Your Guide to Devanning
You’ve probably come across the term ‘devanning’ plenty of times. Put simply, it describes the process of removing goods and cargo from a sealed container. Now, while that may sound easy enough, container devanning is actually considered one of the most difficult tasks undertaken when it comes to warehouse and logistics management. If it goes awry you could see substantial damage to goods or, worse, injuries to your workforce. To make sure you don’t fall victim to these pitfalls we’ve put together a comprehensive guide to devanning.
The process
Let’s take a closer look at the entire process of devanning, from the arrival of containers to ports and the receipt of goods right the way through to dispatching the cargo onwards once the container has been devanned.
Receipt of cargo
If businesses are exporting or importing goods to and from the UK, they will typically receive their cargo in containers at the nearest port. These goods could have come from any part of the world, including the USA, Asia or other counties in Europe.
The containers will then need to be carefully loaded onto a vehicle and transported via a haulage and logistics company for the last leg of its journey to a warehousing facility. It’s important to note that, ideally, the warehouse should be close to the arrival port to minimise the amount of time the cargo is in transit.
Fortunately, Forest Freight’s facilities are ideally situated just 10 minutes from DP World’s $2.4 Billion, state-of-the-art London Gateway port. Regardless of the goods’ intended destination, the transportation of containers needs to be carried out with the utmost professionalism, which is why it’s important to work with a trusted logistics partner.
How long does devanning take?
Once the goods have been safely transported and have arrived at the warehousing facility, the delicate processes of unloading and de-stuffing containers will begin. This takes the highest degree of care and those unloading the cargo should pay close attention to health and safety protocols. Depending on the amount of cargo in the containers this could take between less than a day or up to three whole days.
Every container needs to be placed on even and level ground. Counterbalance forklifts are used to move the containers. Thanks to the forks protruding out the front of this vehicle and it not needing any outrigging or legs to stabilise it, the driver can precisely drive towards the van and securely unload the container.
There are then three types of unloading, all of which require a counterbalance forklift. The first is where a container is lifted to the floor by a forklift and loaded/unloaded. The second is unloading via a manual ramp. Finally, the third is where a forklift backs onto a loading bay and is loaded/unloaded via a dock leveller – this is the safest of all the options and how our team at Forest Freight unloads containers.
Finally, you have handballing; this is the process whereby cargo from a container is broken down by hand and palletised. It makes it easier to warehouse the goods and transport them in the future. When de-stuffing the containers, workers will need to pay close attention to the labelling of goods, as many overseas manufacturers have different stock identification procedures. This may involve goods being relabelled so that they can move through the supply chain easier.
Warehousing the goods
Now onto the final step, once the container devanning is finished, the goods will need to be warehoused and/or dispatched onwards. The goods will most likely be racked or block stacked, both these options allow for maximum storage potential.
Steel pallet racks help with accessibility, specifically when picking up the cargo and moving it around the warehouse. While block-stacked storage does not require any additional equipment and after goods have been palletised the loaded pallets can be placed directly on the floor.
Ideally, the warehousing service facilities will be equipped with all the modern logistic technologies to ensure that consignments can be collected, stored, and re-distributed as quickly and efficiently as possible. This makes dispatching any items onward far easier.
How devanning is helping businesses in 2022
Amidst the current container haulage crisis and truck driver shortage, devanning offers a lifeline to many businesses. The haulage industry is experiencing an unprecedented lack of qualified HGV drivers – due in part to the impact of COVID-19 and Brexit.
Where containers are stranded at the UK’s ports due to a lack of truck drivers, businesses are having to pay substantial demurrage (port rent). Devanning enables businesses to move their goods to warehouses and avoid these costly charges and any further delays to the delivery of their cargo.
If you’re in need of devanning services, our experts at Forest Freight are here to help. Get in touch to discuss your unique requirements with us today and we’ll be sure to advise you on the best solution.
