Container haulage is not like any other transportation segment but an extremely specialised sector. Not every haulage service can be trusted as it is much easier to get wrong, often resulting in huge expenses to customers. For most people, the concept of container haulage is not clear, which leaves them with no choice but to choose other modes of cargo transport.
Most shipping container transport companies offer two kinds of services- container hauling and merchant hauling. Both services are concerned about carrying a container from Point A to Point B, but the difference is in the responsibilities of the haulage. To better understand the difference, you have to know how the transportation of the materials works.
Haulage services in Essex are the most economical type of cargo transportation services that allows both domestic and international delivery. The whole haulage process involves the use of several transport modes- land, sea, and air to transport removable devices, which are known as containers. The cargo that can be carried in containers is not limited, but there are restrictions and rules in place by government bodies as to what can or cannot be transported by container hauling companies.
The reason customers choose container hauling over any other mode is the significant reduction in the cost as compared to conventional transport. The increasing popularity of shipping container trucking companies is making it easier for businesses and domestic customers to transport cargo without paying a premium, which helps in keeping the cost of products lower and build a strong economy.
History of container haulage
Russia was the pioneer in container transport and introduced it to the world in 1889. By the early 1930s, container haulage took a turn with the arrival of universal containers for transporting unpacked cargo pieces mostly by rail. The USSR created a highly extensive transport system that reached 1200 railroad stations by the 1970s. But this was the peak of container transport on land, and henceforth an overwhelming expansion of the sea and river ports lead to expansion of container facilities on ports. Today over 80000 railroad cards, millions of trucks, and hundreds of ships and riverboats are part of daily container transportation services.
A major part of container haulage infrastructure is lifting and transporting machines that make bulk loading and reloading of containers a lot easier. Almost every country in the world uses the container transit system to transport important cargo that keeps their economies going. The development of container transport has made unprecedented progress in the freight industry and lead to unmatched technological progress. Developing and developed countries are continuously working towards improving the container transport infrastructure to move the cargo better.
Benefits of Container Transport
Container haulage has led to many improvements and unexpected growth of the whole industry. The major benefits include:
- Speed – container transports allow the large quality cargo to be shipped with minimal delay. It also allows quick turnaround at terminals.
- Cost – container haulage rates are the cheapest of all other modes of transport. Due to tailored solutions, there is scope for the economy of scale.
- Flexibility – there can be a large variety of cargo transported in the containers, including liquids, refrigerated goods, heavy machinery, sensitive materials, and even hazardous cargo.
- Safety – secure containers and intermodal freight minimise the risk of damage, theft, or loss.
- Warehousing –containers are designed to act as individual warehouses and can be stacked to save money and space.
- Standardisation – due to the globally recognised use of the ID system, containers are easily identifiable and can be used to transport goods to any distance without getting lost in the process.
Hiring the right container hauling company
Due to its extremely specialist requirement, not all haulage companies in Essex offer container transportation services. For the best service experience, you need a company that has the expertise and staff with years of experience and in-depth knowledge of transporting cargo in containers.
There is a need for equipment like side loaders, container chassis, and specially designed vehicles to haul tons of cargo on the road. Reliable vehicles and expert drivers are mandatory to get the best possible service. You are not limited in options as many container haulage companies in Essex offer competitive prices and flexible options to transport cargo.
