Category Archives: Freight Articles

When shipping goods from A to B it is important to fully understand the ISO container dimensions used for standard and open top containers. Transporting your goods from A to B safely and securely, is what John Pipe International have been successfully doing for over 60 years. Whether its’ air, land, sea or specialist freight, you’re guaranteed to find the right service here. Read through this article to see our sizing options and to understand the ISO container dimensions we use.

So – you know the methods of transportation service John Pipe International uses to transit your goods, but how about the packaging of the goods itself?

To put it simply, we offer tailor-made packing solutions based on regulatory ISO container dimensions that are carefully designed and constructed to uniquely fit your requirements and specifications. Just as we are as a company ‘big enough to cope, small enough to care’ – no package is too big or too small for us to carefully package your goods for safety during transit.

Below is a standard guide on our ISO container dimensions and sizes – but don’t forget that our services are not limited to this, we can tailor any size, for any package.

Standard Container Dimensions By Type

Container sizes can come in a variety of sizes, with 20’ and 40’ being the most common standard container sizes, with internal widths of 7’9” as standard, and in heights of 7’10” – a high cube will have an additional foot to be 8’10”. 

Similarly, our Open Top & Flat Rack containers offer these same standard width sizes, with a unique lid design.

ISO Container Dimensions

We Know You’re not all the Same.

Whether you are a small, independent company with small, lightweight exports, or you are a large scale global brand with exports that require extra details – we’ve got it covered.

That’s why our packing service isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach. Our case making services allow the design to be bespoke to your product, mode of transport and budget. Every wooden case is made-to-measure, expertly designed for your shipment. While we never take a risk with safety, we’ll always be on hand to give advice about the best solution for your business.

What is Case Making?

It is the ultimate protection.

When it comes to your goods, our aim is to make export packing and freight forwarding as simple as possible, so we offer all of the services you’ll need under one roof.

While foil-wrapping is a fantastic way to prevent moisture getting to your goods, an exterior packing solution offers a further defence against the elements. Our cases ensure your export arrives at its destination safely, so you can have a peace of mind guarantee when it comes to your logistics.

To find or create a bespoke wooden case for your export, click here to get in touch.

FAQs

What are the standard sizes of ISO containers?
ISO containers come in standard sizes, with the most common being 20-foot and 40-foot lengths. These containers are typically 8 feet wide and 8 feet high, designed to facilitate easy handling and stacking for global shipping

How are ISO container measurements specified?
ISO container measurements are standardised to ensure compatibility in global transport systems. These measurements ensure that containers can be securely stacked and fit on various transportation modes like ships, trains, and trucks.

What are the dimensions of an ISO shipping container?
An ISO shipping container’s dimensions are crucial for planning load and logistics. A standard container’s dimensions are usually around 20 or 40 feet in length, 8 feet in width, and 8.5 to 9.5 feet in height, depending on whether it is a standard or high-cube container.

When it comes to getting your goods from A to B safely, it’s important to think INSIDE the box.

John Pipe International regularly handles a variety of freight and packing needs, from small polybag packing through to cartons, special contents containers, and static sensitive types. We can transport any type of cargo.

When choosing your services for export goods, you want guaranteed reliability and safety at the forefront. Our standards are up to ISO 9001 2015 quality, and we can also offer advice and packing solutions for MOD contracts with our MPAS accreditation.

The Meaning of Freight

When talking about freight in logistics, we are referring to all export goods transported in bulk. This can be done by train, truck, ship or aircraft. John Pipe International have over 60 years of experience providing freight services from the UK. We can manage your project from start to finish and ensure it arrives safely at its destination.

While the term refers to the bulk of export goods being transported, the meaning of freight can differ depending on the mode of transport chosen. You can choose to transport your goods by air, land or sea. Each mode of freight transport has its own benefits, some of which are listed below.

So what are the different types of freight options to choose from at John Pipe International?

Air Freight

Air freight is the term used to describe the transportation of bulk export goods by aircraft. It is regarded as the fastest and most reliable way to get your export to its destination. Air travel gives you access to almost every destination across the globe, making it easy to get your export goods where they need to be.

If your export goods require urgency in its transportation time-scale, air freight is the option to choose as it is the fastest and most reliable mode of transport. So if you’re an exporter who likes things done diligently, air freighting is for you.  

With this, it does make it the most costly mode of transport. Our team can provide you with a quote for your air freight project or find a solution to work with your budget.

Advantages of Air Freight

We’ve covered that air freight is renowned for its speed, allowing you to reach any point in the world quicker than any other mode of freight transport, but what else might you opt for air freight for?

• Flexibility: The flexible schedules and dates air freight provides allows any export goods to reach its destination efficiently.

• Loading Capacity: In comparison to maritime transport (sea freight), air freight is more limited. However, it still offers the ability to transport a number of export goods ranging from small to large in their size.

• Border Access: With air freight, there are less physical barriers in comparison to the other modes of transport.

• Cargo: Air freight offers the ideal way to transport goods that might be of high value or fragile, with its security and safety. In addition, temperature control is a factor air freight offers to ensure specific temperature control if necessary.

John Pipe International have over 60 years of experience delivering export packing as well as land, sea and air freight. With experience comes insight, so we have created this guide to air freight which aims to help you understand the process of air freight and make your logistics straightforward.

Air freight is the fastest shipping method, making it a popular choice for international exporters. It is also seen as a reliable mode of transport as airlines tend to monitor their schedules closely, however, adverse weather conditions can cause delays or bring air traffic to a complete halt.

If you are looking into a solution for your international shipping, air freight will have likely crossed your mind. We would always recommend talking to an export specialist before reaching a decision but we’ve answered most of the questions we get asked about air freight in this guide to get you started.

What is Air Freight?

Lots of people ask us what air freight is. You’ll be relieved to hear it’s not as scary as it sounds! The meaning of air freight is simply ‘to transport bulk goods by air travel’. This means that your exports will travel to their destination as cargo on an aircraft – often a fast and reliable service.

If your business takes international orders, you will need to send goods overseas. You can choose whether the export travels by land, sea or air. Each mode of freight have their own advantages and disadvantages so it is worth looking into your options.

What is Air Cargo?

Sometimes, air freight companies use these terms interchangeably. While air freight refers specifically to large exports, air cargo refers to any property that is going to be carried on an aircraft. This includes:

• Air freight
• Air Express
• Airmail

6 Advantages of Air Freight – Guide to Air Freight

In this guide to air freight, we will look at the advantages and disadvantages of air freight to help you make an informed decision.

1. Speed

Air freight is well-established as the fastest mode of transport when exporting goods to an overseas destination. This is why it is often the first choice for any exporter with urgent requirements.

Many business owners have to meet strict deadlines and ensure their goods arrive at the destination by a certain time. If your cargo is under time pressure, air freight is the best option for you. The speed of air travel cannot be compared to that of sea or land travel.

2. Reliability

Airlines are meticulous about scheduling flights. The arrival and departure times of your air freight are usually very reliable. This allows you to give accurate information to the receiver of your goods.

Another advantage of air freight is its frequency. Even in cases where a flight has been missed or cancelled, we can usually get your export on the next aircraft. Although this could add hours of delay, it is much better than the days you could have to wait if this problem occurred with sea freight.

3. Access to Almost Any Destination

The top air freight providers have a network of destinations that spans most of the globe. Although it’s common to send air freight from China to the UK or vice versa, this mode of transport gives you access to thousands of destinations across the world. We’ve even hired an entire Russian Illushiun 76 to get machinery to Detroit, USA from London Stansted.

4. Low Insurance Premium

As air freight offers a lower transportation time than sea or land freight, the insurance premium will be lower for this mode of transport. If your goods are spending less time travelling, there is less chance of anything being lost, stolen or damaged. This can be a huge saving to factor into your budget.

5. Air Freight Tracking

One of the reasons our customers love air freight is the detailed tracking that is available. As well as accurate departure and arrival times, you can monitor flight paths to check that your cargo is en route and keep your customers informed.

As the urgency of air freight often makes it a stressful process, tracking can help to give you and your customers peace of mind. John Pipe International offers a door-to-door service that allows you to track your air freight throughout its journey.

6. Reduced Damage Risk

Airport safety measures over cargo are tightly managed, meaning air freight is often the safest and most secure mode of transport for your goods. The speed of delivery and less human intervention also means there is less chance of theft, damage or loss. This is another reason why air freight is usually the mode of choice when high-value goods are concerned.

3 Disadvantages of Air Freight – Guide to Air Freight

1. Cost

With so many advantages, it can’t come as a surprise to find out that air freight is the most costly mode of transport for your international exports. Often, air freight rates are so high that exporters won’t use this service for low-value shipments.

On the other hand, you do benefit from a lower insurance premium and less packaging is required. This means you will save money in other areas. It’s also worth reminding you that the damage risk is reduced so there is less chance you will have to replace or repair damaged cargo.

2. Smaller Carrying Capacity

An aircraft has a limited carrying capacity which means air freight is often not a suitable option for international shippers exporting bulky or voluminous goods. The maximum cargo dimensions for standard air freight are 2.44 x 3.15m.

3. Air Travel is Unpredictable 

Although the airlines provide you with a detailed flight departure and arrival schedule, there are several reasons your cargo could be delayed. To make matters worse, these reasons are often unpredictable and out of anyone’s control.

Air travel can be halted in adverse weather conditions, so it’s best to keep an eye on the forecasts and have a backup option ready in extreme conditions.

Calculating the Cost of Your Air Freight

Air freight costs are calculated using the weight or volumetric weight (depending on which is larger) of your cargo. To obtain the volumetric weight of your goods, the air shipping rule of thumb is to multiply the item’s volume in cubic metres by 167.

The costs are seasonal, increasing when demand reaches its peak. The cost will also vary depending on the arrival destination and the distance your air cargo is travelling. For example, air freight costs from China to the USA range from $2.50 to $5.00 per kilogram.

The best way to obtain an accurate quote for your air freight is to measure the dimensions and weight of your cargo and get in touch with our team for a quote.

Choosing the Right Air Freight Company

Of course, the decision is down to you. Many air freight companies can get your goods to an international destination. The more information you have about a company the easier it will be to make the decision.

One of the most important factors to take into consideration is experience. The more experience a company has providing air freight services, the smoother the process will be. John Pipe International has over 60 years of experience in the industry. During that time, we have built relationships with all of the major airlines and do our best to get your export on the next available flight.

Looking into an air freight companies experience will also tell you whether they have the skills and expertise required to manage your load. While some exports are simple, others require additional documentation or extra precautions at the packing stage. John Pipe International works closely with the MoD packing and freighting dangerous goods, defence exports and aerospace exports.

Once you understand the service, it’s important to find an air freight company that can handle your project from start to finish. Whether you need a door-to-door service or detailed air freight tracking, our team is here to help. We hope this Guide to Air Freight has helped.

Get in touch for a same-day callback and to receive your quote.

For the answers to these questions and more please get in touch

• How to collect cargo from airport?
• Air cargo rules and regulations?
• Air freight uplift meaning?
• What about air freight containers?
• What is freight forwarder air freight?
• What is air freight supply chain?
• lbc air cargo prohibited items?
• How do you do air freight?
• How do I get air freight cargo?
• What is the difference between air cargo and air freight?
• How do you handle air cargo?

FAQs

What services do freight forwarders provide?
Freight forwarder services encompass arranging the transport and management of goods across international borders. This includes handling all logistics, such as documentation, customs clearance, warehousing, and negotiating freight charges.

What should I look for in a freight forwarding guide?
A comprehensive freight forwarding guide should offer insights into choosing a reliable forwarder, understanding common shipping terms, and navigating the complexities of global trade regulations.

What is important to know from an air cargo guide?
An air cargo guide should detail the procedures for shipping goods by air, including packaging requirements, security regulations, and tips on optimising costs and transit times.