Why is it necessary to track shipping containers?
If you work for a shipping line or a company that exports goods overseas, you’re probably all too familiar with what happens when a set of shipping containers goes “black” after leaving port. One or more containers that were meant to be on the ship aren’t, and by the time you find out, there’s nothing you can do about it. Alternatively, a shipping container may be offloaded at the incorrect port, causing a several-month delay in delivery.
The shipping process is full of uncertainties. Most shipping containers could previously only be traced using papers and barcodes that were scanned and entered into logistics management systems. However, that approach does not reveal the entire picture.
The Internet of Things is used to track the Shipping Containers
Traditional approach can’t tell you if a shipping container is on a ship or in a depot at any specific time, and it can’t tell you when it started travelling or when it arrived at its destination. And that’s where shipping container tracking comes in. Internet of Things (IoT) technology enables shipping container tracking, which fills in the gaps where barcode scanning falls short. It can keep track of your containers at all times and offer you with real-time storage and transportation information.
How Ship Container Tracking is Done?
More than anything, ship container tracking is a must have. With technological advancements, it is now possible for most firms to know the exact location of their ship at all times and to tell their consumers.
Container tracking systems aren’t particularly complicated or time-consuming. The goal is to maintain constant contact with the container. The majority of cargo container tracking is done via remote satellite systems that retrieve satellite pictures of a ship container at any given time, and then those images are transmitted to the base station. This is a common technique for tracking ship containers through satellite, which is simple to use and accessible from anywhere.
It is also possible to use GPS tracking systems, such as those found in most automobiles. Someone can remotely track the exact location of a ship using simple equipment that can be simply mounted on the cargo container itself. This makes tracking ship containers with this software a lot easier.
Many corporations, on the other hand, now offer their own personal container tracking systems, allowing them to track the exact location of their fleet’s ships at any time. This can be done in a variety of ways, including via the internet, a GPS tracking system, or satellite imaging. Customers are also informed of the whereabouts of their product via a freight tracking system that best meets their needs. You may find out where your cargo container is on the online, or you can be notified via phone or email.
However, if a corporation does not provide notification of your package’s actual location, they may provide such information on their websites. You can also go to a website that works primarily in tracking ship containers. Simply enter the cargo ship’s name and number, and you’ll be able to see the ship’s exact location. These freight container tracking systems rely on satellite access as well. An effective freight monitoring system can be a tremendous benefit for any business, since it can bring a great deal of comfort to customers while their packages are being shipped.
Everything is now available, from mobile updates on the container’s location to real-time ship watching via satellite imaging. These advances in cargo container tracking technologies have made package delivery less stressful.
The components of IoT Shipping Container tracking solutions
The three components of shipping container tracking technology are sensors, communication, and applications.
- Sensors: You may track the location and condition of your containers and their contents using sensors incorporated in tracking devices fitted to container exteriors and/or interiors.
- Communication: Data transmission from tracking devices to the cloud needs network connectivity, which is particularly difficult at sea, via cellular or satellite technologies.
- Applications: These are software that allows businesses to access real-time or on-demand location and condition data saved in the cloud.
These three elements are combined in various ways by different tracking technologies. Do you need to know exactly where the container is on the ship, or just confirm its presence? The solution you pick should offer you the kind of data you need at the proper price.
Want to learn more about how Loginno can assist your company with shipping container tracking?
Talk to us if you’re looking for a reliable, low-cost tracking solution as well as a partner who can guide you through the difficulties of shipping container tracking. We’re always delighted to answer questions concerning container tracking and the IoT technology.
We’ve assisted a number of firms in implementing IoT tracking in a way that meets their objectives and budgets, and we can do the same for you.