When you are into international shipping operations - especially the kind that involves ships and ocean freight, you have to wrap your head around a lot of important terminology.
Since sea or ocean freight involves coordinating and dealing with ports around the world, shippers must learn and develop a better understanding of the jargon and process involved. That said, let us start with understanding what berthing in shipping means, and why companies dealing with ocean freight should know about it.
We will begin with the berthing meaning in shipping, and then delve deeper into the concept and its importance.
Understanding Berthing in Shipping
Berthing is a term you probably know about or have heard if you deal with ocean or sea freight in your shipping operations. You see when a cargo ship reaches a port, it has to secure a spot to park, which is also known as a berth. Berthing refers to the process of docking a ship in a designated location on the port so that cargo can be unloaded or loaded.
Berthing is a critical part of the shipping or ocean freight process and requires careful and diligent coordination between port authorities and ship operators.
Other than directly impacting the loading or unloading of cargo from the ship, the berthing process will also play a role in optimising port operations and maintaining the required safety standards.
5 Key Functions of a Berth
Before we get into the details of the process of berthing in shipping and times, we should look at some of its primary functions. After all, a shipping berth is so much more than a parking spot for your cargo ship.
1. Docking and Mooring: One of the most basic functions of a berth is allowing ships to be docked properly while the cargo operations are in progress. Having a proper berth will also help ensure stability while the ship is moored.
2. Maintenance and Cleaning: Ships need to be maintained and cleaned regularly. Generally, this process is carried out while the ship is docked at a port and requires quite a few personnel and cleaning materials. Berthing your ship makes it easier for you to load or unload staff or equipment necessary to maintain and clean it.
3. Customs and Documentation: When a ship arrives at a port, the port authorities take time to process your customs inspection and processing documentation. If the ship is docked in a berth, it is easier for them to ensure that the ship is compliant with regulations.
4. Cargo Handling: Incoming and outgoing ships need a berth for docking so that the shipping officials can effortlessly load or unload cargo on it. Securing a berth for your ship also ensures that the transfer between the port facilities and the shipping operators is as seamless as possible.
5. Cargo Storage: It is not always possible for companies to start unloading cargo as soon as the ship is docked at the port. To ensure that the goods remain safe and secure for the time being, many brands prefer to use the ship as temporary storage after it is berthed.
6 Different Types of Berths
Depending on the design, functionality and the kind of ship they can dock, berths can be classified into the following types. Each type will let you address specific operational needs and optimise efficiency for various cargo and vessel types.
Here are some of the primary types of berths every freight handler should know about:
1. Dock Berths
With the help of dock berths, ships can dock at the port to load or unload cargo. It can also be in the form of an enclosed area that extends along the shoreline. In some cases, the ‘dock’ is a term used to refer to a group of berths in the area.
2. Mooring Berths
Mooring refers to parking and anchoring your ship in deeper waters. A mooring berth refers to a dedicated space on the port wherein ships can get anchored in deeper waters. In such berths, loading or unloading of cargo is carried out using smaller boats or cranes.
3. Quay Berths
Quay berths can take the form of other kinds of berths specified in this list, however, they refer to a long berth situation along a quay or pier on the port. These berths can hold multiple ships and can be a boon for large-scale shipping operations.
4. Passenger Berths
Passenger berths are special berths designated for ships containing passengers. These berths are predominantly used by ferries and cruise ships. These berths are equipped with amenities required to ensure that passengers can embark or disembark efficiently from the ship.
5. Bulk Berths
Not all loading or unloading operations are of equal scale and some require berths to be prepared for bulk cargo shipping. This especially applies to bulk cargo like minerals and grains that are usually loaded or unloaded on a large scale. Bulk berths are specifically designed to handle such large-scale operations.
6. Container Berths
If your shipping operations are largely containerised, you can maximise the utility of container berths. Container berths are equipped with cranes and other amenities that are useful for containerised cargo operations.
5 Factors Affecting Berthing Times
As highlighted above, the berthing process can be crucial to the success and performance of your shipping operations. Berthing times refer to the time it takes for a ship to dock against a port considering all the necessary factors and conditions.
With that in mind, it is a good idea to learn more about the various factors that impact the ship berthing times:
1. Port Congestion: If there is too much traffic going in and out of the port, it can cause congestion and delay the assignment of berths for ships.
2. Vessel Size: Since larger ships require a lot of manoeuvring and can take longer to get docked, berthing a mega ship is considered complicated. Large ships can also take more time to move into the designated berth and take up a lot of space in the process.
3. Weather Conditions: Extreme weather conditions on port can sometimes mean less visibility and delayed assignment of berths. You may also be denied access to certain berths as part of safety protocols effectively reducing supply against the demand, and delaying the process.
4. Tides and Currents: When tides and currents are quite strong, ships can struggle to dock at the port, let alone do it easily. These conditions essentially complicate the docking process and force you to take more time for berthing. What’s more, you’ll need effective planning and coordination to manage all these factors and ensure timely berthing.
5. Operational Efficiency and Coordination: The turnaround times associated with berthing windows your ship will largely depend on the operational efficiency in the port. The port officials and ship operators need to coordinate in a timely and effective manner, while the crew need to be efficient for seamless berthing of ships.
Berthing Schedules for Major Ports
By now you must have learned quite a bit about berthing in shipping and ways to make the entire process more beneficial and efficient. However, the more important thing is determining the berthing schedules of the major ports you are likely to deal with. It is recommended that you learn about it in advance so that you can plan accordingly.
Here are a few port schedules that you should know about:
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Port of Rotterdam: The Port of Rotterdam is the biggest in Europe and has the facilities and amenities to live up to that title. The port has implemented automation wherever possible, and functions round the clock seamlessly. While the exact berthing frequency keeps changing based on the demand levels, it is mostly estimated to average around a ship berthing every 4-6 hours.
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Port of Singapore: The Port of Singapore is crucial for Australian shippers due to its strategic location in the APAC region and its role in global shipping. The infrastructure of the port combined with its strategic location boosts cargo turnover. The port berths ships every 1-2 hours thanks to its highly efficient operations.
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Port of Darwin: The Port of Darwin is the biggest port in Australia, making it important to function efficiently and seamlessly at all times. The port offers facilities such as sophisticated harbour control systems, and world-class pilotage and supply chain. A ship berths at Port Darwin almost every 2 hours, at par with some of the biggest ports in the world.
Wrapping Up
Berthing is an essential step in the process of docking incoming and outgoing ships at the port. The process ensures that your ship has a designated space while loading or unloading cargo on it. That said, understanding the right type of berth for your requirements and optimising your shipping operations according to the berthing schedules of a specific port is important.
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