Container drayage is an important part of the supply chain, both locally and globally. Container drayage is often referred to as “short haul” because it refers to the transportation of shipping containers, typically between a port and a local warehouse or distribution center. But it can be a crucial part of the global supply chain, being the first domestic business to welcome international goods from overseas.
Shipping containers – 20 feet, 40 feet and 45 feet in length – were first invented in 1956. Before then, goods and cargo were manually loaded onto cargo ships in irregularly shaped vessels… canvas sacks, wooden barrels and wooden shipping crates of all shapes and sizes. The creation of a standard-sized shipping container that could be loaded and unloaded with machinery revolutionized shipping and global trade, allowing for safe, efficient transport of goods by sea. Shipping containers can be easily loaded into different modes of transportation – referred to as intermodal transportation – from ships to trucks. From trucks to trains. From trucks to other trucks. This is where container drayage comes in.
When a cargo ship arrives at its destination, the containers are unloaded by a crane – a process that can take a few days due to the quantity of containers on board. Then, each one of those containers must be transported out of the shipyard, somewhere else – and it must be done quickly to make room for the next ship to come in. Container drayage companies like US Fly Freight transport the containers by truck within a certain service area – where they will continue on the next phase of their journey, whether that’s by rail or by truck to a warehouse.
Drayage closes the gap between the container arriving at port and its final destination. Think of container drayage as the “welcome committee” for international goods coming from overseas. It’s the first part of the supply chain, once the container reaches the US and arrives on terra firma.
This is why safe, reliable container drayage is a critical part of the global supply chain, allowing for the efficient movement of goods and materials across international borders. By working with experienced and reliable drayage companies, businesses can ensure that their containers are transported safely and efficiently, helping to reduce costs and improve the efficiency of their supply chain.
