Federal Transportation Officer Training Program: Intermediate (Level 2)

Transcription

1 Page 1 of 44 Federal Transportation Officer Training Program: Intermediate (Level 2) Session 7: Packing and Marking Shipments Page 1 of 44

2 Page 2 of 44 Session Objectives Upon completing this session, given the sample cases and questions in the Knowledge Review section you will be able to: Identify factors that affect appropriate packing for shipments of different commodities or using different transportation modes. Select information elements required to clearly mark a shipment for transport to the final consignee. Identify when the information elements on a shipment are or are NOT correctly marked. Page 2 of 44

3 Page 3 of 44 Session Outline How does Packaging and Marking Shipments Influence the Transportation Mode? What are Packaging Guidelines for the Different Modes? What are Best Practice Guidelines for Packaging? What are Best Practice Guidelines for Marking? Wrap Up Glossary of Terms Knowledge Review Continuing the Learning Process Page 3 of 44

4 Page 4 of 44 How does Packaging and Marking Shipments Influence the Transportation Mode? This section of Session 7 Packing and Marking Shipments will review the question "How Does Packaging and Marking Shipments Influence the Transportation Mode" by exploring the following areas: What factors should be considered in shipment planning? How can the destination impact my packaging decisions? How can the mode impact my packaging decisions? How can the mode standard dimensions impact my transportation costs? How can mode and packaging decisions impact my non-transportation costs? What is overpacking and how can it impact my transportation costs? What you are shipping, your mode choice, and conditions at the shipment destination may all affect your packaging options. Failure to pay attention to packaging up-front could impact successful on-time and undamaged delivery of the shipment as well as your transportation cost. Page 4 of 44

5 Page 5 of 44 How does Packaging and Marking Shipments Influence the Transportation Mode? (continued) Properly prepared, packed, and marked shipments may move unimpeded through the transportation system. However, shipments that are packed wrong for the chosen mode, or not packed to standards based on the commodity (such as hazardous materials), may be "frustrated." This long-used term applies to shipments that are stopped and held while in transit until problems are resolved. In some cases, this means repacking the item or returning it to the shipper both at the shipper's cost. Improper marking due to poor shipment planning may also result in the shipment being frustrated en route, because the ultimate consignee cannot be identified or the delivery address cannot be determined. Page 5 of 44

6 Page 6 of 44 What factors should be considered in shipment planning? Shipment planning factors to consider when deciding packaging and marking include: Destination's ability to unload and receive the shipment Specific attributes of the material being shipped and the selected mode's unique transportation considerations, and Selected mode's standard transport dimensions. Page 6 of 44

7 Page 7 of 44 How can the destination impact my packaging decisions? The capabilities of the destination to handle the shipment can preclude certain packaging choices or dictate packaging dimensions. For destinations with limited material handling capability, smaller packages, rather than large pallets, may be required. For large shipments using pallets or crating, all significant access points, such as elevators, stairwell, and doors, should be considered. Asking questions about the destination and its capabilities will save unexpected delivery problems and costs. Page 7 of 44

8 Page 8 of 44 How can the destination impact my packaging decisions? (continued) Questions to ask include: Does the destination have a loading dock area, or will delivery occur on limited or time-controlled street parking? Are forklifts available or any capability to handle pallets of material? Are personnel available to handle the material once off the truck, or will further movement or delivery be required by the truck driver? Will the shipment need to process through elevators with certain size limitations or doors with height or width restrictions? Page 8 of 44

9 Page 9 of 44 How can the mode impact my packaging decisions? During transport packages are subject to different types of physical conditions, and you must consider how your shipment may react to those conditions. Shipments need to be protected from: Punctures and abrasions Rolling and shifting Compression due to stacking or squeezing of shipments Shock and vibration while in transit Rough handling by personnel and materials handling equipment, and A variety of environmental changes. High humidity and protection from wetness are major concerns for packaging and contents alike. Page 9 of 44

10 Page 10 of 44 How can the mode impact my packaging decisions? (continued) Many of these conditions are found across the transportation modes, but some are modespecific: Air shipments may be subject to much colder temperatures, prolonged vibration, and pressure changes. Rail shipments may need to absorb shock from fore-andaft shifting within cars and require proper blocking and bracing. Cargo in ocean containers is subject to rolling from side to side (yaw) and simultaneous vertical pitching. Page 10 of 44

11 Page 11 of 44 How can the mode standard dimensions impact my transportation costs? There is no standard rule of thumb for which to consider first packaging or mode selection. As a transportation officer (TO), you should consider both during the shipment planning process and then execute packaging and marking, and mode selection based on your best understanding of the modes possible and the packaging requirements for each mode. Different modes have different standard dimensions that allow them to maximize transport conveyance utilization. Smart packaging affects what your agency pays to move a shipment. Page 11 of 44

12 Page 12 of 44 How can the mode standard dimensions impact my transportation costs? (continued) What is an example? There are two shipments of equipment that require delivery in a short timeframe, two modes are reviewed. The first mode is air freight; the second mode is expedited truck service where the shipment has two drivers who alternate and can drive continuously to achieve delivery. However, the truck mode will take longer to complete the shipment than the air option. Without factoring in price, based on these two choices with limited information, air freight appears to be best-value decision for both shipments. Page 12 of 44

13 Page 13 of 44 How can the mode standard dimensions impact my transportation costs? What is an example? (continued) When reviewing the shipment specifics, it is determined that the packers for the air mode are planning on crating the equipment in a way that does not fit within standard air pallet configurations. The air carrier will charge an additional fee for these non-standard size shipping crates. As a result, the air freight may no longer be the best value for the shipments. The transportation officer further investigates the two shipments and has determined: For one shipment the equipment is extremely fragile and requires packing such that packing design and overwrap is necessary. The choices for this shipment is to contact the expedited truck service provider and ascertain if the delivery can still be made on time under this packing requirement and to contact the air freight provider to confirm the delivery can still be made on time and cost for the non-standard size container. For the other shipment the equipment can be configured differently and put into a crate that meets the standard air dimensions. For this shipment, the TO instructions are to modify the packaging plan to meet the standard air dimensions. Page 13 of 44

14 Page 14 of 44 How can mode and packaging decisions impact my nontransportation costs? The mode decision and the resulting packaging requirements impact the labor and material costs associated with performing the packaging: Packaging that is not standard size may require custom packaging builds which are more expensive than using pre-ordered standard boxes, crates, and pallets. Custom packaging generally requires additional labor. Packaging that must withstand potential stacking requires more material impacting cost. Small individual packages tend to cost more to prepare (material and labor) than consolidated packaging. Page 14 of 44

15 Page 15 of 44 How can mode and packaging decisions impact my nontransportation costs? (continued) What is an example? An agency takes high-resolution film photographs of historical documents for archiving. The business process calls for the film to be delivered overnight. A technical requirement is that the film must be refrigerated. The agency compared mode options and eliminated all but two choices air freight movement and specialized small parcel service. While small parcel air service was a possibility, further analysis determined it would be excessively expensive because each set of film would be packaged and shipped individually at small parcel rates. The agency negotiated a contract for refrigerated air freight service where the transportation service provider (TSP) provided empty air freight containers configured for the type of aircraft being used. The agency then consolidated multiple film sets into one air freight container rather than generating the individual smaller shipments. This reduced the labor involved by the agency to pack and prepare the shipments, and also lowered transportation costs by utilizing air freight rates rather than small parcel rates. Page 15 of 44

16 Page 16 of 44 What is overpacking and how can it impact my transportation costs? When deciding the level of packaging you need, you should remember that most standards are considered as minimum levels required protecting the material under normal handling. However, it is often necessary to provide additional protection through a process called overpacking. U.S. Department of Transportation, 49 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) defines overpack as an enclosure that is used by a single consignor to provide protection or convenience in handling of a package or to consolidate two or more packages. International Aviation Transportation Association (IATA) Dangerous Goods Regulations defines overpack as: "An enclosure used by a single shipper to contain one or more packages and to form one handling unit for convenience of handling and stowage. Dangerous goods packages contained in the overpack must be properly packed, marked, labeled, and in proper condition as required by these Regulations." Page 16 of 44

17 Page 17 of 44 What is overpacking and how can it impact my transportation costs? (continued) For some shipments, the perceived value or level of acceptable risk associated with the cargo may persuade the transportation officer to go beyond the minimums for extra protection. This could be by additional padding or bracing, or construction of new outer containers. When the TO is moving hazardous cargo, the TSPs may direct even more-specific packaging requirements based on the TSP's internal cargo handling capabilities or other safety and liability concerns. These TSP-specified requirements may add to your total transportation net cost for a given shipment. When dealing with hazardous material, you should always obtain the manufacturer's material data safety sheet (MSDS) for the product and provide it to the TSP for review. While overpacking won't typically impact mode selection, it could drive additional transportation costs of the mode you use. Page 17 of 44

18 Page 18 of 44 What are examples of overpacking? When one or more packages are placed or stacked onto a load board such as a pallet and secured by strapping, shrink wrapping, stretch wrapping, or other suitable means, or placed in a protective outer packaging such as a box or crate. Placing liquids in glass bottles inside a metal drum, with the bottles surrounded by an absorbent material in case of leaks. When moving frozen vaccines by air, the vaccine would be in an inner container packed in dry ice within an outer container. The outer container becomes the shipment unit, and must be marked and labeled in accordance with the contents inside. Page 18 of 44

19 Page 19 of 44 What are examples of overpacking? (continued) An agency has a requirement to move fine art and antiquities from private collections from site to site using special air-ride trucks. Given the nature of the art and its value, it must be carefully overpacked to avoid any damage. This entails additional wrapping and cushioning of the property and then custom crating. Because of the overpacking requirement, the shipment in crates takes more room on a truck, so more trucks are required at a higher net total shipment cost. The same agency also has a requirement to move collections of heavy, official paper documents and records from various places to collection points. The records must be packaged into agency-approved records containers which, by policy, cannot be stacked on each other. Even though the paper records are heavy, a single layer of containers on the floor of the trailer does not exceed the weight capacity. However, because the records containers cannot be stacked, the space and weight utilization of the trailer cannot be maximized, resulting in the need for more vehicles and trips (and higher overall transportation costs), than would normally be required if packaging could allow double-stacking of the records containers. Page 19 of 44

20 Page 20 of 44 What are Packaging Guidelines for the Different Modes? This section of Session 7 Packing and Marking Shipments will review the question "What are Packaging Guidelines for the Different Modes" by exploring the following areas: What are some packaging guidelines for motor freight? What are some packaging guidelines for air freight? What are some packaging guidelines for ocean freight? What are some packaging guidelines for rail freight? In addition to the sites identified in this section, your agency may have published specific packaging guidelines to follow. Page 20 of 44

21 Page 21 of 44 What are some packaging guidelines for motor freight? The National Motor Freight Classification (NMFC) ( provides specific guidance on freight identification and classification. This guidance applies to interstate, intrastate, and foreign commerce. It specifies minimum packaging requirements to ensure that goods are adequately protected in the motor carrier environment and can be handled and stowed in a manner that is reasonably safe and practicable. NMFC packaging provisions ( fall into three basic categories: General packaging definitions and specifications Specifications for packages that have been approved expressly for the transportation of certain commodities, and Performance-based packaging criteria. Page 21 of 44

22 Page 22 of 44 What are some packaging guidelines for motor freight? (continued) Motor freight carriers may provide guidance: USPS Guidelines for Packaging ( -packages.htm) and tips and tools for measuring packages ( -measurepackages.htm). FedEx Packaging Guidelines for Shipping Freight and Packing Resources for LTL Freight ( UPS Guidelines for Preparing Your Freight Shipment ( freight YRC's Shippers Guide to Packaging. Page 22 of 44

23 Page 23 of 44 What are some packaging guidelines for air freight? For commercial air shipments, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the International Air Transportation Association (IATA) publish regulations that are the basis for most federal regulations and those published individually by other countries. These are very detailed and must be purchased, so check with your agency to see if you already have these. Your primary air freight carrier may provide good guidance, such as the FedEx Packaging Guidelines for Shipping Freight and UPS Air Freight Packaging Pointers. Page 23 of 44

24 Page 24 of 44 What are some packaging guidelines for ocean freight? Your main focus for these shipments should be protecting the material from humidity, extreme temperatures, and water damage. If you are preparing freight for overocean movement in less-than-container load (LCL) lots, your focus should be on packaging and preservation of the material for pickup and movement to a consolidation point for consolidation with other smaller loads. The consolidation activity will then load the containers and provide any blocking and bracing (securing of the loads with wood and other temporary restraining material) to prevent the shipments from shifting within the container, and will optimize the use of the container's volume without exceeding the maximum allowable container weight. Minimizing the movement of cargo is the best prevention for handling and intransit damage. For ocean shipping, guidance is provided at Export.gov. Export.gov is managed by the International Trade Administration in collaboration with the Departments of Commerce, State, Agriculture, Treasury, and others. Page 24 of 44

25 Page 25 of 44 What are some packaging guidelines for rail freight? Most rail shipments originate as motor freight shipments and are either packed for domestic less-than-truckload type movements, or packed into intermodal containers for ocean movement. As a result, rail freight guidelines will mirror: Motor freight guidelines for rail less-thantruckload service, and Ocean freight guidelines for containerized rail movement. Page 25 of 44

26 Page 26 of 44 What Are Best Practice Guidelines for Packaging for Different Modes? There are a number of references for packaging, published by regulatory and industry organizations and by individual TSPs frequently available for sale. Page 26 of 44

27 Page 27 of 44 What Are Best Practice Guidelines for Packaging for Different Modes? (continued) International Organization for Standardization (ISO), American National Standards Institute (ANSI), and the United Nations (UN) Committee of Experts establish overall standards that apply to products used for packaging. ISO ISO publishes the International Classification for Standards , Packaging and Distribution of Goods in General, which includes numerous standards for processes and packaging products. Much of the recent emphasis has focused on sustainable/environmental issues associated with waste and recycling of packaging materials. ANSI ANSI serves as coordinator of the U.S. private sector, promoting and facilitating voluntary consensus standards. It serves as a watchdog for standards development and conformity assessment programs and processes. ANSI is the official U.S. representative to ISO and publishes ANSI standards covering Packaging and Distribution of Goods. The United Nations The UN develops and publishes, through "sub-committees of experts," guidelines for the classification and transportation of dangerous goods. These recommendations are then incorporated into the standards and regulations of countries around the world. It also develops Performance Oriented Packaging (POP) standards for testing different types of packaging used for transport of dangerous goods. Examples are testing of corrugated containers, steel drums, and wrapping materials. Copies of publications must be obtained directly from the UN. Title 49 CFR Specific to hazardous materials, various sections of Title 49 CFR provide detailed guidance for transportation and handling of material based on the mode and hazardous classification. 49 CFR provides p a table of hazardous materials. Part 173.2, Hazardous Materials Classes and Index to Hazard Class Definitions, provides specific packaging guidance. Military Standard 147-E Military Standard 147-E, Palletized Unit Loads, provides guidance to Department of Defense TOs on consolidating cargo on standard inch warehouse skids, and loading and stabilization for movement by container, rail, or other modes. It includes references to commercial and international standards, and illustrations of methods. Page 27 of 44

28 Page 28 of 44 What Are Best Practice Guidelines for Marking? This session of Session 7 Packing and Marking Shipments will review the question "What are Best Practice Guidelines for Marking" by exploring the following areas: What is the "ship to/mark for" concept? What can happen if "ship to/mark for" isn't followed? What are U.S. Department of State "ship to/mark for" instructions? Best practices for the clear marking of shipments vary by agency, mode, and contents. Page 28 of 44

29 Page 29 of 44 What Are Best Practice Guidelines for Marking? (continued) Proper marking is important to ensure timely delivery to the intended consignee. Failure to properly mark shipments can result in longer delivery times, duplicate ordering of items, and lost work-hours trying to resolve the identity of the intended consignee. In critical situations, it can also result in mission failure. Several standards and helpful guides are provided on the GSA Vendor Support Center Package Marking website, including FED-STD-123 the federal standard for marking. This standard, which establishes requirements for marking different types and levels of packaging, specifies the following general marking requirements: "Marking shall be clear, legible, permanent, and in English. All required marking shall be located at least on one side or face of the package. The preferred side or face is the end panel, but any of the four faces of a carton may each display the complete marking requirements. Required marking shall be orientated in a palletized load so that it is visible to the handler. Transport packages and unit loads shall not be marked on the top or bottom of the carton. Material regulated by Federal law or regulation shall be marked in accordance with those requirements. Labels and tags shall be securely attached to the item or package when the surface will not support the necessary marking." Page 29 of 44

30 Page 30 of 44 What Are Best Practice Guidelines for Marking? (continued) Other standards and guides referenced on the GSA site include: Compliance with FED-STD- 123H (Provides basic examples of minimum markings) Military Standard 147, Formation of Bonded Palletized Unit Loads of Military Supplies, and Military Standard 129, Military Marking for Shipment and Storage. Page 30 of 44

31 Page 31 of 44 What is the "ship to/mark for" concept? Shipments moving from an origin shipper directly to a destination consignee are fairly simple, with the shipper marking the shipment with the name and address of the consignee. Shipments that move using intermediate stops for re-handling, change of mode, or consolidation often encounter problems because the shipper may not have provided the final destination address only the intermediate stop address. The concept of "ship to/mark for" is for the shipper to provide proper addressing for both the intermediate location and the ultimate consignee. By providing both addresses, when the shipment gets to the intermediate stop, it can be properly routed to its intended destination. Page 31 of 44

32 Page 32 of 44 What can happen if "ship to/mark for" isn't followed? Poor or incomplete marking can result in return of the property to the shipper, and prevent delivery to the ordering customer. Other shipments can be frustrated if the shipper does not properly complete the individual address data elements when creating shipments. What is an example? The shipper embedded the purchase order into the overall destination address which resulted in system errors for multiple shipments sent subsequently to that same address. Page 32 of 44

33 Page 33 of 44 What can happen if "ship to/mark for" isn't followed? (continued) Another example An agency orders items from a commercial vendor using the Government Purchase Card. The ordering person needs the material shipped overseas to a foreign country, and wants to use the U.S. Department of State (DOS) Despatch Agent (DA) and consolidation receiving point (CRP) program for movement. When filling out the shipping instructions to the vendor for the purchase, the buyer includes only the address of the Despatch Agency in New Jersey. No purchase order number or further information is provided regarding the ultimate destination and consignee. When the vendor shipment arrives at the Despatch Agency, the labels contain no information on where to forward the material. The CRP or Despatch Agency opens the shipment but cannot determine any additional information, and the vendor will not share any transaction information with the DA to help resolve the problem, citing privacy issues. The shipment is frustrated and cannot be shipped to the intended recipient. This second example portrays a common problem. DOS enters as much information about the material or other documentation clues into its "Lost and Found" module within the Integrated Logistics Management System. Posts or other agency shippers can then go in the system and try to find their unshipped items and coordinate movement through the Despatch Agency. Page 33 of 44

34 Page 34 of 44 What are U.S. Department of State "ship to/mark for" instructions? DOS transportation instructions are found in 14 Foreign Affairs Manual (FAM) 300, Distribution and Transportation. Section 312, Consolidated Receiving Point (CRP) Program, provides specific instructions for marking shipments that originate at vendors sites, transit the CRPs, and are delivered to ultimate consignees: Posts are instructed to submit all orders into the requisition system with the applicable CRP as the "ship to" address. The ship to address is used, and the "marks," pieces, weight, and cube of each piece must be ed to the DA. Listings of all address information for each country is found in 14 FAM Exhibit 316. Commercial vendors are instructed to mark each shipment with both the final destination post, and the U.S. Government purchase order (PO) number. The vendor must show the CRP address as the "ship to" address (not the post address). Page 34 of 44

35 Page 35 of 44 Wrap Up The choice of mode affects packaging requirements, and packaging requirements driven by shipment characteristics can drive mode selection. In both situations, packaging requirements and characteristics can influence the total cost of moving a shipment from origin to destination, including the cost of the packaging and services, or additional cost of transportation to accommodate the packaged item. Hazardous and sensitive material may have specific packaging guidelines, and shippers will frequently need to overpack the material to ensure the freight is moved undamaged and that the TSP and public are protected. Cargo is frustrated stopped during the shipping process for numerous reasons, and improper marking is one of the major causes of frustration. Improper marking can prevent a shipment from being delivered to the intended consignee. When shipments are being moved through more than one shipping node, using "ship to/mark for" helps to ensure that the intermediate points and consignee are clearly identified. Page 35 of 44

36 Page 36 of 44 Glossary of Terms Asset visibility (AV): Provides users with information on the location, movement, status, and identity of military units, personnel, equipment, and supplies. It facilitates the capability to act upon that information to improve overall performance of the DoD's logistics practices. In non-military terms, AV provides the ability to identify specific attributes of a shipment to include the contents. In-transit visibility (ITV) is a subset of AV. (DOD Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms) Blocking and bracing: Blocking is the process of filling voids in packages or containers to prevent movement of other material into the void. An example is using warehouse skids between stacked contents and the doors of a container to fill the void so cargo cannot shift toward the door. Bracing is the securing of the material by mechanical means, such as chocks or cross bracing. An example is dropping beams across the center of a half-full container at different heights in order to keep cargo from shifting into the void. Climatic stresses: In addition to the mechanical and energy strains, the climate also affects the durability and performance of the packaging during the transport. Humidity can create two types of problems in packaging. One problem caused by high relative humidity is the weakening of organic materials. The other problem is condensation inside a package, which may cause corrosion or other damaging effects. Condensation is particularly common during overseas transportation inside steel containers. Some packaging materials, particularly plastics, are adversely affected by temperature extremes. Plastic components may soften at high temperatures or become stiff and brittle at low temperatures. Page 36 of 44

37 Page 37 of 44 Glossary of Terms (continued) Consolidation: The combination of two more items or shipment units into a larger single shipment unit. Consolidation can result in less overall packaging, better space utilization of conveyances, reduced packaging and handling labor, and greater control over the contents. Crate: A crate is a large container, often made of wood, used to transport large, heavy, highvalued, or awkward items. A crate has a self-supporting structure. For a container to be a crate, all six of its sides must be put in place to yield the rated strength of the container. Boxes and crates are often confused with one another; mostly when they are made of wood. Dangerous goods (DG): Dangerous goods are a designation for substances and products that have such dangerous characteristics that they can damage humans, animals, environment, or property if they are not handled properly during transport or storage. Even emptied packages or containers that have contained such substances can, in some cases, be regarded as dangerous goods. The basic purpose for DG packaging is to contain the dangerous goods, even if the box is being put under great stress. For DG to be safe for transport, they must be properly classified, packaged, marked, labeled, and documented. Dangerous Goods Classification: Goods that are to be transported can involve many kinds of risks and are, therefore, divided into nine different classes. All classes are also divided into subclasses. Page 37 of 44

38 Page 38 of 44 Glossary of Terms (continued) Hazard class: The hazard class of a hazardous material is indicated either by its class (or division) number, its class name, or by the letters "ORM-D." Title 49, Part lists class numbers, division numbers, class or division names, and sections of the subchapter that contain definitions for classifying hazardous materials, including forbidden materials. (49 CFR 173.2) Inner packaging: By blocking, bracing, and cushioning the products, the inner packaging together with the outer packaging protects the product from transport and storage damages. The inner packaging surrounds the product and can also be designed to protect against abrasion, corrosion, or electrostatic discharge. In-transit visibility: The ability to track the movement of a shipment from location to location and to identify the current location of the shipment. Labels: Used for identifying "ship to/mark for" and other shipper and consignee information. They are also used for identifying packages that contain dangerous goods or other special handling requirements. Labels for dangerous good are specified by multiple regulations. Page 38 of 44

39 Page 39 of 44 Glossary of Terms (continued) Mechanical strains: The most common mechanical strains on transported goods are force stresses, such as stacking pressure and shocks, and energy stresses, such as vibration and dropping. When stacking in a trailer or ship's hold, the stresses increase due to the movement of the carrier. As an example, the pressure at the front of a horizontal stack amounts to eight times that of the stress in a warehouse. One of the most common energy stresses is dropping. The change in energy the packaging is subject to while dropped depends on the mass of the product and the height that the product is dropped from. This type of energy is called potential energy. In a shock caused by a sudden retardation of speed, for example a railway car that slows down to 0 m/sec, the energy stress depends on the mass of the product and the speed before slowing down. This type of energy is called kinetic energy. Packaging must protect from these types of strains. Palletization: Using pallets to go through the whole manufacturing process. Palletization is the assemblage and securing of individual items or work pieces on a platform that can then be moved by a conveyance, such as a truck, forklift, or crane, and conveniently stored (for example, in racks) between moves. It is one approach for exploiting the "unit load" concept moving work pieces in groups is more economical than moving them individually. Effective palletization can improve cycle times, reduce time and labor costs of setup, and increase agility when dealing with rapid fluctuations in demand mix at low investment expense compared to upgrades of machines and fixtures. "Ship to/mark for": The process of using unique, dual addresses to identify movement to an intermediate transportation node (ship to) and then to the ultimate consignee (mark for). Page 39 of 44

40 Page 40 of 44 Knowledge Review Based on the following scenario select the correct response: An agency must ship items from a vendor in Atlanta (Acme Distributors) to an office in Tokyo, Japan. The material is packed in large triwall containers. Movement overseas will be by ocean shipment. The agency has arranged for A-1 Freight Forwarders in Long Beach to receive the material from the vendor, ship it to Japan by ocean container with other material, deconsolidate the container at the Yokohama water port and arrange delivery to Agency Location 5 in Tokyo. Which option below best represents how the agency should direct the vendor to mark the shipments? A. From: Acme Distributors Ship to: A-1 Freight Forwarders, Long Beach, CA Mark for: Shipping Director B. From: Acme Distributors Ship to: A-1 Freight Forwarders, Long Beach, CA Mark for: A-1 Freight Forwarders, Yokohama, Japan C. From: A-1 Freight Forwarders, Long Beach, CA Ship to: Japan Mark for: A-1 Freight Forwarders, Yokohama, Japan D. From: Acme Distributors, Atlanta, GA Ship to: A-1 Freight Forwarders, Long Beach, CA Mark for: Agency Location 5, Tokyo, Japan Answer: D - From: Acme Distributors, Atlanta, GA Ship to: A-1 Freight Forwarders, Long Beach, CA Mark for: Agency Location 5, Tokyo, Japan Feedback: "Ship to/mark for" refers to using one specific address for movement of the shipment to a consolidation point or other transportation node, and including the ultimate consignee's name, organization, and address information. Following marking guidance, such as Federal Standard 123H, Marking for Shipment (Civil Agencies) will ensure that your shipments can be delivered. Page 40 of 44

41 Page 41 of 44 Knowledge Review Based on the following scenario select the correct response: An agency must ship items from a vendor in Atlanta (Acme Distributors) to an office in Tokyo, Japan. The material is packed in large triwall containers. Movement overseas will be by ocean shipment. The agency has arranged for A-1 Freight Forwarders in Long Beach to receive the material from the vendor, ship it to Japan by ocean container with other material, deconsolidate the container at the Yokohama water port and arrange delivery to Agency Location 5 in Tokyo. The shipment was marked as: From: Acme Distributors, Atlanta, GA Ship to: A-1 Freight Forwarders, Long Beach, CA Mark for: A-1 Freight Forwarders, Yokohama, Japan Why is this marking incorrect? A. The "ship to" address should be the ultimate consignee. B. The "ship to" address should be A-1 Freight Forwarders in Yokohama. C. The "mark for" address should be the ultimate consignee. Answer: C - The "mark for" address should be the ultimate consignee. Feedback: The "mark for" address should always be the ultimate consignee. Page 41 of 44

42 Page 42 of 44 Knowledge Review Based on the following scenario select the correct response: An agency has a requirement to move a product that may be hazardous. In order to determine the proper packaging, which of the following steps should be completed? A. Contact the carrier for specific information regarding packaging. B. Review the individual product's packaging or markings for guidelines. C. Consult the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Hazardous Materials Table. D. Obtain a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) from the manufacturer. E. All of the above. Answer: E - All of the above. Feedback: An initial review of the item and its external packaging may indicate whether there is a need for concern that the item may have characteristics that should be considered, such as whether it is flammable or has internal batteries. Based on your initial review, consulting the DOT Hazardous Materials Table will help you classify the type of item. To obtain more detailed information about the nature of the hazards associated with the product and mitigating instructions, contact the manufacturer to obtain an MSDS for the product. Finally, when you have assembled as much information as possible, you should consult your potential carrier to determine if it will accept the shipment and if it has any additional special requirements for packaging. After these actions are completed, you should be able to correctly apply all of the information to pack the material for shipment. Page 42 of 44

43 Page 43 of 44 Continuing the Learning Process In addition to the sites identified in this session, you can find more information on the topic of parking and marking shipments at the following: Glossary of packaging terms is available at this commercial site: For information on packaging of hazardous materials, see Title 49, Part 173, Shippers General Requirements for Shipments and Packaging. National Motor Freight Classification (NMFC) provides specific guidance on freight identification and classification, and specifies minimum packaging requirements to ensure that goods are adequately protected in the motor carrier environment and can be handled and stowed in a manner that is reasonably safe and practicable. Information on agency (non-dod) marking requirements is found at the GSA Vendor Support Center Package Marking website. Information on military packaging and marking is found in Military Standard 129, Military Marking for Shipment and Storage and in Chapter 208 of Part II (Cargo) of the Defense Transportation Regulation. If you are thinking of shipping using DOS, you may submit questions or comments relating to "marks" to transportationquery@state.gov. Page 43 of 44

44 Page 44 of 44 Continuing the Learning Process U.S. Department of Transportation Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) Free publications useful for hazardous materials training. Hazardous materials outreach and training. UN Model Regulations on the Transport of Dangerous Goods. Several carriers and commercial companies offer packaging guidelines and services on their websites, such as Hapag-Lloyd's handbook on container packing. Many of these companies offer shipment preparation services and act as forwarders or consolidators. In all areas of transportation, it is critical agencies ensure compliance to Prepayment and Postpayment Transportation Audit requirements identified in 31 U.S.C and 41 CFR Transportation Payment and Audit. Contact GSA Transportation Audits Division at or by phone (703) for further information. Page 44 of 44