CREATE YOUR FREE ACCOUNT
Get your instant quote for more than 250K ocean freight rates
Already have an account? Login
Logistics & shipping
Hazardous materials transportation: 6 things to keep in mind
What are hazardous materials It’s one thing to ship furniture such as plastic chairs and tables. They can be packaged, palletized, and loaded with relative ease. Even certain machinery, whose odd shapes and sizes would simply mean you’d require a non-standard container such as an open-top or flat rack. But it’s a whole other ball game to ship hazardous materials that can put the health and safety of those who handle them at risk.
Golden Week in China: How logistics comes to a standstill
What is China Golden Week As one of the world’s biggest and most important markets, China faces huge pressure on its logistical infrastructures to maintain a certain level of productivity and efficiency to keep the global supply chain oiled, running, and stable. From factories and warehouses to ports, terminals, and more, Chinese workers across all logistical sectors clock long hours all year round to ensure the upkeep of the supply network worldwide.
The history of the TEU (Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit)
What is TEU? If you are new to the shipping world and are just starting to read up on how this complex and convoluted industry works, be prepared to come across list after list of different ocean freight acronyms. Before you dive deeper, you should probably familiarize yourself with one of the most basic and common acronyms in shipping: TEU. What does TEU stand for? TEU, also known as Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit, is an important unit of measurement with widespread use in the ocean freight industry.
IMO 2020 regulation and its impact on the shipping container trade
It is all the industry have been talking about these days. And a term you’ve seen floating around for years. You don’t have to be an avid reader of ocean freight news to have heard of the term IMO 2020. But recognizing the term is one thing and knowing what it entails is another. Understanding how it affects your supply chain? That’s a whole other level. The IMO 2020 is one of the most significant changes in the maritime sector in recent history and major cross-industry impacts.
How to manage temporary import shipments
Having to navigate the complex world of ocean freight is complicated enough with the amount of paperwork required for a simple shipment. Throw in having to understand HS codes and pay the right import taxes and duties and things get even more complicated. What if you’re only importing goods for a short period of time, say, for a tradeshow or fair? Or perhaps you are simply shipping commercial samples* to a potential client?
20 shipping acronyms all shippers should know - Infographic
20 shipping acronyms all shippers should know From IMO 2020 and ELD to GRI and EEI, one way or another, you’ve probably heard it all. You may be able to put them into context but… just how well do you understand these shipping acronyms? What’s the difference between HS and HTS codes? Is a 20-foot container the same as a TEU? And just how are SOLAS and VGM related?
The importance of proper packaging in an ocean freight shipment
From machinery and pharmaceutical equipment to bulk goods and personal effects, thousands of cargo is being transported every day across the globe. Whether you’re a first time shipper or looking to relocate to a new country with your household goods, you will want to make sure your shipment arrives in good condition. And that means having adequate packaging to prevent damages while considering external factors such as conditions that your shipment may be exposed to and the amount of handling involved.
Top 5 shipping documents all shippers should be familiar with
The ocean freight industry is (in)famous for its paperwork. Getting to know all of them is tedious enough — getting them right is a task in itself. Any seemingly innocuous error can cause problems and delays that may severely disrupt your supply chain. By and large, many of these documents contain the same information — buyer, seller, merchandise details, etc. But each document plays a different role and it’s important to not only make sure that the information written on each document is accurate but that it’s consistent across all the documents.
Largest east coast ports in the US
East Coast ports making gains The ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach on the US west coast may reign top as the largest and busiest ports in the country, but ports along the east coast have slowly been making gains. According to the Pacific Merchant Shipping Association (PMSA) West Coast Trade Report released last year, gulf and east coast ports have been catching up with their western counterparts.
The different equipment and material you may require for your shipment
Whether you’re importing or exporting for commercial purposes or moving overseas, you’ll want to make sure the cargo you’re transporting in shipping containers is as secure as possible. But ocean freight transportation is a process that involves more than just the sea journey from one port to another. It begins with proper packing and loading at origin until it reaches its destination for unloading. Your cargo is exposed to many risks during this journey, especially when it’s being loaded and unloaded.
