Container Shipping 101: Cut Costs, Boost Cargo Security with Containerization
AIT's containerization in shipping experts deliver more—for less
Shippers looking to reduce cargo handling, increase security and cut costs often turn to containerization, the practice of consolidating multiple cargo shipments in a standardized ocean container for transport as a single unit.
Whether you're shipping thousands of twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) or a few containers a year, when you partner with AIT's sea freight team, you'll enjoy access to:
- Strong relationships with core and specialty carriers
- More than 1,500 weekly direct services serving 100+ countries via the world's largest consolidation network
- End-to-end sea shipping visibility
- 24/7 customer support
- Oversized, overweight, project and break bulk cargo expertise
- And much more!
As a licensed Non-Vessel Operating Common Carrier and Ocean Transportation Intermediary, AIT's expert sea freight forwarders source predictably priced capacity throughout the year.
As a result, we can offer highly competitive rates and flexible, customized options that meet your requirements, including:
As a result, we can offer highly competitive rates and flexible, customized options that meet your requirements, including:
- Ocean import and export services
- Transatlantic and transpacific expertise
- Customs clearance via our in-house brokerage
- Exclusive charters
- Direct filing via the Automated Export System
- Full-container-load (FCL) and less-than-container-load (LCL) options
- Cold chain packing and reefer services
- Supplier consolidation
- Certificates of origin construction
- Foreign banking support
- Sight draft creation
- Letters of credit development
- Legalization support
The most common advantages of containerization in shipping include:
- Less handling of cargo
- More protection against theft
- Less exposure to elements
- Lower shipping costs
Ocean freight shipping is a reliable means of large-volume transportation, with options designed to accommodate varying cargo sizes, including shipments that are a full container load or less than a container load.
In FCL shipments, one party owns all the goods in a container. LCL shipments, on the other hand, involve packing multiple shippers' goods together. Learn more about what option is right for you.
In FCL shipments, one party owns all the goods in a container. LCL shipments, on the other hand, involve packing multiple shippers' goods together. Learn more about what option is right for you.
Standard ocean freight containers are either 20 or 40 feet in length, 8 feet wide and 8.5 feet in height. Larger versions, known as “high-cube containers” are also common, measuring 40 feet in length and 9.5 feet tall.
While ocean freight container sizes are uniform, vessel sizes vary. Corresponding to the standard container size, vessels are measured in twenty-foot equivalent units (or TEUs). Container ships' size and capacity can range from as few as 20 TEUs to more than 18,000.
Download our ocean freight shipping guide as a quick reference for conversions, dimensions, and helpful links.
While ocean freight container sizes are uniform, vessel sizes vary. Corresponding to the standard container size, vessels are measured in twenty-foot equivalent units (or TEUs). Container ships' size and capacity can range from as few as 20 TEUs to more than 18,000.
Download our ocean freight shipping guide as a quick reference for conversions, dimensions, and helpful links.
At AIT, we do a lot more than container shipping. Around the world, we offer a comprehensive range of supply chain services across nearly every mode, including barge, ground, rail, and air.
And our global logistics experts are ready to work alongside you to develop a program for containerization in shipping that includes:
And our global logistics experts are ready to work alongside you to develop a program for containerization in shipping that includes:
- Purchase order management
- Landed costing
- Packaging solutions
- Permit management
- And more!
Yes. AIT provides clear-cut, seamless clearance support, with a customer-centric system that makes the process easy and painless. Learn more about our sea freight customs services.