Ocean container shipping has become very expensive – in some cases triple what it was pre-pandemic. So, you don’t want to ship more containers than needed for your volume of freight. That requires smart ocean container loading.
For the purpose of this article, we’ll focus on loading of 20’ and 40’ containers. For a full list of container types and sizes, check out “container specifications” on our Resource Page.
If you’re using a standard European pallet (47.24” by 39.37”) they are just a bit longer and narrower than the standard US pallet, but the formula described above really doesn’t change.
So we dealt with the space aspects of ocean container loading, now how about weight? The key thing to remember here is that the container weight that keeps you within legal limits on US roads is NOT the same as the maximum weight you can put in a container. Using a standard tractor/trailer, carriers can easily handle a 44,000-lb container and still stay below the DOT’s 80,000 lb weight limit. But you can load about 10,000 lbs more weight on your container and still be within the maximum gross cargo weight listed on the container door. Check out our guide on “How to Reduce Costs in Heavy Freight Shipping.”
If you ship very dense freight (e.g., water bottles, metal, knock-down furniture), where you weigh out before you cube out, here are 2 profit enhancing options to consider.
If your challenge in ocean container loading involves odd-sized, out-of-gauge freight that does not fit a standard loading formula, as they say “there’s an app for that.” Stowage planning software can plug in all the various size boxes and pieces you have and kick out multiple stowage options for the container. I.C.E. Transport uses such software regularly to ensure you make the most efficient use of container space.
You may not be able to reduce what steamship lines charge you to ship a container, but through smart ocean container loading, you can maximize the volume of goods in each container and reduce total annual container count to save money. To learn more, contact I.C.E. Transport to arrange a discussion.