When you hire a cargo service to ship your goods, one of the factors you need to consider is how they will load up your goods for the shipping process. Many shipping cargo companies only offer one loading option, whereas a few shipping companies will allow you multiple loading options. You want to choose a cargo company that has the type of loading option that works best for your business.

#1 Live Loading

With a live loading service, the cargo shipping company will have a container delivered to your business. You will then have a pre-determined amount of time to pack up the shipping container at your business location. You are given a couple of hours to pack up the container.

Make sure the loading period gives you enough time to pack up the container. You need to have a team who can quickly pack up the container and who is experienced with loading a container to keep your items safe. With this method, it is up to you to pack the container in a safe manner and get that done quickly.

Once they pick up the container, they will then seal it up and take it directly to the docks to ship the container.

#2 Drop and Pull

Drop and pull is kind of like live loading, expect you are given more time to pack up the container. With this type of agreement, the container is delivered to your business and then you have a predetermined amount of days to pack up the container. The container will be picked up on a pre-determined day.

This is great if you need some time to get the product ready or you don't have a big team to help you pack up your product quickly. The drop and pull method gives you more time to pack the container and ensure that all the goods are safe before the container is picked up for the shipping process.

#3 Warehouse Loading

The third option is warehouse loading. With warehouse loading, you deliver all the goods that you need to pack to the shipping companies' warehouse. You can deliver all the goods at once or in multiple drop-offs. Once all the goods are delivered, the shipping company will take over and make sure that everything is properly packed, and they will pack up the shipping container for you. You just have to get them your goods and they will take care of the actual packing process.

Which option works best depends on your business model. Live loading is great if you a have a team that could quickly and safely pack a shipping container. Drop and pull is great if you want to pack the container yourself but need a little more time. Warehouse loading takes the stress of safely packing up the container and moves that responsibility to the shipping company. For more information on options available in your area check out places like Transportation Brokerage Services.