Shipping is the lifeblood of the global economy and shipping containers lie at the heart of it. However, an inconceivable number of containers are lost owing to several reasons. These include stormy weather, ship design, propulsion issues and how containers are lashed together on the ship.

The World Shipping Council (WSC) reported that nearly 3,000 containers were lost in the North Pacific alone between November 2020 and April 2021. These shipping containers might float incessantly or sink disrupting the aquatic ecosystem.

Impact of Lost Containers:

  • The containers lost in the sea float for three months on average. They pose a risk to navigation for smaller vessels and may obstruct the smooth flow of the other ships.
  • According to the latest study, shipping containers cause more pollution than many small nations. The degrading containers may release harmful chemicals, causing water pollution.
  • In case, the containers hold a dangerous cargo, any form of spillage will lead to unimaginable damage to the aquatic biodiversity and people consuming the water from that water body.
  • Whether the shipping containers are empty are laden with deliverable items, losing shipping containers cause revenue deprivation to the shipping company. Not only do they have to bear the loss of cargo, but also expend on retrieving the lost container.

Also, these containers get stuck amidst the sea which is out of reach of any agencies. The people living in coastal areas are at the receiving end of the pollution. The life thriving within the ocean also gets largely affected.

Smart Containers: The Digital Solution

Retrofitting the container ships becomes an unsustainable and costly affair. Thus, the manufacturing of efficient containers is an unavoidable necessity in the present era.

The modern-day solution to the menace caused by the shipping containers is replacing them with Smart Containers. These containers are equipped with an array of sensors that can collect data in real-time and pass the information to the operator. They function intelligently through a connection with a good network.

Smart Containers can track down the exact location of the container using GPS technology and can even monitor its internal environment using the sensors.

The data generated by sensors can be shared across the supply chain using IoT technologies and AI. The seamless movement of cargo will reduce its chances of getting lost. Moreover, it will alert the stakeholders if any such possibility arises. Thus, transforming into a fleet of smart containers help in efficient risk management.

It also reduces the cost incurred due to wastage by prolonging the life of the container. The better predictability about the whereabouts of the container makes it easier for the shipping company to track the cargo. Switching to smart containers isn’t only a modern-day requirement but also saves shipping companies a fortune.

In case you’re wondering how to adopt the smart containers technology, Loginno has got you covered. We offer efficient data enablers which have a fair economic cost per unit of data.

Join us in our vision of Contopia (Container + Utopia) and become a smart and sustainable shipping company!