10 Things You Use Everyday That Are Shipped by Cargo Ships

Shipping containers are everywhere these days. They're used as storage units, shipping crates, and even homes. But most people never stop to consider how many of our daily necessities are shipped around the world on cargo ships.

We live in a global economy where we buy everything from clothes, electronics, food, and furniture to cars, appliances, and toys. And yet, we rarely consider how much stuff gets transported across oceans every day.

In fact, over 40% of the goods we consume were shipped long distances before arriving at our doorstep.

Below are 10 everyday items that are transported on cargo ships that you may not give much thought to.

1) Cereal

Many energizing and revitalizing breakfast cereals, available in a wide variety of forms, are brought to the United States by a number of bulk carrier ships from all over the world.

The shipping of all cereals is managed in accordance with the "Code for Safe Carriage of Grain in Bulk" established by the International Maritime Organization (IMO). The IMO is the UN agency that oversees international shipping.

This code ensures that all of the grains are transported in a secure manner while maintaining the highest possible level of stability and suffering the least amount of loss possible.

2) Sugar

Sugar is another product that you fail to notice when you do a cursory inspection of the kitchen shelf or your day-to-day activities.

The majority of the world's sugar is produced in the countries of Argentina, Brazil, and Thailand. From there, it is exported to other countries and consumed worldwide, including in our homes.

3) Electricity

Electricity is something that we cannot function without on a daily basis. We owe a debt of appreciation to the ships that are able to deliver bulk materials since these ultimately enable us to do our jobs.

These vessels play a key role in the transportation of a wide variety of resources - ranging from copper to coal from different regions of the world - to the power plants and then finally into our houses and workplaces.

While you may not be aware of it, these materials are eventually used to power your homes. And here you were thinking that the only thing you needed to do was flip the switch to turn on the light.

4) Salt

Salt is used in almost every food and beverage preparation. However, you may not be aware that something as fundamental as salt would need to be produced with so much effort.

The salt that you use on a regular basis and take for granted is sent to many different locations around the world. Salt is an essential shipping cargo.

The United States of America, which is both the primary producer and exporter of salt, is a key source for the shipment of this commodity to all other regions of the world.

5) Oil

The oilseeds used in the manufacturing of oil are one of the most important materials transported by cargo ships.

In addition to extracting oil for human use from oilseeds such as soybeans and cotton seeds, byproducts of these crops are utilized in the production of feed for other animals.

It is common knowledge that the United States of America is one of the world's leading producers of oilseeds, most of which are sent to various locations in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East.

6) Drinks

This will probably be one of the things on this list that will surprise you the most.

The delivery of your beverages, such as carbonated soft drinks and alcoholic drinks, is facilitated by bulk carrier services, including cargo ships.

Barley, fruits, rice, and other components, as well as other raw materials, are brought in from various regions of the world to be used in the production of beverages.

In addition to this, the freighters transport more than just unprocessed materials. These bulk carrier ships can transport anything from packaging materials to finished goods all the way around the world.

7) Products Made of Iron and Steel

When it comes to the use of iron and steel, cargo ships are of enormous significance. This is true for anything from enormous iron rods used in construction to materials for cutlery.

The mines of Australia and Brazil have the greatest quantities of iron ore, a raw material utilized in the production of the majority of these commodities.

From there, it goes to various regions of the world in its many forms, which may include refined, modified, crude ore, or finished products.

Iron ore and the goods made from it are among the top commodities imported by a number of countries worldwide, including China, the European Union, Japan, and South Korea.

8) Soaps

Soaps are an essential component of our day-to-day life. We use them countless times daily, and their production often takes place thousands of kilometers away.

Potash is a primary component among the raw materials that go into the production of soap. The countries of Canada, Brazil, and Belarus are the ones that produce the most of this element.

From these locations, the vast majority of potash is transported to many other regions where the output of potash is significantly lower.

9) Books

The materials used to make books, including paper and wood chips, are both considered to be types of forest products. Additionally, these wood chips originate from a variety of locations around the globe.

Australia and Brazil are the two leading producers of wood chips and wood pulp in the world. This is due to the fact that both countries have larger plantation stocks due to their heavily forested regions.

The United States of America, Western Europe, China, and Japan are among the places that receive them after being shipped from there.

It makes sense that large bulk carrier ships should be used to deliver woodchips to various regions of the world since woodchips and pulp often take up considerable amounts of space to meet paper demands.

10) Additional Commodities Transported by Cargo Ship

Other than these major categories, there are various other items that you may identify with just one glance on any shelf in the supermarket that has been delivered there with the assistance of a bulk carrier.

Cement, cables, aluminum foil, vegetable oils, value-added goods, paints, and cosmetics, among other things, are all examples of products that include a number of different imported components.

All of the components, such as alumina, bauxite, gypsum, copper, nickel, and others, are transported from their respective regions around the world to a centralized location. This couldn't happen without the use of bulk carrier ships.

Conclusion

In the end, cargo ships have been transporting goods around the world since before most of us were born. Today, they still carry millions of tons of freight across oceans and seas each year.

At A-1 Auto Transport, we make it our business to stay up to date on the latest developments in the shipping industry. Contact us anytime to learn about our comprehensive range of shipping services.