How to Purchase a Shipping Container

Written by: Port Containers

Shipping anything across the country or overseas can be an expensive operation. If you’re moving an office or just relocating your stock to sell to more customers, there is a lot of pressure to control costs so that your overhead doesn’t suffer. One method used by shipping companies is to purchase a used storage container for sale, but there are other concerns when buying a container besides price.

New or Used?

A used container will have some visual dings that may hurt the attractiveness of the container, but if branding is not a concern then the cost savings may be worth it. With new containers, there is the option down the road to sell the container and recoup some of the potential losses from the purchase in the first place. Used containers may also be dependent on supply, but new containers have a number of benefits that make the cost worth it.

Measure Everything

Before you make a purchase, you need to be sure that you’re looking at the proper sized container for what you need. That includes measuring the height of the items you plan to ship. You should be willing to do some creative packing as well, so you can maximize all of the extra space in your cargo containers.

Decide on Upgrades

When you purchase a container, there are a number of upgrades you should consider dependent on your needs. Long term storage on-site, like a retail location or construction site, might require a lock box. You can weld these boxes to your container to cut down on potential breaches from crowbars and saws. You may also want a refrigerator unit, or something insulated so that your stock will stay fresh. There are also other upgrades that relate to accessibility, like doors on the side or openings at the top.

Assess the Site

The container you need will also depend on the site. For instance, a retail location in California might be able to store a flat rack container with no top, because the elements are less of a concern than a container on a barge. Be sure that you understand the elements you will be dealing with during the storage period.

Deliver the Shipment

You might be tempted to use a series of crates to coordinate a move or shipment, but this can be a waste of resources. Think about what you can carry, and how much you need. A shipping container on a flat bed can carry as much as two moving vans full of supplies, and the accessibility upgrades mean you can be up and running faster.

The Future is Bright for Cargo Containers

By Port Containers

When you think about how far the cargo shipping industry has come in such a short period of time, it’s almost hard to believe. Even though someone might look at a ship stacked high with cargo containers, they don’t understand the immense amount of technology backing this type of operation. They don’t understand how much cargo each ISO container can hold, how much damage it can take and how it fits into an intricate system that is monitored by the companies that own it, the shipping company and those on the docks who will offload it.

It’s all this technology behind the scenes that makes the future for cargo containers about as bright as it can be. Globalization demands more and more goods as countries continue to develop. The only realistic way to get them what they need is through giant ships stacked tall with freight.

Of course, that’s not even taking into account the many technological advances that are waiting for us in the near future as well. Transferring via container is pretty smooth already, but greater forms of tech will only allow companies to do even greater work thanks to this option.

If your company needs to ship materials long distances, you should consider Port Containers. Amongst other things, the company offers intermodal containers and Sea Containers for sale. They even have used shipping containers and offer free quotes to better help your company save money and can provide you with refrigerated containers if your cargo is temperature sensitive.

Maintaining an Aircraft

Written by: Start Pac

When you own an aircraft, you have to take care of it well in order to keep it in good working order. Proper aircraft care only keeps the plan running well, and also ensures that it retains its value for sale later. Performing routine checks helps protect your investment in an aircraft, and has safety repercussions. Here are some tips you can follow to keep your aircraft in the best possible shape.

Invest in Proper Engine Maintenance

If there is one area where you want to avoid cutting corners when it comes to your aircraft’s maintenance, it is caring for the engine. Be sure to check for special service bulletins or letters related to your craft, so you can be sure to update parts as required by the manufacturer. You can’t pull into a service station when you’re mid-air over the ocean or flying across the country. You have to be able to have complete faith in your engine, which is only possible if you have it maintained properly and consistently.

Maintain Your Tires

One of the most overlooked aspects of airplane maintenance is caring for the tires. Most car tires don’t touch the ground at 80 mph, or have to contend with sub-zero temperatures. Check the treading on the tire, and be sure to read the manufacturer specifications for wear and usage. It’s especially important to conduct a visual inspection before takeoff and after landing. Also, it is a good idea to spray some tire protectant on them every three months to help keep them from cracking.

Get the Right Equipment

Make sure that you have all the proper aircraft maintenance equipment to take care of your aircraft. You should have a robust tool set, including a riveting set if possible. Basic fabric can be handy too, where a towel can be handy for inspecting whether an aircraft wing has been properly covered.

Starting Equipment

It is important to give your airplane the proper charge to get it started. If it has not been used for a while, you will need to use an airplane starting unit in order to get it started. This is especially important in climates where there is extreme warm or cold weather, which can add to the battery drainage rate.

Maintain the Exterior

Although most people who own aircraft rightly focus on maintaining their engines, it is also very important to maintain an aircraft’s exterior as well. Wash the aircraft regularly, and also be sure to wax it every three or four months to keep the exterior from rusting.

Helicopter Maintenance

If you own a helicopter, you need to make sure to take care of the rotors very well. These are just as crucial to maintain for safety as the helicopter’s engine is. In addition, a helicopter starting unit can help jump start a craft that has been sitting idle for a while.

Medicinal Plants of the Rainforests

This article was written by Samuel Phineas Upham

The Amazon rainforest is a natural habitat for many of the Earth’s plant and animal species. The forest canopy in the Amazon is one of the most densely populated regions on the planet, but there is more to cherish than just the plant life. Without these forests, we would be without many important cures that our society relies on.

Quinine

This naturally white, crystalline alkaloid is useful as an anti-inflammatory and a fever reducer. Thus, quinine is an important part of the treatment regiment for diseases like malaria. It’s easy to synthesize in labs, and is widely distributed in impoverished nations because it is so cheap to produce.

Curare Lianis

There is a poisonous tree in Latin America with a bark that has incredible healing properties. Scientists have synthesized alkaloid d-turbocuarine, and used this medication to treat multiple sclerosis. Aside from treating muscular disorders, including Parkinson’s disease, the alkaloid also helps anesthetize patients for tonsillectomies and abdominal surgery.

Rosy Periwinkle

The rosy periwinkle from Madagascar is useful as an anti-tumor agent. One of these agents has a ninety-nine percent success rate against tumors resulting in lymphocytic leukemia. The other agent offers a fifty-eight percent chance at remission in patients suffering from Hodgkin’s disease. This plant generates over $160 million in drug sales from use of its derivatives.

Wild Yams

Wild yams from Mexico, up until recently, were the only source of diosgenin and cortisone. These are the active ingredients in birth-control pills.

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About the Author: Samuel Phineas Upham is an investor at a family office/hedgefund, where he focuses on special situation illiquid investing. Before this position, Samuel Phineas Upham was working at Morgan Stanley in the Media & Technology group. You may contact Samuel Phineas Upham on his Samuel Phineas Upham website.