USAIDPakistanTradeProject|TraineesManual–ProcessesandBenefitsofFormalExport 60
Need for refrigeration or other special conditions
Direction of traffic
Freight costs are computed by the shipping company based on both weight and cubic size the
freight charges are usually quoted at so many "$" per ton, by weight or measure, whichever is
greater. A short ton is 2,000 pounds; a long ton, 2,240 pounds; a metric ton, 2,204.68 pounds.
Space measurement is usually 40 cubic feet or one cubic meter.
4. Shipping Hazards
The journey that the exporter's product must make to its overseas destination is usually far
more hazardous than the same product shipped to a local customer. The exporter should be
aware of the hazards involved in shipping goods abroad i.e. rough handling, transshipment,
pilferage, excessive humidity or dryness and extremes of temperature. Goods sent by air, are
usually handled more carefully. Airplane is very expensive and the owners are usually more
concern about their "Airplane" than the goods. Although occasional mishaps, such as goods
arriving at the wrong destination or fresh vegetables arriving frozen, are not totally unusual.
a. Port of shipment: At the port of shipment, the box, crate or other package in which the
export goods are traveling may not be properly unloaded from the truck and may be
dropped. Also, while being placed in the designated cargo assembly area, the crate may
suffer damage from the prongs of a fork-lift truck, it may be placed the wrong way up, or
it may have several other export crates stacked on top of it.
If the crate is damaged, at this stage, the contents may be damaged and it will be
vulnerable throughout the rest of its journey to dirt, moisture and attention of would-be
pilferers. The next step is the loading of the crates aboard ship. For this purpose, slings,
grabs, nets or platforms may be used.
Each method presents certain hazards to the export shipment. The sling may not be
properly located, causing crushing from without and pressures from within. A crate may
not be properly placed in the net or secured on the platform, causing it to drop onto the
dockside, ship's hold, or into the sea. A hook may tear a hole in the crate/sack.
b. In the ship hold: The crate may be subjected to further dropping, tumbling, dragging,
levering, or hooking. It may be stowed the wrong way up. And additional cargo will most
likely be placed on top of it. The danger from these hazards can be greatly reduced by the
use of containers. These are large metal boxes into which the goods of one or more
exporters are placed.
At the port, specially designed cranes unload the containers and place them either in the
hold or on the deck of specially designed container ships. Because of their strength and
their specialized handling, the containers offer great safety from damage and theft.
c. On Board Ship: During the voyage, the movement of the ship may cause the fastenings
of boxes or crates to become loose, the interior blocking and bracing to be dislocated, the
walls of the boxes or crates to become punctured, and even some of the marking to
become obliterated. The friction caused within the hold by the ship's constant movement
causes the temperature of the air to rise. Consequently, once the hold is opened at the
port of destination, the difference in temperature between the outside air and that in the
hold may causes moisture to form on plates, pipes, bulkheads and deckheads which
subsequently drips onto the cargo.
d. Port of Destination: When the box or crate is unloaded at the port of destination, it may
also be subjected to rough handling. The stevedores may be unable or unwilling to read
cautionary signs such as, “This side up”, “Use no hooks”, “Keep dry”, or “Handle with
care”, even if printed in their own language.