Is There a Faster Way to Load and Unload Container Ships?

Over the years, the explosion of trade around the world has resulted in the expansion of the infrastructure required to move goods around the world.  There are several components to moving freight globally on container ships and independent firms compete for each portion of this traffic.   

Transportation is a commodity so the only real factors for customers to consider are cost and time.  Of course, you have to assume that in either case your goods will arrive safely, but any part of the logistics chain that can’t handle the freight without damage won’t stay in business for long. 

 The vast majority of global trade of consumer goods travels in ever larger container ships.   Naturally, each portion of the supply chain will look for economies of scale wherever they can.  

But bigger has its challenges and not every port can handle the bigger ships resulting in investments at port facilities in larger and larger cranes.

Continue reading “Is There a Faster Way to Load and Unload Container Ships?”

Shipping Containers! More than just a Box! (Infographic)

The incredible proliferation of shipping containers is so vast that it is easy for current generations to take the existence of these steel boxes for granted.  It’s the same for cell phones; anyone born in this millennium assumes that there have always been cell phones.  Yet both were revolutionary in their invention and introduction.

Any Supply Chain professional is always looking for ways to reduce costs, improve efficiency, and increase speed.  And it is with that mentality that the common, standardized shipping container was invented.  Such a simple concept may seem obvious now but it was truly revolutionary when it was created.

Continue reading “Shipping Containers! More than just a Box! (Infographic)”