The shipping industry has come a long way since the days of the Pony Express and moving products across the vastness of the ocean on enormous sailing vessels. Technology has evolved and advanced over the past couple of centuries, sometimes faster than we can keep up. Here are some ways it’s changing the shipping industry.
Trains Are Making a Comeback
While airlines might still be the international transportation of choice for passenger flights, trains are starting to make a comeback when it comes to freight transportation. China, one of the biggest industrial hubs in the world, recently completed an 8,000-mile rail line that reaches to Spain.
Trains fill the middle ground between air freight — which is fast but expensive — and sea freight — which is cheap but slow. Rail freight can make it to its destination in a fraction of the time at a reasonable cost while creating fewer carbon emissions than aircraft.
Diesel Engines Are Becoming Eco-Friendly
Diesel engines, especially those on freight ships, aren’t something you usually consider to be eco-friendly. However, growing demand from world governments is pushing companies to cut their carbon emissions while still moving freight from port to port.
Traditionally these freighters would utilize the largest engine they could get their hands on, usually paired with a propeller-type propulsion module. As technology has advanced, it’s become increasingly clear that these engines are not one-size-fits-all, and ship owners are making the smart decision of choosing the right size to fit their watercraft. This shrinks their carbon footprint and lengthens the lifespan of their engines.
Drones for Last-Mile Deliveries
The rise of e-commerce has made last-mile deliveries part of life, but that doesn’t mean they’re the best option. In fact, they tend to be incredibly costly and inefficient, making up more than half the cost of delivery, according to industry experts.
That is why so many companies have started working toward automating this portion of an order’s journey by turning the very end of the delivery over to autonomous drones. Amazon claimed to have drones ready to start deliveries ‘within months’ during a July 2019 showcase. While we haven’t seen these appear, it likely won’t be long before same-day delivery by drone becomes commonplace.
Everything May Drive Itself Soon
The average driver might be looking forward to owning a self-driving car for their daily commute, but they aren’t the only ones who will be taking advantage of advancing autonomous technologies. With more than 65% of the country’s products delivered by truck and an expected driver shortage of as many as 174,500 by 2024, autonomous vehicles will likely be the best tool possible for improving delivery efficiency.
While there will likely always be some tasks better accomplished by human drivers, autonomous vehicles could pick up some of the slack and help keep the economy moving forward.
Looking Forward
It might be fun to look back fondly on the days of massive sailing ships and the Pony Express, but without the technology we have today, the shipping industry would never be able to keep up with ever-growing demand. These technologies and others will continue to shape the shipping sector for years to come.
