Weak Sterling Prompts Rush For Shippers Own Containers
Friday, 17th July 2009
The weakening of the pound compared with other currencies around the world has led to a marked increase in the number of people exporting containers abroad. Throughout this year we have sold many shippers own containers to clients looking to export goods abroad.
Containers sold for shipping need to be inspected by an approved surveyor and carry a CSC plate or ACEP sticker. This identifies the container as having been inspected and certifies it as cargoworthy. Should a container arrive at a port for loading aboard a vessel it can be rejected at the quayside if it does not have a valid CSC plate. The container will then be removed to the shipping lines storage facility and the shipper charged until the container is removed. Quayside storage charges, handling and transport can become a costly affair.
When buying a container you should always specify whether you are using it for site storage or for shipping. The price of a shipper will often be slightly more than a sitestore as the container will need to have a sound structure and to have been repaired to the standards acceptable to the industry for shipping.
Once purchased you then need to decide where you are going to load your container and how you intend to do it. It is possible to have the container delivered to your premises for loading. Unless you specifically ask for crane mounted transport to have the container dropped off at your premises the delivery vehicle will wait with the container on its trailer while you load. Normally the transport costs includes 3 hours for loading, any time above this is referred to as “demurrage” and is charged at an hourly rate.
Perhaps the most convenient way to load your container is to store it at the depot from which you purchased it. Most container depots will be happy to store your loaded container for a fee and you are then free to fill the container over a course of weeks or months at your leisure. Once full the storage depot can then also provide you with a competitive price for shipping or arrange for the container to be released to your own shipping company when collecting.