The loading methods for sea freight mainly include the following aspects:
- Bulk Shipping: This mainly refers to bulk carriers, bulk cargo ships, etc., which primarily involve bulk raw materials or low-value products, mainly including: coal, mineral sand, grain, fertilizer, feed, barley, and other products.
- Container Shipping: Mainly includes 20GP, 40GP, 40HQ, as well as special containers: refrigerated, flat rack, open top, tank containers, etc. 20GP is also known as one standard container, represented by TEU. Each container from a shipping company has a container number, with the first 4 letters followed by 7 Arabic numerals, e.g., AMSU4567898. Once the container is fully loaded, it will be sealed with a seal lock provided by the shipping company, and each seal has a number. If the container is opened, the seal will be damaged, making it easy to determine responsibility for cargo loss. The shipping company only needs to transport the loaded container to the designated location, ensuring the seal remains intact, thereby completing the carriage task.
Container shipping requires dedicated container ships for transportation. The carrying capacity of a mother vessel is generally 2,000-6,000 TEUs, while a barge typically carries 200-400 TEUs. (Barges are also called feeder vessels or small ships, while mother vessels are also called main vessels or ocean-going ships.) Each ship has a specific name and a voyage number. Unlike airline flight numbers, a maritime voyage number can only be used once. The voyage is represented by V.XXXE, where an ending of E indicates export and an ending of W indicates import.
Applicable Scenarios for Different Loading Methods
Full Container Load (FCL): Suitable for large cargo volumes (usually over 15 cubic meters) or high-value goods. Full container shipping offers high safety and stable transit times, making it ideal for precision instruments, branded goods, etc.
Less than Container Load (LCL): Suitable for small batch cargo (less than a full container), reducing transportation costs by sharing a container with other goods. Ideal for samples, small batch orders, etc.
Roll-on/Roll-off (Ro-Ro): Suitable for goods that can drive themselves, such as vehicles and large machinery, which can be driven directly onto the ship without the need for lifting.
Bulk Cargo Shipping: Suitable for bulk raw materials such as ore, grain, and coal, which are loaded directly into the ship's hold.
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