Container House Shipping Process Flowchart

The shipping process for container houses can be divided into seven core stages: booking, issuing the shipping order, empty container allocation, loading and inspection, cargo handover and bill of lading, loading and transportation, and destination port operations. Details are as follows:

1. Booking
The shipper needs to determine key information in advance, such as the shipping date, quantity of container houses, and destination, and submit a booking application to the shipping company or freight forwarder. In this stage, the mode of transportation (full container load or less-than-container load) needs to be clarified to facilitate the connection of subsequent processes.

2. Issuing the Shipping Order
After confirming the booking, the shipping company will issue a shipping order (S/O) and send it simultaneously to the container yard and freight station. The shipping order serves as the basis for arranging empty container allocation and cargo handover, and it is essential to ensure the accuracy of the information.

3. Empty Container Allocation

• Full Container Load: The shipping company delivers the empty container to the location designated by the shipper according to the shipping order, or the shipper can pick up the container by itself.
• Less-Than-Container Load: The empty containers are collected uniformly by the freight station for centralized loading.
  In this stage, it is necessary to check the structural integrity of the container to avoid damage to the goods due to container damage.

4. Loading and Inspection

• Less-Than-Container Load: After the shipper completes the loading, the container is transported to the container yard. The yard checks the cargo information against the booking note and packing list and issues a dock receipt (D/R) after acceptance.
• Full Container Load: After the freight station receives and checks the goods, it sorts them by category and loads them into the container at the station, then issues a dock receipt.
  Key Operations: It is necessary to strictly check the packing list, container number, and seal number, ensure that the inside of the container is dry and odorless, lock the door and apply a seal after loading, and ensure transportation safety.

5. Cargo Handover and Bill of Lading
The dock receipt (D/R) serves as proof of the shipper's delivery and the shipping company's receipt. The shipper exchanges this document with the shipping company for a bill of lading (B/L). If an on-board bill of lading (On Board B/L) is required, it can only be obtained after the container is actually loaded onto the ship. The bill of lading is proof of ownership of the goods and should be kept safely.

6. Loading and Transportation
The container yard completes the loading operation according to the ship's stowage plan. During transportation, the shipping company needs to track the status of the goods through the system to ensure they arrive at the destination port on time. In case of severe weather or emergencies, the transportation plan should be adjusted in a timely manner and relevant parties should be notified.

7. Destination Port Operations

• Unloading and Delivery: After the container arrives at the destination port, the container yard or freight station is responsible for unloading the goods and transporting them to the designated warehouse or customer location as required by the contract.
• Settlement of Fees: According to the transportation contract, the settlement of freight, storage fees, and other fees is completed.

Additional Notes:

• Special attention should be paid to the accuracy of documents (such as packing lists and seal numbers) during the process to avoid customs clearance delays caused by incorrect information.
• As special goods, container houses require the preparation of customs declaration documents (such as packing lists and commercial invoices) in advance and must comply with the import standards of the destination country.
• The actual process may vary depending on the region, mode of transportation, or nature of the goods (such as full container load/less-than-container load). It is recommended to confirm the details with the freight forwarder before shipping.