I think containers have many advantages. We can take a look at their advantages:

Containerization is a modern transportation method that emerged in the early 1960s and is an inevitable trend in the development of the modern transportation industry. , developing rapidly. Although container ships account for only 3% of the total tonnage of the world's merchant ships, they account for a quarter of the general cargo transportation volume. In some countries, the proportion of containerized cargo transportation has reached more than 80%. A container is to pack the goods to be transported into boxes of uniform specifications, and then put the boxes on a ship or car. The larger the container, the lower the cost of shipping, but large cargo boxes are not suitable for shipping to low-volume supply points. Therefore, many countries now have both large containers weighing tens of tons and some small-capacity containers.

Container transportation, especially in ocean transportation, has many advantages: First, the transportation volume is large. The scattered goods to be transported are packed in boxes in advance to facilitate mechanized loading and unloading, which greatly shortens the time for ships to berth at the port and the time for goods to be stored in warehouses, speeds up the delivery of goods, and reduces transportation costs; the box specifications are unified, There are also more goods loaded on ships of the same volume, which increases the transportation volume. The second is to reduce damage to items. Container loading and unloading can ensure the integrity of freight, almost completely eliminate the loss of items, and greatly reduce damage and compensation. If glass plates are transported in normal times, the damage rate reaches 15%, but when transported in containers, only 0.2 to 1% are damaged. The third is to save packaging materials. Bulk transportation and simple packaging of packaging materials are mostly for one-time use; while containers can be used multiple times, and can reduce packing and unpacking costs and freight costs, which is beneficial to customers. In short, containerization can speed up transportation, reduce freight, and facilitate sea and land transportation.

1. Unified standards

There are two types of containers: 20-foot containers and 40-foot containers, but they are just called that. In fact, there are many container types (high containers, standard containers, etc.) , and it is universal and can facilitate the transportation of goods between various countries. For example, if the trucks in our country can only pull 20-foot trucks, then other countries use 40-foot trucks. Is this right? Do I still need to transfer the container after shipping? This will increase the time cost and transportation cost, which is not only inconvenient but also adds additional expenses. So after unification, this link will be eliminated, right?

2. Convenient billing

People who are often exposed to container logistics should know that it is difficult to calculate the cost if you transport bulk goods. The prices of different transportation companies often vary greatly. If a container is used, the cargo owner will consider maximizing space utilization, so that the carrier can easily calculate the freight (for general purposes, container goods are calculated based on weight, tons and volume). Is it calculated in tons? For the specific algorithm, please refer to "Logistics and Transportation Management Practice").

3. Convenient transportation

This point comes to the ship. The placement of the containers on the cargo ship is not random, but calculated and balanced, so that the ship is moving Only then will it be safe, otherwise all the cargo ships you see will be lurching. Maritime transportation usually takes dozens of days to several months, and the maritime environment is much harsher than that on land, so this is also very important.

4. Can be adapted to a variety of goods

Why do you say this? Maybe everyone’s impression of containers is that of closed iron boxes, wrong! Containers include standard containers, freezers, hanging wardrobes, dry containers, open top cabinets, frame cabinets, etc., so don’t doubt the capabilities of a box.

Summary: Containers can be said to facilitate the flow of goods between countries and make trade simpler; of course, there are still unresolved problems. The load-carrying capacities of railways and highways in various countries are different, so according to different The country will still make appropriate adjustments and packaging of goods before transportation. This is also a problem that needs to be solved in the future. Moreover, the rental cost of the container is not low, and the maintenance cost is also a lot, so I look forward to better things in the future. improve. So that's why the shipping cost is high.