Weight restrictions in shipping from Japan – Janbox Express

884
weight restrictions in logistics

Currently, container transportation is the most common and widely used kind of transportation. It allows you to transfer items across continents across large distances. Containers may be transported in a variety of ways, which is typically quite easy and cost-effective for importers. Containers are united all over the world, which means they have the same size and weight constraints, allowing the logistics process to follow the same patterns all over the world. However, we should concentrate on the weight restrictions in transport and logistics that apply to certain modes of transportation. We’ve listed several transportation weight constraints from Japan below.

I. Weight restrictions in transport and logistics

In recent years, cross-border freight transportation has grown substantially. There are a lot of ways to transit goods around the world. However, the sea and air are the two most prevalent ways of transportation. They do, however, have some limits, most notably a weight limit.

1. Sea transport

Sea transport has medium fixed costs (ships and equipment on board) and low variable costs (because of its capacity to move huge volumes of products, it benefits from economies of scale), making it the most cost-effective mode of transportation (1/6 the cost of air freight). On medium and long routes, it’s ideal for heavy, perishable, low-value items (building materials, coal, rubber) and loose goods (coffee, rice).

Waterways, on the other hand, offer drawbacks like as sluggish speeds, weather extremes, and restricted transit options (depending on the network of rivers and wharves). Water transport is particularly essential in Japan or Central European areas, which are blessed with an interconnected network of waterways and a superb man-made port system, ships, and locations that are conveniently accessible to large population centers.

20-feet-container-capacity-in-tons

This is once again the dominating way of international commercial transportation, especially now that there are enormous, sophisticated ships capable of mastering nature to some extent. Waterways are currently used to transport more than half of the value in money and 90% of the volume of commodities exchanged globally.

Sea transport is also the most cost-effective and comfortable mode of transportation. The container is selected based on the load’s weight and capacity. A firm often exports and produces items in quantities that are appropriate for the container type. The maximum load weight per container is 20-24 tons. From July 1, 2016, each container carried on a ship must have a certified weight of the load, according to the SOLAS Convention. 

2. Air transport

Airway has both high fixed and variable costs (aircraft, operational systems, fuel, labor, and warranty repairs). It has the fastest speed and the best cargo safety. Still, due to its expensive cost, it is typically only ideal for perishable, small, and high-value commodities, especially when urgent transportation is required.

The service is generally flexible, has high mobility, and can swiftly satisfy the transportation demands of commodities in terms of delivery time, volume, and the number of flights on a route. The advantage of air transportation over other modes of transportation throughout the voyage, especially over large distances, is its better speed. Air freight delivers over 20% of the total value of items in international trade.

weight-restrictions-in-transport

Weight restrictions in transport and logistics

Air cargo is no longer constrained by difficult and time-consuming procedures for inspecting products and documentation, in addition to hefty freight prices. Only airports have good accessibility. Furthermore, the cargo capacity and weight of the aircraft limit the transport volume.

Air transportation has limitations that are generally connected to the plane’s size. The height is limited to 158 cm since part of the products are conveyed by passenger flights. Freighter aircraft are used to transport products that are taller than 158 cm. There are also customized orders, such as charter planes, which are used to transport large steel structures that require a specific plane. 

The parcel’s size, which must fit in a carry-on bag, is a constraint. Cartons, loose boxes with a maximum weight of 100 kg, and pallets with dimensions of 120 x 80 x 80 and a weight of 1000 kg are the conventional specifications for air shipments.

>>Read more: What are BAF and CAF in shipping?

II. Things to avoid overload goods during international shipping 

Experts suggest that various synchronized solutions are needed to handle the overflow of items while carrying through the aforesaid forms of transportation. It is therefore important to expand the area outside the port for port operations and logistical services. Invest in the construction of competent logistics centers that can handle assignments promptly.

In reality, in order to prevent long lines at ports and airports, parking spaces near ports for trucks must be established to enable nighttime port operations, enhancing port usage and reducing congestion. Increase the number of lanes at the gate and the number of parking places in front of the gate to assist decrease congestion quickly and with little cost.

weight-restrictions-in-transport-and-logistics

The most pressing need is to use technological solutions, such as data mining tools, to help improve managerial efficiency. The arrangement of optical character recognition (OCR) equipment and RFID readers, in particular. Installing an OCR device with an RFID reader at the gate will save processing time at the gate by automatically recognizing truck license plates, container numbers, and container damage. Instead of antiquated facilities, contemporary technical methods should be used. The number of jobs and items to be addressed will grow from there, maintaining steady goods movement.

Installing cameras to transmit real-time video images of traffic conditions on roads leading to the port will help transport companies know traffic conditions and adjust vehicle schedules to avoid congestion on the way to the port, reduce queues at the gate as well as reduce traffic on the roads leading to the port.

Conclusion

Logistics operations, from manufacturing to consumption, are becoming increasingly crucial in the overall growth of the Japanese economy in the 4.0 age. This will be a chance for Japan’s logistics to expand while also encouraging the country’s imports and exports. Aside from the tremendous potential, there will be other hurdles and constraints, particularly with regard to the weight restrictions in transport.