Lighterage

What is Lighterage in Logistics?

Lighterage in logistics refers to the transhipment of cargo from one vessel to another, often done for easier passage over shallow or even restricted waterways. This is normally done through lighters, which are smaller vessels used to transfer cargo on to or off from an anchored ship offshore.

Key Uses of Lighterage in Logistics

• Overcoming Depth Restrictions: Lighterage is of vital importance in places where big ships cannot navigate because the water is shallow. Smaller vessels carry the cargo to the big ship, and hence the main shipment can be loaded and unloaded quickly without relying on the port facilities.
• Relieving Port Congestion: Transferring the cargo to lighters offshore by means of lighterage will help relieve traffic congestion at busy ports, which will make the loading procedure faster and free from bottlenecks.
• Lighterage facilitates remote deliveries: In remote or unindustrialised regions, lighterage lets one make delivery and receiving direct from large vessels because there are not many port infrastructures.

Benefits of Lighterage

• Greater Flexibility: it is possible through lighterage to access regions that might otherwise be inaccessible to larger ships, which increases the scope of logistics operations.
• Reduced Waiting Time: Lighterage often enables an immediate transfer of goods when docking is not feasible, which would significantly reduce the waiting time for larger vessels.
• Economical Feasibility: For shallow areas, lighterage proves to be more economical than dredging or establishing deep-water ports.

Conclusion

Lighterage, for example, is another viable solution for cargo transfer between vessels in shallow areas where large ships cannot easily maneuver. It enables lighterage to work to clear port congestion in shipping operations efficiently, flexibly and cost-effectively in managing shallow waters.