Improved Tips for Liquid Bulk and Bulk Shipping

Breakbulk shippers transport cargo or freight that typically does not fit into standard-sized containers or boxes. Instead, cargo is transported in bags, boxes, crates, drums, barrels or other handling equipment, or rolled, lifted or pushed onto ships or barges. These shippers’ cargo requires special equipment and handling, which means shippers need to overcome some unique challenges in supply chain operations.

Also read: Breakbulk Bullying: The future is bright for heavy port investment

Transportation challenges

Bulk cargo is often oversized, heavy or irregularly shaped. This means breakbulk shippers must find the right vessel or carrier to accommodate these unique cargo characteristics, which can be challenging and time-consuming. Breakbulk shipments must be accompanied by numerous documents, including licenses, customs declarations, bills of lading, and compliance with various regulations and trade policies. Managing accurate, timely documentation across multiple jurisdictions and ensuring compliance with local laws can be complex and time-sensitive.

Additionally, many ports and terminals are designed to handle only containerized cargo, so bulk cargo may reduce shippers’ options or incur additional shipping time and costs. Breakbulk shipping typically involves multiple parties, including shippers, freight forwarders, carriers, port operators and customs authorities. Coordinating and managing disparate stakeholders with different requirements and processes can lead to delays in coordination, increased administrative burden, and even higher costs.

Because breakbulk is not shipped in containers, tracking and monitoring the movement of breakbulk is more challenging because there is limited visibility into the status and location of individual items within the shipment. Without accurate visibility, shippers find it more challenging to provide accurate delivery estimates to customers and ensure efficient supply chain management. With supply chain visibility technology, breakbulk shippers can understand how their carriers are performing, what issues they are experiencing, and gain actionable insights on how to improve performance across their entire supply chain. Together, these and other data support robust KPI analysis, reducing overall shipping costs for breakbulk shippers by 3-10 percentage points.

Shipping Tips

When shipping bulk cargo, shippers need to keep the following important shipping tips in mind:

• Properly plan and coordinate shipments by determining the dimensions, weight, material requirements and special handling needs of the shipment.
• Choose a carrier that is experienced in handling breakbulk cargo. These shipping companies have specialized equipment such as heavy-duty cranes, frame racks or open-top containers.
• Bulk cargo requires specialized packaging and securing methods to withstand the rigors of transportation. Packaging materials should be steel frames, sturdy containers or shrink wrap to protect the goods.
• Lifters and lashing teams are often required to secure the cargo. A team of professionals use chains, cables and turnbuckles to secure cargo to a ship or transport vehicle.
• Consider transportation routes and infrastructure capabilities. Check height, width or weight restrictions along the planned route, such as bridge, tunnel or road conditions. Make sure the destination port or terminal has the correct equipment to handle bulk cargo.
• Ensuring all necessary permits, licenses, and documents are in place to prevent delays, fines, or other complications.
• Maintain clear and consistent communication with all parties involved, including carriers, freight forwarders, and consignees, by regularly tracking and monitoring the progress of your cargo throughout the transportation process using a visual system designed specifically for breakbulk shipping.
• Minimize disruption by conducting comprehensive risk assessments and developing contingency plans to address potential challenges such as adverse weather conditions, port congestion, or equipment failure.
• Ensure that all parties adhere to international norms, such as the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Guidelines for Cargo Securing.

Innovative technologies (artificial intelligence, machine learning, cloud) and TMS improve efficiency

Innovative technologies combined with transportation management systems (TMS) simplify operations and increase efficiency in bulk cargo transportation. These technologies include cloud-based solutions using machine learning and artificial intelligence. A TMS should combine planning, execution, and visibility capabilities on the same platform to streamline logistics operations, help reduce costs, reduce risks, and increase customer satisfaction.

Machine learning (ML) algorithms provide valuable insights and predictive analytics to support decision-making in transportation management. Adding machine learning to a TMS will increase operational efficiency as these algorithms analyze large amounts of data and identify patterns, trends and optimization opportunities across numerous variables that may not be easily recognized by human operators. By analyzing historical and real-time data, machine learning algorithms help predict demand, identify bottlenecks, predict shipping delays and recommend mitigation strategies. This enables transportation managers to make data-driven decisions, proactively respond to disruptions, and optimize operations for greater efficiency.

Machine learning can optimize routes and load distribution based on various factors such as delivery schedules, vehicle capacity, traffic conditions and customer preferences. By considering multiple variables and constraints, machine learning can identify the most efficient routes, load distribution, and consolidation opportunities to reduce fuel consumption, minimize travel times, and improve resource utilization, resulting in cost savings and greater efficiency.

Artificial intelligence is integrated into TMS, allowing transportation providers to predict demand for specific routes, time periods, or products. This enables better capacity planning, optimized resource allocation and improved inventory management, reducing unnecessary transportation costs and ensuring timely delivery. TMS systems powered by artificial intelligence continuously monitor real-time data such as traffic conditions, weather, incidents or closures and alert shippers of predicted delays or possible issues before they occur. They can also dynamically adjust shipping routes accordingly. This proactiveness minimizes disruption and improves delivery schedules, resulting in happier customers.

AI combined with TMS analyzes large volumes of transportation data such as delivery times, vehicle performance, driver behavior, previous price/performance and customer feedback to provide valuable insights and support decision-making. By identifying patterns, trends and areas for improvement, AI can help transportation managers make data-driven decisions that optimize processes, reduce risk and improve overall operational efficiency.

By harnessing the power of artificial intelligence, transportation providers can streamline operations, reduce costs, increase customer satisfaction and make smarter decisions. Combining artificial intelligence with TMS can achieve greater automation, optimization and intelligence in transportation logistics management, thereby significantly improving efficiency and effectiveness.

Cloud technology is critical for TMS as it provides scalability, flexibility and access to the system anytime and anywhere through an internet connection. Accessibility allows logistics professionals, carriers, suppliers and customers to access the same real-time information to collaborate and make data-driven decisions from different locations and devices. It also enables seamless information sharing, document exchange and communication among all stakeholders involved in the shipping process.

Modern TMS platforms are cloud-based and centralize all transportation-related data in one location, eliminating data silos. By integrating various data sources, companies gain a complete view of their transportation operations, allowing them to more accurately analyze, report and optimize logistics processes.

Like other enterprise software, cloud-based TMS solutions eliminate the need for companies to invest in and maintain hardware infrastructure. Instead, they leverage the cloud provider’s infrastructure and pay only for the resources and services they need. This reduces upfront capital expenditures, reduces IT maintenance costs, and enables transportation companies to focus financial resources on core business activities rather than infrastructure management.

By harnessing the power of machine learning, artificial intelligence and cloud computing, breakbulk shippers can gain a competitive advantage, reduce costs, enhance customer service and optimize their transportation management processes.

About the author

IntelliTrans optimizes bulk and breakbulk transportation for chemicals, oil/gas, forestry/logging and agricultural businesses. IntelliTrans offers the only cloud-based TMS provides holistic, seamless transportation execution and visibility across rail, truck, intermodal, barge and ocean freight.