Never Lose another Container Again with Liner Shipping Software

What do container carriers do when a container is lost ?

Most, if not all, simply write it off and collect insurance later. At least that is the easiest thing they could do, and perhaps, the most practical of all other options available.

Container Loss has been a common concern for shipping companies and consumers alike for many years. Despite the fact that vessels are safely carrying millions of container each year, it is reported
that every year over ten thousand containers are lost at sea due to myriad reasons – from bad weather condition, to poor handling, to technical problems.

These containers, depending on the type of cargo they contain, either stay afloat or sink deep into the bottom of the ocean. Either way, these huge junks clustered along shipping lanes pose danger to other passing ships, as well as to marine ecosystems below, especially when there are hazardous cargoes such as toxic chemicals on board. In order to avoid this situation, shipping operators must not only find better ways of chaining their containers down, but also upgrade their systems in order to better monitor weather and sea conditions. For both purposes, functional liner principal software can help.

Aside from falling overboard, shippers can also lose track of their containers to competing companies during loading, transshipment, or discharging. Container shipping across international ports is a complex process which involves dozens of different parties, data elements, and business documents.  Without a functional shipping line software system for tracking and managing container movement, vessels and shipping companies can easily lose track of their containers, and once they’re gone, it is virtually impossible to recover them.

However, shipping companies can deal with the problem before it happens and avoid expensive and
irreversible damages not only to the shipments, but also, and perhaps more importantly, to their name. Just the latter should be enough reason for shipping companies to abandon their spreadsheets and whiteboards, and shift to more efficient shipping software solutions.

To address problems involving lost and damaged containers, shipping software companies have developed various types of software solutions designed to streamline aspects of container freight management. Container management software feature several functions which allow port authorities and vessel operators to maximize container efficiency and visibility. Once integrated to existing shipping process, software applications can be accessed through any internet-connected device using leading web browsers. Operators can then generate information they can use to:

1. Identify the current location of all containers. (See Container Tracking Software.)
2. Control and manage multiple container fleets remotely from a central office.
3. Ensure container visibility and generate updates on every stage of the logistics process from ports to distribution centers. 
4. Maximize container space through cargo mix simulation in order to reduce costs and maximize profit.
5. Detect damages and potential problems involving containers. (See Container Repair Software.)
6. Generate forecasts on status and movement of containers to facilitate advance planning and avoid       terminal congestion.

There is no doubt that integrated shipping software is key to success in modern shipping, and all signs indicate that there is a bright future ahead for the industry. The world is moving toward automation and web-based systems. That is where every shipping company is supposed to be heading in order to stay on top of their business.