All You Need to Know About Online Container Booking

Booking a container for every freight shipment is a hectic task for every trader, especially during rush hours! While most of the traders find it confusing to decide the type of shipping container, booking the same on time has a significant role to play in a freight shipment. But the procedure is not as simple as it sounds. Judging the right and beneficial requirement, finding a shipping container at a reasonable rate and acquiring all the related services require a lot of effort. To reduce the burden of the traders, carriers and freight forwarders have started the online container booking facility. Here is everything you must know about this system and its benefits.

The Indian trade market has quite a few names who offer end-to-end shipping facilities. Traders do not have to rush from one carrier to another as everything is available under one banner. So, all you have to do is find your preferred shipping partner in the industry who will share your burden. Online booking is also one of the facilities that you can avail from these service providers. To make the most of this service, know more about online container booking here. Let us understand how it works and how you can use it to your advantage.

There are only a few shipping container providers in the international shipping market.

How To Book Shipping Containers Online?

You must have been thinking of how the online container booking system works? Well, just like any other trader, you will have two options to book your preferred container! The first is the official portal of the container company that you choose. The second option comes with a lot of other facilities as it is the online portal of shipping service providers!

You may choose any of the two as per your preference, but most traders report the latter to be more convenient than the former option. Let us look at the steps you must follow to start booking shipping containers online.

Container Booking Using Official Website

You can choose the official website of the companies which offer containers worldwide. Follow a few simple steps to get your preferred shipping container at the right time.

• Go to the official website of the container you want to book. For instance, if you want to book CMA-CGM containers, you must visit its official website.
• Click on the book container portal.
• Choose the type of container you want to book. So, you have to choose between FCL (Full Container Load) and LCL (Less than Container Load).
• Fill in the technical requirements like the size of the container, the shipping route, and so on.
• Enter the B/L (Bill of Lading) requirements to explain the shipping process and details.
• Finalise all the given details and confirm the booking to get your container at the port of shipment.

This online container booking process is quite complicated as the websites do not have a specific purpose. So, you may not always get the right statistics and availability. The best option is to opt for a more channelised and dedicated portal.

Container Booking Through Shipping Service Providers

You will find it the most convenient and easiest way of online container booking if you end up choosing the right platform. There are several options in the market, but you must go through a detailed analysis to choose the best.

• Visit the official website of the shipping service provider of your choice.
• Click on the container booking toggle and fill in your requirements.
• Choose the type of container and the brand to check the availability. You will get the updates of all the prevailing freight rates in a single dashboard. Go through the details carefully to make the right choice.
• Click on check out and enter the B/L requirements as instructed on the web page.
• Go through the payment policy and complete the online payment procedure.
• Get your container booking confirmation in a few minutes.

Precautions While Booking Container Online

• Choose the right type of container as you may not get the opportunity to cancel the booking at the last moment.
• Booking through a reliable shipping partner will give you additional facilities like choosing your preferred space in LCL container bookings.
• Freight rates keep fluctuating, and you would not get the same rate every day. Therefore, the best you can do is make bookings as soon as you get your shipping contract finalised.
• Go through the list of benefits offered by the shipping service providers to make the worth of your money spent. You can always stay ahead in the business by making wise choices.

Shipping containers are the protecting shield that ensures the safety of cargo. You should always prefer a secure booking portal for successful freight shipments. Although the primary concern is always regarding the type of container, a fast and secure booking also plays a vital role. Find the most competent and reliable shipping service provider to enjoy online services!