The Incoterms are the international agreements that establish at which point of an international commerce exchange the responsibility over the cargo, how it is handled and what happens to it is transferred from importer to exporter. They are labeled as: EXW (Ex Works), FCA (Free Carrier), CPT (Carriage Paid To), CIP (Carriage and Insurance Paid to), DAP (Delivered at Place), DPU (Delivered at Place Unloaded), DDP (Delivery Duty Paid), FAS (Free Alongside Ship), FOB (Free On Board), CFR (Cost and Freight), CIF (Cost Insurance and Freight). You can see them all under detail by following this link.
Intermodal shipping works by combining different carrying vehicles of diverse modes (road, railway, sea, air) without handling the content of the container or truck itself when changing from one mode to another.
This method of transportation reduces CO2 (CarbonDioxide), N20 (Nitrous Oxide) emissions and decreases noise pollution. It also has the advantages of enhancing time reliability, lowering the risk of accidents by diminishing highway traffic (though your cargo will still be protected by our cost free insurance) and at many circumstances improving times by being the fastest route from parting point to destination. For more information, check our Continental Haulage service.
These are both terms that apply to truckage. LTL shipping refers to the transportation of relatively small freight. LTL freight carriers usually handle small shipments of cargo from multiple businesses, with all of the goods sharing space on a semi-trailer. In contrast, FTL refers to larger shipments whereby an entire freight load from one business occupies the space on a semi-trailer destined to one client. You can learn more by clicking this link.
Containers come in many different sizes and weight limits (there can be fluctuations. These are the basic standards):
| 20 feet | 20 feet High Cube | 40 feet | 40 feet High Cube |
| External(LxWxH) | 6090 mm x 2440 mm x 2590 mm | 6090 mm x 2440 mm x 2900 mm | 12180 mm x 2440 mm x 2590 mm | 12180 mm x 2440 mm x 2900 mm |
| Internal(LxWxH) | 6010 mm x 2340 mm x 2390 mm | 6010 mm x 2340 mm x 2690 mm | 12110 mm x 2340 mm x 2390 mm | 12110 mm x 2340 mm x 2690 mm |
| Door opening(WxH) | 2280 mm x 2310 mm | 2280 mm x 2580 mm | 2280 mm x 2310 mm | 2280 mm x 2580 mm |
| Tare Weight | 2050kg | 2230kg | 3750kg | 3890kg |
| Payload | 28430kg | 28250kg | 26730kg | 26590kg |
| Max Gross Weight | 30480kg | 30480kg | 30400kg | 30480kg |
6 feet | 8 feet | 10 feet | |
| External(LxWxH) | 1980 mm x 1950 mm x 1910 mm | 2438 mm x 2200 mm x 2260 mm | 2991 mm x 2438 mm x 2591 mm |
| Internal(LxWxH) | 1800 mm x 1860 mm x 1730 mm | 2275 mm x 2106 mm x 2050 mm | 2831 mm x 2344 mm x 2376 mm |
| Door opening(WxH) | 1850 mm x 1690 mm | 2070 mm x 1945 mm | 2310 mm x 2280 mm |
| Tare Weight | 450 kg | 630 kg | 825 kg |
Tare weight refers to the container’s weight when empty.
Payload is the maximum weight that the container can withhold.
Gross weight is the tare weight plus the payload.
As stated before, this is but a simple guide. Learn more here.
Dangerous goods are classified as hazardous materials or Hazmat. When they are delivered through sea, they are known as IMO cargo (International Maritime Organization). ADR, in turn, stands for Accord Dangereux Routier and it is the agreement that regulates the international shipment of dangerous goods by road. It includes: Explosive substances and objects, Gas or liquid, Flammable liquids and solids, Oxidizing substances, Poisonous (toxic) and infectious substances, Radioactive substances, Corrosives & Mixed hazardous substances. There is a special code (known as UN codes) for each kind of dangerous cargo. If you have an ADR shipment you can search for the UN code of it on this link.
If you want more information regarding hazardous shipping, click here.
ISO standards are internationally agreed upon regulations meant to establish a normalized standard for products worldwide. Thanks to these rules, there exists a comprehensive standard for quality, environmental responsibility, energy management, food safety, IT security and health safety. Learn more here.
Refrigerated containers and warehouses (reefers) are an option when one needs to transport or conserve freight that needs to stay at special temperatures either to avoid rot, reduce bacterial multiplication or maintain their functionality or integrity. We typify this kind of service as an Exceptional Cargo Project.
Even though there is an international standard for track gauge (how wide the railways and therefore the trains that run on them are), countries and sometimes regions have different sized tracks due to historical differences. Spain, for example, has the Iberic track gauge while the rest of Europe runs on the international standard. You can see how track gauge changes globally here.
Chartering refers to the practice of hiring an entire ship to carry your goods. On the other hand, Tramp refers to ships that stay at sea without a fixed route and who benefit from cross trade by being ready at all times. More often than not, chartered ships are tramp ships and that is why the terms have been fused together.
Sometimes, when the amount of goods that you need to transport are extreme, renting an entire ship becomes the cheaper and therefore smarter choice. It is a good option for associated importers who need a great quantity of a given material and come together to buy it in bulk for an overall cheaper price. As you can imagine, this kind of operation means a heavy investment and you need a forwarder of trust to carry it. Handling an entire vessel and all of its cargo needs expertise and not every logistics agent can do it. Contact us if you think that chartering might be an option for your business.
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