Which goods can be shipped in containers by sea?

What Types of Goods Can Be Shipped in Containers by Sea?

Recently, container ships of several shipping companies have frequently experienced accidents, such as the well-known explosion at the port of Beirut, the capital of Lebanon, as well as fires, falls overboard, and other incidents... resulting in heavy losses. So how can we minimize or avoid these accidents? This requires understanding the correct way to load containers and what goods can be transported by container.

Precautions for Container Loading:

1. Dry goods must not be mixed with wet goods during transport, mainly to prevent moisture and mold damage. Additionally, in practice, if goods have high requirements for dryness, appropriate desiccants or other drying methods should be added. 2. Normal goods should, as much as possible, not be mixed with goods that have strong odors or other irritant smells, to prevent cross-contamination that affects product quality. 3. Any goods should, as much as possible, not be mixed with powdery goods. Powdery goods are unstable during transport and are very prone to explosion; loading them separately can effectively reduce the likelihood of such problems. 4. Dangerous goods must absolutely not be mixed together, primarily because different types of dangerous goods have different properties and their respective emergency response measures also differ. If mixed, this could easily trigger secondary hazards. 5. Goods with different packaging must not be mixed together; they must be loaded separately to facilitate routine transport.

What Types of Goods Can Be Transported by Container?

In fact, most goods can be transported by sea in containers; only a few are unsuitable. According to the national "Regulations on Several Issues Concerning the Development of Container Transport in China," the goods suitable for container shipping are classified into 12 categories: electrical appliances, instruments, small machinery, glass and ceramics, handicrafts; printed matter and paper, pharmaceuticals, tobacco, alcohol, and food, daily necessities, chemicals, knitwear and textiles, and hardware items.

What Types of Goods Are Not Suitable for Container Sea Transport?

1) Live and fresh goods. For example, live fish, shrimp, etc., because sea transport takes longer than other modes of transport. If fresh goods are shipped in containers by sea, they will spoil during transit. 2) Goods whose weight exceeds the maximum load-bearing capacity of the container. Such goods cannot be transported by container ship. 3) Oversized goods cannot be shipped by container. Some large components are too high or too wide. These goods can only be transported on a bulk carrier, placed in the hold or on deck. 4) Containers are not used for military transport. If military units or defense enterprises require container sea transport, it is handled as commercial transport. For military transport using self-owned containers, the standard container transport conditions no longer apply. In container cargo transport, for the safety of the ship, cargo, and containers, it is essential to select the appropriate container based on the nature, type, volume, weight, and shape of the goods. Otherwise, not only may certain goods be unshippable, but improper selection can also lead to cargo damage.

Regarding the type of container suitable for different types of goods, refer to the following:

1. Clean goods and dirty goods: General cargo containers, ventilated containers, open-top containers, refrigerated containers may be used. 2. Valuable goods and fragile goods: General cargo containers may be used. 3. Refrigerated goods and perishable goods: Refrigerated containers, ventilated containers, insulated containers may be used. 4. Bulk goods: Bulk containers, tank containers may be used. 5. Animals and plants: Livestock (animal) containers, ventilated containers may be used. 6. Heavy and bulky goods: Open-top containers, flat rack containers, platform containers may be used. 7. Dangerous goods: General cargo containers, flat rack containers, refrigerated containers may be used. Domestic Sea Freight National booking hotline: 13075678958 Miss Huang

Bofeng Logistics specializes in providing one-stop logistics services including domestic container shipping, international shipping (FCL/LCL), Hong Kong and Macau express routes, as well as trucking, customs clearance, and warehousing. Contact number: 130-7567-8958 (Manager Huang). Call now for a customized quote!