In today’s world, the most common and cost-effective way to ship products in cold chain packaging across vast distances is to use a cargo container vessel. These ships are now the undisputed workhorses of the modern logistics world, regularly carrying huge amounts of tonnage all over the planet, from one far-flung nation to another.
Read more: The Most Common Causes Of Shipment Delays For Cargo ShipsHowever, ocean-going vessels transporting massive amounts of cargo require complex logistics to succeed. And while modern logistics impressively succeeds at this the vast majority of the time, nothing is perfect, and sometimes things do go wrong, which can result in delays. Here are the most common causes of delays for cold chain packaging on ships.
Environmental Factors
Obviously, the one thing no person, business, or country has control over is the weather, or even geopolitical events such as a war between nations with grievances. In the event of large-scale, external events such as earthquakes, hurricanes, tsunamis, or wars, these can disrupt the stability of shipping lanes and render them inaccessible. This causes obvious delays as ships are now forced to take alternative routes.
Rolled Shipments
While logistics is all about planning and ensuring there is space on a ship for cargo that has requested it, sometimes cargo doesn’t make it onto these vessels even when they arrive on time for loading. “Rolled shipments” are called this because they can occur for a few reasons, such as overbooking, where there is more cargo than available space, or improper documentation for processing and accepting cargo.
Customs Errors
As hinted in the previous case, international shipping has many administrative and bureaucratic requirements. In some cases, even a single error along the logistics chain can bring things to a standstill at the transfer stage. It is crucial to understand the shipping and customs requirements of a destination country and take all necessary steps to comply. Failure to do so on even one improperly filled form can cause your shipment to be stopped at the next link in the logistics chain.
Port Congestion/Strikes
Sometimes, even when everything else goes according to schedule, a port can be inundated with ships and have too many to process and unload. There are even instances where port or dock workers decide to act on their grievances and go on strike. When there is a problem with the port itself, shipments are delayed until the issue is resolved.
If you’re shipping products in cold chain packaging and want guidance on the optimal way to ship them to their destination, we can help. Contact us to discuss your shipping needs and obtain a quote.
