Floor-Loaded

Floor-loading ocean containers lets brands fit more units per box and lowers freight cost per unit. The tradeoff is higher receiving fees, since 3PLs usually charge per carton or by container to unload and palletize.

Is it better to floor-load or palletize an ocean container?

Floor-loading usually fits more cartons and lowers freight cost per unit, but unloading takes longer and costs more at the warehouse. Palletized loads unload faster and cut receiving labor, so compare the freight savings against your 3PL's devanning fees.

• PalletA flat transport platform, typically 48 × 40 inches in the US, on which goods are stacked for handling by forklift.
• Full Container LoadAn ocean shipment that fills, or is booked as, an entire container for one shipper.
• ReceivingThe warehouse process of unloading inbound shipments, checking them against the purchase order or ASN, and recording the inventory.
• Dock-to-Stock TimeThe time between a shipment arriving at the warehouse dock and its inventory being available to sell.