#grain transloading operations

Shipping containers not only need to be seaworthy for transporting across the waters, but they also need to be clean and dry for transporting food products like grain and special crops. A limited number of containers are available for shipping, so most of them are reused. Therefore, it’s unlikely that a container will have the same cargo each time. Cleaning up after each use ensures that containers are ready to go when the cargo is. Logistics services are complex, and it is worth investing in a reliable provider that will meticulously clean containers for transloading. 

Why Is Cleaning Important to Transloading? 

Modern logistics services can be quite complex. It’s not enough to simply find the quickest path from the farm to the user.  Whether you’re shipping goods around Canada or globally, it’s crucial to find the most efficient shipping methods that are cost-effective, sustainable, and fast. Depending on the point of origin and destination, you may need to use trains, trucks, or ships. Here are some terms to understand within logistics to help you find the best solutions for your needs. 

What Is Transloading?

Transloading is a specialized activity in the logistics industry whereby the product being shipped is transferred between means of conveyances. Here is a typical example involving the movement of commercial grains and crops: 

Grain is loaded into a railcar in Saskatchewan. 

The railcar takes the grain to a transload facility in Vancouver. 

The facility transfers the grain to an ocean container to be trucked to the port.

The port receives the container and is loaded onto a vessel. 

The container makes the trip across the water to its final destination. 

If required, the container is transferred onto another truck for final delivery to the end user.

Transloading can help bridge the gap in places where rail service is unavailable or more efficient methods of transportation can be exploited, but it has many other benefits for shippers and their customers. 

Canada may not be the world’s largest exporter of wheat, but Canada does supply 12% of the world’s market. Over 70 countries rely on wheat exports from Canada. In 2020, The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations ranked Canada as the world’s #5 producer of wheat, following China, India, The Russian Federation, and the United States. 

Demand for wheat and other grains and pulses currently exceeds supply, even though many countries are increasing their crop output. Farmers only benefit when the infrastructure is in place to get grains moved quickly to get to the marketplace fast. WTC Group’s logistics experts take your grains and crops from trucks and railcars to containers, intermodals, and ships, expediting loading and unloading and speeding your product to its destination. Learn more about WTC Group’s transloading process, E2E logistics services, and container terminal infrastructure that will simplify your shipping process.