The shipping containers are diverse in shapes and sizes, they can be as small as 6 inches or as big as 45 inches in length according to Pelican Containers. You can also get the containers customized according to your needs. For example, you can even order special shipping containers Grand Rapids for hanging dresses, the container would have special rods with hangers to make things easier for you.
Moreover, Grand Rapids is an amazing place and a hub of transportation and cargo shipping. If you are looking for shipping containers, you are a step in the right direction. This is a guide that will help you see the main advantages of a shipping container and understand the benefits of using one.
Benefits of shipping container
If you are involved in the shipping industry or run a business where you need lots of transportation of goods, you need to know why getting a shipping container is helpful. Of course, they help to transport goods over long distances.
They can accommodate different cargo of various sizes and shapes. For example, if you had to carry a big log in the shape of 8 which cannot fit into a standard one, you can use the free-rack. Here are some other benefits of using freight containers:
Flexibility
You can gain transportation flexibility. Let us imagine, you are receiving a shipping from China in a standard container. The same container which came from China over the sea can be shifted to the chassis of the truck that you have. There would be no need of shifting the goods from one container to another.
This saves a lot of time and man-hours. Thanks to the shipping container’s types, the same container can be moved on road, over water and rail tracks. These shipping containers are ISO certified, they can transport within and across the border.
Cost saving
As mentioned above, the transportation flexibility helps to save money spent on changing the container and the number of people required for the work. Since the same container can be moved across the border, you don’t have to pay for international changes of containers.
Also, they leverage the economy based on the scale. Now the cost is not per product, it is per container. It is significantly less when you compare that to each product.
Fuel saving
Since the containers are internationally scaled and one does not have to shift the goods, fuel is also saved. Imagine if the truck would have to be kept on for at least 2 – 3 hours to empty the whole truck.
This is especially wasteful when it comes to reefers. They have an additional generator that requires extra fuel. Now that the same container can be automatically shifted, one does not need to keep the trucks on for a long time. You save a lot of fuel in this way.
Versatility
The same container can be used to carry various items. Whether it’s sacks, boxes. liquids or bags, anything can be transported. There is a basic classification of goods as per the shipping industry, raw and finished goods.
Unless they are temperature sensitive, they can be carried by standard containers. In case they need special temperature control, then you would need a reefer, which comes with a generator set. Also, heavy machinery, things with weird shapes, logs, coal everything can be transported by the freight containers.
Easy to store
The shipping containers are not only for shipping, they can be used for storage. The material used is resistant to extremes and is sturdy. This also prevents thefts. You do not need expensive material to pack your goods.
The container will provide an efficient place to store the goods until they are used. If you do not own the container, you would have to take prior permission and pay according to the number of days.
Security
Another advantage of having a container is security. The locks are strong and the material is impossible to break. If someone tries to tamper with your goods, they will just be able to tamper with the steel plates of the container.
You can be sure that your material is safe once it has left the place safely. There are more than 1 locking mechanisms for extra safety. If there are liquid goods, the locking system prevents the liquid from spilling. Some of the containers have a GPS system, which means that they can be tracked.
How to select a shipping container with the best features
Now that you know the benefits of a shipping container, it is time to see how to select a good container according to its best features and according to your needs. The first step is selecting a shipping container. It might get overwhelming at times with the number of types available nowadays. Therefore, we are going to break it down for you:
1. Know the types of goods
Your goods can be divided largely into perishable and non-perishable goods. Perishable goods are transported via reefers and the other ones by standard ones. Also, if you have symmetric goods, the normal one would work.
If the shape is abnormal or too high or too wide, you would need either free-rack, open-top or open-side. You should know the volume and the size of the cargo to choose the size of the container. It starts from 6 inches and can go up to 45 inches.
2. Think of renting or buying
The next step is to select between renting or buying. While renting might prove cheaper if you don’t transport as often, buying is a safer option. Also, buying is a better investment when you transport every other day.
When you buy the container, you get a bonus of using them as storage places of the goods as well. When you are renting them, you would have to pay for extra storage days.
3. Select between used or new
After that, it is time to think of getting a used or a new container:
- new containers have better quality while old ones are better when you think about the cost;
- the older it gets, the cheaper it would be but the quality could be low;
- really old containers won’t be as strong as the new ones.
Final thoughts
As we can see, shipping containers have numerous advantages apart from moving goods from one spot to another. It is easy to find the best container when you know what to look for and how to look for it. Using the guide provided above and knowing the top advantages, you can get a great shipping container for your needs.
Also, when you are looking for a company which sells the containers, check the reviews and testimonials. You can also create a list of your needs and then start your research accordingly.
