Behind the Supply Chain: The Human Factor of Cargo Handling

Despite the adoption of technology, human intervention is still the savior.?

As cargo moves through your supply chain, it's easy to forget that behind every shipment there are hardworking people - the unsung heroes - who play a vital role in getting goods from point A to point B. From warehouse workers to cargo handlers, the incredible work of these often-overlooked individuals is admirable and fascinating.

Making The Right Moves

The logistics and cargo industry didn't slow down when the Covid-19 pandemic brought the world to a standstill. It had to transport essential medical supplies and e-commerce products to those stuck in their homes or hospitalized in need of care. As the industry played a significant role during the pandemic, SAL had to bring many of its employees to the front lines.

Teams are trained to use specialized equipment and techniques to handle goods safely and efficiently, minimizing the risk of damage during loading and unloading. SAL understands how important cargo professionals are to the world, and it's with their people that they uphold their quality of service. They helped to keep the supermarkets stocked, distributed vaccines and medicine, worked to keep the supply chains functional - and did it all quickly and accurately. Their cargo team stands to serve people across the world as a way of improving the quality of life for everyone.?

The Flow of Cargo

Cargo planes and passenger planes carry a massive tonnage of goods. How they manage to get off the ground is astounding, but they do, and the people and process of preparing the goods are no less exciting. To appreciate how it all works, we must understand how cargo is handled before heading to its destination.?

When goods are brought to the warehouse and all the necessary documentation is filed, they go through security clearance and verification. Once everything is proven to be compliant, the cargo team builds up the goods into contours called Unit Load Devices - this is when goods are organized on pallets before loading onto the plane.

But did you know that every pallet has a different requirement for build-up??

When a shipment arrives, the cargo team checks the details to see which aircraft it will be on and arrange each pallet in accordance with the size, shape, and weight required to fit a particular plane - similar to having a unique parking space. The layout of these 'parking spaces' can vary, and the pallets are built up to accommodate them without exceeding the imaginary lines of the pallet's contour.?

Always On Time

Time is always of the essence, and the cargo team is always confined to the period constraints of the planes. There's nothing the cargo team can do to make planes fly faster, but they work extra hard to speed things up on the ground safely and efficiently.

The team typically has 3 to 4 hours to build up the pallets, which are usually required to be ready for loading on a plane 3 hours before departure.?

Building up ULDs allows for efficient loading and unloading of goods and improves speed by reducing the number of movements. It also reduces the risk of damage, loss, and labor requirements. And with the capacity to handle 95% of the country's inbound and outbound air cargo, SAL's cargo team serves the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as the market-leading cargo handlers with solid capabilities across Cargo, E-commerce, and 3PL.

The cargo professionals, from the entire warehouse staff to the loadmasters, are passionate humans contributing to the economic development of the country and the region. So the next time you receive an Amazon package, or sit down for international cuisine, thank the incredible, round-the-clock, cargo professionals and aircraft that deliver just in time.