From There to Here.
Every day, thousands of containers arrive at seaports from countries all around the world. They are carried aboard liner ships, which offer regularly scheduled service on fixed routes - much like a bus or train service does. Each shipment represents a specific supply chain, whether it is patio furniture from Thailand bound for a Milan retailer, avocados from Chile destined for a supermarket in Berlin, or - as shown below - shoes shipped from China to an athletic supply store in Europe or North America.
Every supply chain is unique and involves the timely and accurate transfer of goods between various modes of transport. Goods transported by ocean containers on liner ships is placed into the container at the factory, farm or at other locations where they are produced or stored. The container is locked and sealed so the goods remain safely secured inside the container and transported with unprecedented efficiency until it arrives at the purchasers’ warehouse, factory, or store. For this reason, more than 50 percent of the value of goods moved internationally by sea is now moving in containers on liner ships.
