The Shipping industry is modernizing and continuously going through changes to effectively fulfill the needs of the ever-evolving global market. The shipping industry is huge and has to maintain itself according to the constantly changing trends to be in competition. There is advancement in the technological arena, the fuel choice for ships carrying the containers is changing, along with different other trends.
What are the upcoming trends in the shipping container industry?
Digital Sensors
The usage of digital sensors has increasingly been used in recent years to monitor ships and maritime containers‘ operations, functions, and performances. By using sensors, the errors can be mitigated and needed maintenance and repair can be done beforehand to avoid problems during the journey. By using digital sensors the team on land can stay well connected with the ships and containers, the shippers or operators can also control the operation handles. The shippers can control the temperature and other such operations and get to know instantly if anyone is trying to tamper with the containers. The usage of digital sensors reduces the chances of the ships or shipping containers getting lost during the voyage. After reaching the port, the shipper gets to save the sanctity of containers due to alarm systems installed in the shipping units.
Shippers are using it more nowadays as they can easily manage the temperature of reefers and insulated containers with the help of digital sensors. If due to any reason the temperature rises or drops, they can easily reset it to the needed temperature. There are smart containers available nowadays that come incorporated with the technologies to make the shipper’s life easier.
Greener Solution
The shipping industry is under the constant pressure of reducing the carbon footprint to save the environment and marine life from carbon and other hazardous gases and byproduct emissions. The International Maritime Organization has come up with IMO 2020 plan to make changes in the way the shippers or mariners earlier used fuel energy. Now by increasing the usage of the better cargo container and hull coatings, exploring new low carbon fuels, planning transportation and shipping details, and using air cushions provides the shipping industry an option to reduce emissions.
Low Emission Fuel
There is a huge focus on the shipping lines that they must use greener solutions for fuel. As the fuel emissions are laden up with CO2, sulfur, and other hazardous gas emissions. The need to achieve low emission has given rise to liquefied natural gases (LNG), and Very Low Sulfur Fuel Oil (VLSFO). The International Maritime Organization has made sure that the shippers and mariners use such fuel options that give refuge from over emissions of harmful gases. They passed the IMO 2020 plan to change the shipping industry’s behavior towards the environment to save the environment from hazardous gases.
Supply and Demand
Where earlier the global supply chain challenges were hurting the supply and demand of freight containers. The new trend is showing that the shipping container industry is seeing more balance between the tonnage ratios to the container numbers. This positive trend balances between supply and demand of metal shipping containers. Scrapping of vessels is avoided to put a halt on the imbalance and serve better to meet stronger demand and tight tonnage availability. The idle vessels are put to usage and engage positive involvement.
Growth of Containerization
Containerization is the rapidly increasing trend that the container shipping industry is adapting to. If we look at the history of containerization, we get to know that it refers to keeping different cargoes on one large steel container and then transporting them all in that single container. It saves the shippers huge time and money and offers better cargo handling and protection. By adapting to containerization the shippers are making effective usage of available space. Manufacturers and shippers are paying due attention to this trend to save themselves from extra expenses.
Usage of Smart Containers
The increased usage of smart containers is becoming a boon for shippers. They are the containers that are evolved using certain technology to make the containers advanced. By fitting it with GPS, sensors, and IoT devices, they provide real-time data, an alert system is activated if anyone touches it, and can easily be tracked. Smart containers provide security to the goods, and customs clearance also gets expedited as they have all the details with them. It maintains the temperature inside and provides safety to perishable goods.
Better Port Utilization
It has been seen in recent years that congestion has risen in many busiest seaports of the world. But with better port utilization it can be avoided and tackled well. As with time ships are becoming huger and ports are not compatible to serve them which leads to congestion of ports. The ports can be used in a better way if some of the ships are diverted to nearby ports that will stop congestion in larger ports.
But for this, the smaller port needs to undergo some alterations in order to accommodate larger ships and to carry on the increased activity at ports with much ease. The use of the port diversification technique will stop congestion in larger ports and the container shipments can be transported faster than before. This has also led to lesser vessel scrapping as most of the vessels are used to keep in tandem with the transport demands.
Architectural Solutions
Shipping containers are now innovatively used for building options. They are looked upon as green solutions for building homes, offices, emergency hospitals, dine-ins, and other such structures. They provide cost-effective building solutions as they can easily be modified by slight changes. Read here to know top 10 innovative uses of shipping containers.
Merging Markets
Emerging marketing is changing the facet of the shipping container industry. China will continue to enjoy the tag of the most important market, but there are markets like Nigerian markets that are emerging at a fast rate and making a place for good demand for container goods.
Data Analyzation
Data is analyzed for the previous accidents, missing cargoes, or weather-related mishappenings to be prepared and readied for any upcoming problems. By analyzing the data, the shippers can mitigate hazardous situations. By analyzing the data, the shipping companies are installing more data protection and cybersecurity to save themselves from any future risks that can be avoided by using them.
Increase in Connectivity
There is a tremendous increase in connectivity and communication due to technical advancements of communication technologies consisting of 5G network coverage and Wi-Fi connectivity. This technology is making the shippers and operators easily connect with the shipping containers and vessels. They can easily monitor the ships and shipping boxes by staying on the land through live audio streams, recording devices, and video streams.
The shipper can take the decisions instantly to mitigate any hazardous situations like temperature control or harmful chemical handling, etc. The ship operators can address the issues from being away from the ship.
Thus, following the upcoming trends, the shipping container industry can avoid many mistakes, overcome difficult challenges, and solve huge problems. The shipping container suppliers, shippers, ship operators, and all others are incorporating the current trends to keep high in the game to gain more profits.
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