1. A feeder vessel is a vessel that “feeds” the large ocean vessels with containers.
2. A feeder port is a port where the large ocean vessels normally don’t go. Partly because there are not enough containers to load onto a large ocean vessel or because the port is not large enough to handle the large ocean vessels.
3. Feeder ports and feeder vessels play a very important role in the worldwide transportation of containers.
CHOOSING FEEDER PORTS
1. When choosing feeder ports, there are many things to take into consideration.
2. Each port has its own advantages; size, flexibility, efficiency, number of weekly feeder departures, infrastructure, port facilities as well as solutions for stuffing and stripping containers.
3. One important factor to take into consideration is the location of the port. By choosing the feeder port closest to your cargo, you can save a lot of money.
4. The efficiency in ports, infrastructure, and road congestion surrounding the ports also have a large impact on trucking costs.
5. A freeport can provide economical advantages for you as a cargo owner, especially when you import your cargo. When a port has the status freeport, it means in praxis that the cargo discharged doesn’t need to be cleared by customs immediately after arriving at the port
6. Most countries have local laws, which require that you must pay taxes for the cargo you have imported. The taxes charged can differ depending on type and the origin of the cargo.
7. Importing cargo via a freeport doesn’t mean you don’t have to pay taxes for your cargo. However, you can postpone the payment until the cargo is physically transported from the port.
MOTHER VESSEL VS FEEDER VESSEL
1. Average capacity of a feeder vessel is 300 to 500 TEUs (20’ containers). Feeder vessel serves short distance, either between smaller ports, or between smaller ports and major ports.
2. Mother vessel is big in size compared to feeder vessel. Mother vessels only serve between major big ports
3. Mother vessels have the capacity to carry thousands of containers. Mother vessel calls only main ports. The mother vessel covers large distance compared to feeder vessel. Average capacity of a Mother Vessel is 10000 TEUs (Twenty foot Equipment Units).
FEEDER OPERATORS COLLABORATE WITH FORWARDERS
1. The demand for this so-called “hub and spoke model” in container logistics was growing during the last few years with the rise of mega-ships.
2. Feeder operators have established predefined routes over the years and most of them are operated by a local business at low volumes. Because they sometimes serve terminals that are too small to have their lifting equipment, some feeder vessels are geared with cranes on board
3. The booking process is simple: carriers bring their containers and book them as SOCs with the feeder operator, most of the time even for empty container repositioning.
4. When shipping lines book a slot, their containers usually travel on a service bill of lading issued by the feeder operator to the mainline carrier.
5. Most of the time feedering is closely connected to transshipment hubs. Feeder operators offer a great chance for freight forwarders to increase their flexibility and decrease their dependency from shipping lines.
6. Most of the time, freight forwarders get their containers together with the slot on the vessel from their shipping line. sometimes this can result in tremendous demurrage & detention charges because every day forwarders exceed the number of free days they get charged tremendous amounts.
7. Depending on the pick-up and drop-off location, it is difficult for carriers to offer containers at good prices, often-times they can only offer the wrong type, quantity or condition.
Source:
https://container-xchange.com/blog/feeder-vessels/
https://blog.greencarrier.com/how-to-save-time-money-by-using-the-right-feeder-ports/#:~:text=A%20feeder%20port%20is%20a,handle%20the%20large%20ocean%20vessels.
