Freight shipping is a process that involves numerous steps, including document preparation, packing, and communication. You need to ensure the various steps are accomplished correctly to prevent losses, loss of time, damages, or other shipping problems. When shipping your cargo, it is important you don’t overlook the aspect of proper preparation of the freight. Whether you are doing domestic freight transportation or international shipment, efficiency and time are the core of your business success. If you suffer delays cause of mistakes made by any of the parties involved, it could mean high cost for repair, recovery, or replacement. An experienced freight forwarder should make sure that your cargo has been prepared properly for the actual shipment or shipping journey.
So, how do you prepare your goods for shipping?
1. Prepare the Package
You need to ensure that the products or cargo is tightly packaged. If there are loose articles, they will be susceptible to damage. When preparing the package, you may consider placing the cargo on pallets – it helps avoid damage. While a pallet can cost a couple of dollars, it will save you hundreds because it protects the cargo.
2. Stacking of Cargo
A step in shipping that is often overlooked is stacking the cargo properly. You may have the products tightly packed and placed on a pallet, however, that doesn’t mean they are totally protected from damage during shipping. Improper stacking, for example – geometrically or in terms of weight can result in difficulties and risks of damage. You may experience damage to your goods in the event that cartons overhand a pallet or when the goods are interlocked. Also, if you misalign the cargo, it may contribute to damage.
A pallet overhang can lose up to 32 percent of its strength while interlocking patterns can lose up to 50 percent of their strength. Misalignment of your cargo on pallets is likely to lose 30 percent of its strength. Proper stacking is important to ensure the cargo rests properly on the pallet. In addition, you need to ensure that the pallet sits on a flat surface.
3. Proper Labeling of Cargo
Your cargo needs to be labeled properly; it helps in not only handling, but also ensuring that the shipment gets to the correct destination. You can label the sides, the tops, and any place of the package. Each of the cargo should have the necessary labeling. You may think that the cargo labels are clear and highly visible when you look at them, however, that may not be so to a worker who will be handling the shipment.
You should ensure the labels can be seen from any angle by any person. It will allow the workers to quickly see when there are issues with the positioning and placement of the cargo on the surface. For example, it could have shifted position to sit upside down or on sides – labeling can help the worker to see when the cargo isn’t in the right sitting position. It also helps with the stacking of the cargo to prevent heavier items from going on top of the light, fragile items.
4. Obtain a Bill of Lading
Perhaps the most important document, and properly the only document you may have to fill for the cargo is the Bill of Lading. It is a contractual agreement occurring between you as well as the carrier indicating the transfer of ownership. The Bill of Lading states the type of items being shipped, as well as the parties that are involved in the shipping. It also shows where the shipment is coming from and where it’s headed to. The contractual agreement also serves as a receipt. You should fill out the document properly.
5. Tracking the Shipment
Don’t assume that everything is okay once the cargo has departed the place or port of origin. You need to track the consignment as it moves through different points. When you keep visibility of the freight, you save yourself the dollars and time you spent if there occur hitches during transit. A tracking system, often provided by the cargo shipping company, allows you to watch where your consignment is until it has arrived at its destination securely and safely.
There are many factors that you have to put into account when shipping your cargo. Considering that there are many things to look into at every step of shipping, it is easy to forget something. It’s also likely that problems can occur even when you have taken care of the little things on your end. A reliable freight shipping services company can help take care of most of these little, but important shipment preparation needs.