Hi
I have some experience on the driving side of container haulage, but have very little on the office side, can any one shed some light on this please. I understand that unlike curtain work, you can’t reload say A Ltd container with goods for B Ltd etc…
Any help would be welcome
Some containers are owned by the shipping lines some are leased.
As far as I am aware there are no cabotage laws for containers. A lot of containers are leased through the shipping line, so I guess Maersk wouldn’t be overly keen if you back loaded their container for Evergreen etc… but its more an operational/commercial decision, not a legal thing. Also certain boxes will be allocated to certain traffic streams, so the line may not want their far east container return loaded with product for say West Africa, South Africa etc…
we are currently subbing for a local haulier, we are now in a position to start finding our own work and before we make a discussion about which way to go, im trying to get a feel and a understanding of all avenues… i.e. with curtain work if my wagon is on it way to say … Liverpool and would ring around and see if there was a load to come back… but with containers it different, sat evergreen ask for a delivery from SCT to Birmingham but I have a job from Birmingham to TCT for Samskip, how does the containers work then?? who pays the lifting fee at the container storage yards? how do the shipping lines get you the work details? email, internal computer system etc?
You would deliver the container to B’ham then take it where you’re told by the line. You might be able to get the empty lifted at an inland port if it’s not for reload. Then you would have to collect an empty for Samskip (from wherever that may be) and take that to the loading point.
Thank you for the help. Had a guy from here call me and explain the in’s and outs. Thank you
Aside “shippers own boxes” the shipping lines control the containers. They dictate restitution points or whether you can reload them for export, regardless of whether it’s a merchant haulage or a line haul job.
If you’re after doing a cheeky UK reload, go for it.
Bear in mind though that lines typically allow 48 hours from collection of the box to restitution (merchant haulage) but this varies from line to line.
Goaty:
Aside “shippers own boxes” the shipping get lines control the containers. They dictate restitution points or whether you can reload them for export, regardless of whether it’s a merchant haulage or like everyone haul job.
If you’re after doing a cheeky UK reload, go for it.
Bear in mind though that lines typically allow 48 hours from collection of the box to restitution (merchant haulage) but this varies from line to line.
Just to add, I think that reefer boxes need restitution within 24 hrs of delivery date, unless otherwise stated by shipper/agent/client or whom ever is paying for you services.
On siders you generally load from A to B then find the next load.
On containers they’re 3 points A B and C
A is collect a loaded box or an empty box
B load or unload the goods
C deliver the loaded box to a port or railhead or off hire the empty.
Remember when you are running with an empty box you are not actually empty and you should be charging for this the only time you are empty is when you have no box on. It’s not unusual for a shipping line to run you over a 100 miles with an empty box to go and load it.
If you work for Shipping line A to the Midlands and want to return for Shipping line B, you off hire A’s box and collect B’s box at a storage depot in the Midlands. They are strategically placed around the UK and near the railheads and ports, Hauliers have the opportunity to change which depot the empty boxes go to as long as the shippers are happy with it.
Don’t think you will get a look in with the shipping lines unless you’ve got 50 vehicles or more, they deal in volume and can’t be bothered with Hauliers in ones and two’s. The big Hauliers from Felixstowe have the job sewn up, if you want to do containers you’ll end up subbing for them.
Good luck mate.
Hi Backload
Thank you for your post, there is some useful info and you have mirrored what others have said, after some initial problems we are now running smoothly.
backload:
On siders you generally load from A to B then find the next load.On containers they’re 3 points A B and C
A is collect a loaded box or an empty box
B load or unload the goods
C deliver the loaded box to a port or railhead or off hire the empty.Remember when you are running with an empty box you are not actually empty and you should be charging for this the only time you are empty is when you have no box on. It’s not unusual for a shipping line to run you over a 100 miles with an empty box to go and load it.
If you work for Shipping line A to the Midlands and want to return for Shipping line B, you off hire A’s box and collect B’s box at a storage depot in the Midlands. They are strategically placed around the UK and near the railheads and ports, Hauliers have the opportunity to change which depot the empty boxes go to as long as the shippers are happy with it.
Don’t think you will get a look in with the shipping lines unless you’ve got 50 vehicles or more, they deal in volume and can’t be bothered with Hauliers in ones and two’s. The big Hauliers from Felixstowe have the job sewn up, if you want to do containers you’ll end up subbing for them.
Good luck mate.
Not strictly true. Agree with your comments regarding pulling direct for the lines.
That’s not the whole story though.
Talk to the agents. Merchant haulage is the way forward for small professional outfits.
I d apologize, what agents and merchant haulage do you mean?
Ues, i am green…
Priest:
I d apologize, what agents and merchant haulage do you mean?Ues, i am green…
Merchant Haulage is carrying the container for the freight forwarding agent rather than the shipping line as a preferred Hauliers.
Shipping line may have a contract with say Maritime but the agent may think Maritime are unreliable so they can nominate their own Hauliers and as it’s they who pays the bill the shipping lines accommodate this.
They are many Freight forwarding agents good and bad.
That makes sense, however how can you tell the difference between a good or bad freight forwarder? or is it just trail and error
hubman:
That makes sense, however how can you tell the difference between a good or bad freight forwarder? or is it just trail and error
Terminology varies around the country.
In my view;
A clearing house = A haulier with no lorries of their own who subcontracts to owner drivers and small Hauliers. Leaches IMHO. Often undercut legitimate hauliers to win business.
Freight forwarders/shipping agents = deal with the actual importer or exporter of the goods and arrange the whole or part of the process of moving goods, in this case containers. They choose which shipping line to use for their customers goods and which hauliers.
I could publish my list of contacts on here. Wouldn’t be very wise of me though.
It depends how in depth you choose to go as to whether you wish to duck n dive. Not everyone’s cup of tea, as I’m often reminded.
Goaty PM sent
hubman:
Goaty PM sent
Nothing yet. Don’t come on here much anymore so no offence if I don’t get back to you straight away.
resent
Finally managed to get the messages to work.
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