L+Transport+Summary

INTERNATIONAL TRANSPORTATION  CONTAINERS & DOCUMENTS

"//International transport// is one of the most important features related to international trade” Platt, G (1999). When different countries around the world (no matter the distance between them) decide to export or import products, international transport is essential and indispensable for both activities to be complied. The transport of products implies: carrying of goods from one place to another, handling of shipment and the expenses of doing that, loading and unloading cargo and arrangements between the parties involved. Also it reaches wide dimensions: languages, economic and physical are just three of them.  To transport products internationally, diverse modes and kinds of transport are needed such as trucks, ships containers, rails and river transport, but there are a lot more. One of the most common modes of transport is the Intermodal transportation that refers to the containerized mode of transport (using containers). To transport a containerized cargo, four basic conditions have to be filled. First depending on the type of cargo a special kind of container has to be used, because some products can be damaged or can become difficult to handle if individuals in charge of transportation don’t match the cargo characteristics with the appropriate container. Second, verify that the container is in good condition preventing the damage of the shipment. Third, the cargo should be loaded correctly and has to be secured against the movement. The last one is that the information of the cargo, needs to be communicated to all the parties involved (exporter and importer). Containers are considered one of the most secure ways to transport cargoes; one of the reasons is that every container has regulations that individuals need to follow if they want to use them for their international transports, off course, if they want to transport products to be shipped in a secure and legal way. Principally to use containers they need to follow the International Standards Organization (ISO) recommendations of which should be the external and internal dimensions of the containers, together with gross limit weights which the container possibly will carry. Also every container needs a Container Safety Certificate issued by the manufacturer that has to be renewed every thirty months by an authorized inspector. Normally containers are composed by floor, frame, sidewalls, roof and doors but depending on the type of cargo containers composition (external and internal) can vary. The variation of the composition gives as a result containers that can be general or specific. The general container is the one that is appropriate for the widest variety of goods, their design is simple it has rigid walls roof and floor is waterproof and is equipped with doors. On the other hand, specific purpose containers are classified in nine types: closed ventilated containers with natural and mechanical ventilation, used for carrying seeds. Subsequent are the open top containers, without rigid roof but with a removable cover and it is used for transport machinery, sheet glass and other heavy objects. Then the platform (flat rack) containers, equipped with top and corner fittings for shipping machinery and lumber. Next is the reefer container, designed with insulated doors roof and floor, for transporting goods like meat fruit and vegetables. After is the mechanically refrigerated container that uses a refrigerating appliance. Another one is the refrigerated container that use dry ice and liquefied gases. Then the tank container, that is used for the carriage of bulk gases and liquids like chemicals. Other one is the dry bulk containers for carrying dry solids without packaging. And finally the named cargo types for transporting automobiles, and livestock. The use of containers has different advantages. First they are secure for transporting cargo, because containers are closed until they have to be opened at the port of destination. The second is that comparing to other modes of transport, they are transmitted faster. And the most important advantage, especially for countries, is that the use of containers reduces significantly transportation costs (cost of handling terminal, the insurance cost and the packing cost). International transport applies International trade rules and regulations (like Incoterms), but is important knowing that it has its own regulations, with forms and documents like Bills of Lading, Airway bills, Road Waybills and FIATA documents. It also requires guarantees such as insurance (to cover the damages of the cargo shipped) and responsible professionals with specific qualifications. A bill of lading is a “contract of carriage between en exporter and a service provider that identifies the parties and their responsibilities for payment of transportations”. Platt, G (1999). Between the functions of this bill of lading are: it is evidence that a contract of carriage has settle, it is a receipt of goods and the last one is that it is a document of title that can be transferred by endorsement and delivery. On the other hand, an Airway bill “is a document of carriage issued by airlines to the shipper of the cargo” Platt, G (1999). The functions of an Airway bill are: it is an evidence of a contract of carriage, it proves the reception of goods for delivery and it is a freight bill. There are differences between bills of lading and airway bills. Primary bills of lading are documents of title when airway bills are just freight bills. Subsequent, airway bills are just for air transportation when bills of lading apply for different modes of transport (road to rail, air, and sea). And the last difference is that an Airway bill is not a negotiable document, while bills of lading are documents with a negotiable status. A roadway bill is an international consignment note that serves as a receipt of goods and is an evidence of a contract carriage, but as the airway bill it is not a document of title. To conclude, //international transportation// requires lots of key elements, such as the need of documents, rules, modes of transport (that need to be adapted to the kind of cargoes) and specialized professionals to accomplish its functions (transport goods). The combination of these key elements can gave to exporters and importers a transport cycle that can be constantly successful and satisfactory for parties involved, if all the other conditions stay stable (climate, time). So is important for countries to manage these key elements to have the best possible conditions of transport, because i//nternational transportation// is now a vital aspect for every worldwide trade transaction which also means that it is a fundamental element for supporting the global economy, something that concerns to all world leaders and individuals of each country.