In the never-ending, 24/7 domain of global container handling, it’s become clear that flawless traceability is a real non-negotiable. The sheer volume and velocity of these movements mean that perfect precision is needed, and yet professionals consistently achieve this through an often-overlooked asset.
The impact of traceability in modern container handling
Container terminals operate at very high stakes. They’re in a state of equilibrium, in which complex ecosystems with millions of TEUs are processed every year. This operational tempo is exactly what magnifies the impact of any seemingly small hiccups in traceability. The common problem is the risk of errors from manual data entry, which can be frequent and can lead to misrouted cargo and, in the end, rework. Inaccuracies like this inevitably turn into supply chain delays and directly affect delivery schedules and customer satisfaction.
To help mitigate these pervasive risks, then, an effective identification label for industries is going to be needed. Professionals tend to rely on these specialised solutions to make sure that each container and its contents are entirely accounted for. This preempts the bottlenecks and liabilities that are inherent in less rigorous tracking.
Stringent international and domestic regulations only add to the challenge though, with detailed documentation and compliance asked of you. This becomes almost futile without solid identification, and the financial repercussions of these traceability failures are considerable when looking at both lost assets and contractual penalties.
Features of an industrial identification label
Off-the-shelf labels are going to fail when subjected to the sorts of extreme conditions that are prevalent in container handling. Professional standards, unsurprisingly, demand industrial-grade solutions engineered for survivability and to remain readable.
The components of these identification labels begin with advanced substrate materials. There are a few options, like high-durability polyester, chemical-resistant vinyl and temperature-stable polyimide. These have a certain resilience to abrasion, and even under prolonged UV exposure remain unfaded, as well as repelling moisture and contact with aggressive chemicals like fuels or cleaning solvents.
Equally important is going to be the adhesives, as they act to create bonds on a broad range of container surfaces like painted metal and powder-coated finishes. These adhesives must of course resist delamination despite the extreme temperature cycling. In a short period of time, it can go from dry sub-zero to direct subtropical sun exposure. Extreme-condition testing is what validates label performance against factors like salt spray corrosion and high humidity, but longevity is also tested.
Transforming container handling use cases
The practical applications of durable identification labels are what deliver improved efficiencies in many container handling scenarios. It’s not just in managing fleets of empty containers, but durable labels with unique identifiers help with fast status tracking and optimising repositioning.
In real-time cargo tracking, barcoded or RFID-enabled labels are the endpoints of the entire infrastructure. They’re scanned at key logistical nodes, like gate entry, discharge and crane, so they’re needed for JIT (Just-In-Time) supply chains and Estimated Times of Arrival (ETAs).
Speed matters with inventory checks and yard audits. Industrial traceability labels need to be easily scannable and weather-resistant as to reduce the time and labour required for manual verification. Audit accuracy is an important KPI, but also in remaining compliant to regulators. The sort of information that must be tracked includes Maximum Gross Weight, handling instructions and hazardous material warnings. If they’re not legible, it’s not just noncompliant but highly dangerous, with reputational damage hanging on the line.
Operational benefits unlocked by superior traceability
Investing in superior and custom label materials is going to directly translate to measurable operational benefits, unless the labelling is already of high quality. A key advantage is simply a reduction in operational downtime. Instances of misidentified or lost containers will be reduced, and so facilities avoid the costly delays associated with search and rectification efforts.
Workplace safety isn’t only a box-ticking cost either, but a serious hedge in risk management. Reducing handling errors can help stay on the right side of compliance and safety, and this reduces risks to personnel, assets and reputation.
Finally, optimising and streamlining workflows is what can attract investment and improve dividends. Reliable label scanning can boost many KPIs, like accelerating the processing of containers from port arrival to final departure, increasing overall terminal throughput and asset utilization.
This data should be accurately captured already, before any investments into labelling, in part to see the true return on investment.
Making traceability your operational standard
The “secret” to professional-grade, flawless traceability within container handling is, therefore, no secret at all but a commitment to identification technology. Often, it’s doing the basics very well that yields consistent performance, rather than experimental implementation.
There is no replacement for purpose-built temperature-resistant labels that can withstand extreme conditions and integrate with modern data capture systems. It’s these labels that keep operations ticking and make sure downtime is kept to a minimum. You can only control the variables you can control, and labelling is very much one of them!