The term ‘shipping’ means transporting goods from one place to another by means of land, air or sea. This process starts with the manufacturer and ends until they are received by the consumers satisfactorily. ‘Freight’ refers to the commodities that are being transported in bulk.
The companies that are involved in shipping have to face a lot of challenges especially when there is no proper information available. These challenges increase when there is a lack of communication.
There are generally two terms that we use for the shipping process, both for import and export of goods. They are FCL shipment and LCL shipment. FCL stands for Full Container Load shipping. In an FCL shipment, a container is exclusively allotted for a particular shipment. The goods that are transported both for import and export can solely use the entire space as provided by the container, as per their discretion. You can either load a single commodity or can utilize the full space. Sometimes, selecting an FCL shipment is more cost-effective, even if your goods do not occupy the entire space as provided by the container.
Like all the other industries, the shipping industry has also evolved with time and embraced technology to address many basic problems. Here are 5 common freight shipping challenges, which are, or can be, a thing of past due to technological innovations.
Tracking of commodities: Earlier it was not possible to track commodities which were in transit. In case a shipment is delayed, there was no way for customers to track or know the current location or status of their shipment. However, with the introduction of modern technology like GPS, Live tracking etc., customers can now get real-time updates regarding the position of their shipments and can expect the shipping faster.
Cost of forwarding the commodities: For international trading purposes, US dollars and Pounds are generally used. But their exchange rates fluctuate on a daily basis. So, it affects freight shipping rates as they keep altering. Internet helps the customers to keep track of their prices and book shipments online.
Transportation cost: Fuel prices are increasing daily and this is pushing up the transportation cost also. Plus different service providers offer different prices. In an online FCL shipment booking, the customers get the option to compare multiple service providers based on their respective costs, features and facilities to get the best rates.
Faster dispatch: Different service providers offer different shipping schedules. Some of them can take longer, while some of them can offer a considerably faster delivery deadline. Earlier people did not have the option to check and compare the delivery schedules until and unless they visit offices of all the providers personally. But now, one can go through the details available online, compare and decide accordingly. Other than settling on the rates and going for a particular shipment, technology has also helped to smoothen the process.
Security: Other than the availability of live tracking systems,technology has helped the transporters to take advantage of a number of digital advancements. One can ensure the safety of the goods along with the timely delivery. Even when the shippers are stuck in the process of transportation, one can track and have real-time information on the delivery.
Thus, shipping industry is definitely benefitting from the latest modern technologies. They can handle the whole process better and can ensure customer satisfaction. So, to remain competitive in the market, the logistic and shipping industries explore this option of FCL shipping, which is more efficient, hassle-free and more economical as compared to other shipping ways.