Tuesday, August 26, 2014

Weathering the Weather: Using Container Management Software as Cargo Safety Net



The main challenge faced by container shipping managers is maintaining operational health. This entails tracking active supply chains and revenue growth as well as keeping tabs on bunker usage.

These are effectively managed through a container management software package that can help track voyage revenue as well as make sure your vessel delivers on time.

Regardless of these technological tools, managers are still faced by factors that lie outside their control and pose as threats to thousands of tons of cargo every year.

Inclement weather is a huge problem to shipping executives everywhere. In fact, just this year, CNN reported on an incident in which a Danish vessel lost at least 500 containers of precious cargo to rough waves near the Bay of Biscay.

More profound yet is the fact that attrition in cargo deliveries is almost unavoidable.

Apparently, weather issues are typical subjects of interests with regards to shipping operations and on-time scheduling. They entail adverse implications that can jeopardize essential processes on top of delivery reliability.

Given that we cannot simply tell the weather to act favorably on our behalf, we can still secure safe passages for precious cargo whatever part of the oceans the vessels tread.

In recent years, IT technologies that cater to container have seen innovations both in cargo management and schedule oversight. In this respect, there is a constant need for managers to make use of the latest shipping software as a means to improve deliveries and lessen cargo attrition.

Software solutions that seek to streamline important processes should be prioritized. Using a fine-tuned container tracking software, managers can effectively determine the real-time path of specific vessels while taking into account weather disturbances that lie ahead. Onboard personnel are also able to interact through such a software, give updates as well as take courses of action deemed necessary.

In terms of securing cargo, operators must make use of system packages that identify certain physical and operational issues with regards the vessel and regularly update on cargo space. With software that enables a good view on cargo space, operators can monitor space availability in real-time and initiate decisions on issues such as overloading.

Customers are paying a good deal for shipping companies to deliver on schedule and in tune with actual cargo listings. However, weather conditions render these prospects almost 100 percent unattainable. But by installing container management systems that allow oversight of vessel positions and cargo capacities, operators can give better assurances for a safer voyage. 





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