Your company may have a need to ship bulk cargo—a large quantity of an item that is unpackaged, typically in liquid or granular form. It may be a one-time thing, or it may be something you do on a daily or weekly basis. No matter the frequency of your shipping needs, it’s important to know the best way to ship your bulk cargo so that you can ensure timely delivery while keeping your cargo intact.

Whenever you find yourself in need of sending a large quantity of items, use the following tips to help you ship your bulk cargo successfully.

Consider using a freight broker.
Partnering with a freight broker can be a great way to fulfill your bulk cargo shipping needs without any hassle. A freight broker’s job is to find the shipping method that best suits your needs, whether by train, truck, or any other form of transportation. Freight brokers typically build relationships with various carriers, allowing them to easily find a method of transportation for a better price than what you may find on your own. If you build a relationship with a freight broker, you can simply let them know your needs, and allow them to not only find the transportation for you, but also take care of all the nuance details that come with it.

Have the right loading method on hand.
Because most bulk cargo is shipped unpackaged, it will require you to get your product on the truck, train, ship, etc. This usually requires the assistance of a crane to get the material into the carrier. If you don’t have this item on hand at your own facility, you will need to rent a crane, and this is an added expense. Plus, not only will you need to ensure that you have the right equipment to load the material, but you’ll also need to ensure that the destination has the right equipment on hand to unload it as well. If there is an issue, you could find yourself with a very unhappy customer who now has to rent a crane or other piece of equipment just to receive the delivery.

Consider all your options.
You have different shipping methods to choose from, so consider all of your options before making a final decision. If you need to get overseas, you can ship your bulk cargo by ship through the ship’s hold. If you need to quickly get your material across the country, you can opt to ship by railroad carrier wagon. If you don’t have train access, or if you have more time to ship, you can also ship with a tanker or semi truck. Most of the shipping methods will allow you to place your material directly into the hold, carrier or wagon, but others will have you place the material into a pod and then attach the pod to the ship, train, or truck. Each one of these shipping methods is a solid form of transportation, but they all vary in cost, so be sure to use your budget to determine the option you choose.

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