? Shippers from different part...

Various industries use shipping containers to transport food products, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, and fragile and hazardous goods across borders. The utilisation of shipping containers can be seen across various industries as they must carry out import-export businesses. Shipping containers offer unparalleled flexibility and versatility and can, therefore, fit any form of goods- solid, liquid, gas, in any dimension. Different types and sizes of shipping containers are suitable for the various industries to store and transport their goods internationally. Importance of shipping containers Shipping containers are conex boxes manufactured out of corrugated steel to store and transport different types of cargo internationally. These freight containers are made of recyclable steel and, therefore, are environmentally sustainable and have an average lifespan of 25 years. Container manufacturers sell the shipping containers to container leasing companies or shipping lines. From there, trade...

Various maritime facilities maintain the seamless functioning of supply chain operations and ensure the on-time delivery of international shipments. The maritime infrastructures, including docks, container yards, and container depots, hold their importance and have significant roles. Although all these infrastructures focus on fulfilling the same shipping such as container handling, intermodal transport, container inspection, customs clearances, maintenance and repairs, and temporary storage of freight containers, they are slightly different. Let us learn more about the difference between a container yard and an ICD (Inland Container Depot).    What is a Container Depot?   Container depots are maritime infrastructures located on the port facilities inside container terminals or in the hinterlands. Depots are temporary storage for shipping containers for transhipment, loading, unloading, maintenance, repairs, or inspection. Container depots are effectively utilized for in...

  The global supply chain management ensures seamless functioning, enhanced efficiency and productivity, and increased profit margin. It is only possible through proper management and insights into every activity in the supply chain. Analytics in supply chain management is utilised to skim through data insights to filter, address, evaluate, and identify solutions to potential challenges and loopholes in the supply chain. It helps the supply chain management figure out newer strategies and optimise operations to tackle supply chain inefficiencies. It immensely benefits supply chain operations as it finds the exact problems, gives solutions, and can test the potential solutions to identify their efficiency in practical life. Let us look at the different types of supply chain analytics and how they manage supply chain operations. What is the need for analytics in supply chain management? Analytics is indispensable in supply chain management due to several compelling reasons. Firstly, ...