The logistics of shipping, when they work as intended, are an impressive display human precision, planning and ingenuity. An item made in China can join millions of other products and cross an ocean, board a train, get loaded onto a truck and eventually make it to a retail store for a customer to pick up. And all of this happens according to a meticulously planned schedule, as all the people and vehicles involved work together to create a complex rhythm of movement and hand offs that is impressive when you stop and think about what is happening.
But this kind of clockwork reliability is only as good as the conditions in which the work is done. And while the people making schedules plan for shipments with ideal conditions in mind, that’s not always the way it works in real life.
Shipping Protection Is The Contingency
Any number of outside factors can occur that may disrupt the otherwise intricate logistics dance of shipping. Accidents on roads can divert trucks, natural disasters such as earthquakes and landslides can close roads. Even at airports and ports, there have been cases of too many ships or planes improperly scheduled, leading to delays, with cargo literally sitting on tarmac or on the ship, untouched for hours or longer as schedules are disrupted.
Even trains aren’t immune to this. The weather in more northerly climates can wreak havoc with train schedules, and the train system in North America is feeling the strain of carrying far more cargo than was ever intended for a system built in the 19th century. It means that cargo can be left sitting in extreme hot or cold conditions depending on the area the vehicle is stuck, and the time of year.
This is why shipping protection is so important. Thermal cargo blankets, thermal pallet covers and ocean container liners all offer scientifically sound insulation. With inexpensive, environmentally friendly passive temperature control, they keep cargo well protected against, heat, cold, light and even radiation as they move through a variety of different environments and, occasionally spend more time in one area than intended.
Shipping is one of the great, unsung underpinnings of modern society. But in order to keep it working, extra precautions like shipping protection measures keep everything under control, even when the weather isn’t.
