4 Valuable Tips For Cargo Preparation For International Shipping
Shipping internationally can be expensive and requires a lot of considerations and preparation. The most important of them is securing the cargo and making sure it does not get damaged during the journey. Here are six valuable tips to help you prepare your shipment for the rigors of international shipping.
Deal with the various kinds of movement
During international shipping, cargo is moved continuously from one point to the other until it reaches its final destination. It will be moved by forklifts, cranes, placed in a container with other cargo, and even stacked. As such, it is in your best interest to ensure that your shipment is protected throughout the journey, even if it is placed alongside or stacked on top of other goods. Also, ensure that your cargo can withstand safe handling.
One thing you should pay attention to is the mode of transport. If you are transporting your cargo by air, be sure that it can deal with tilting, which is expected during take-off and landing. If you are sending it by sea, ensure that it is packaged to handle all the sea motions without getting damaged. Transporting cargo by road is quite easy but you have to make sure that your cargo is properly packaged to withstand shocks when in transit and mechanical handling. You can learn more about LTL freight shipping here.
Package right
The right package will ensure that your cargo arrives without blemish. It pays to invest in the right package, such as double-walled or reinforced parcel boxes. Other options are two-layered corrugated cardboard and containers of different sizes and weight capacities that can provide convenient protection for your cargo. You should also consider the use of pallets as they can provide extra structural security for your cargo and makes handling much easier.
Remember to also always secure your cargo by using shrink wraps, banding, and strapping your cargo, and also make use of edge protectors. These will protect your cargo from bad weather. Always label your cargo properly and indicate when its contents are fragile so that they can be handled as such.
Internal packaging
One thing that you must not overlook is the internal packaging of your cargo. Ensure that the insides of your cargo are protected by using air cushions to fill up the empty spaces. Filling the empty spaces prevents damage that can be caused when the goods rub against each other. The box-in-box packing method is also another way of decreasing potential damage. With this method, the goods are packed in boxes and placed in a bigger box, and the empty spaces are filled with air cushions. You could also consider using the box-in-box packing method, where the box containing the goods are packed inside a larger box, with the surrounding space filled in.
Check cargo weight
Weigh your goods to know if you are opting for the right packaging that will secure the contents of your cargo. If a type of package cannot handle your goods’ weight and size, consider changing it; if not, you risk damage to your cargo. You must be very critical of this, especially if you are sending cargo of huge sizes.
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