When you’re heading up a mountain, you wear hiking boots. Skates are perfect for gliding across ice, and sandals make navigating the beach a breeze. The point is, the right technology makes getting from point A to point B a lot easier—just like choosing the right logistics method when shipping pulse crops.
That’s where transloading comes in.
What Is Transloading?
Transloading is the process of transferring cargo from one mode of transport to another during its journey. Whether that’s from a railcar to a container or from a truck to a ship, transloading ensures your materials take the best route possible.
For agricultural exporters, transloading logistics are vital—allowing for faster, safer, and more cost-effective shipping.
Transloading logistics is essential for getting Canadian pulse crops like beans and lentils from our vast prairies to global markets. The process helps optimize the shipping journey, reduces costs, and ensures that pulse crops arrive in prime condition.
| Since 2000, the export of grain and pulse crops has surged by over 160%, driven by innovations in transloading. |
How Pulse Crops Are Transloaded
WTC’s process for handling pulse crops like lentils and beans has become highly optimized. Our methods have become faster, more accessible, and more cost-effective than ever before.
There are two key ways we bag pulse crops for export:
Bulk-to-Bag System
Bulk pulse crops arrive at the terminal via railcar. Beans, lentils or chickpeas are emptied from the railcars and fed into our bagging line, where they are packaged in various bag sizes, from smaller 15 kg bags up to 1,350 kg bulk bags. The bags are sewn shut and loaded into shipping containers via a touchless conveyor system. This process is fast and efficient, allowing a full container of bagged pulses to be loaded in under 50 minutes.
Bag-to-Bag System
In some cases, pulse crops have already been bagged before arriving at the transloading terminal. Our mobile conveyor system transfers these pre-bagged pulses between containers, utilising hydraulic spitters for touchless stacking. This method increases the speed and safety of the process while reducing manual labour and the chance of human error. We can handle up to 50 containers a day with this system.
Learn more about our transloading services for pulse crops here.
The Advantages of Bulk-to-Bag and Bag-to-Bag Transloading of Pulse Crops
There are several benefits to using transloading for pulse crops.
Greater Market Access
Bagged shipping allows pulse crops to be exported in more manageable sizes, opening the door to a broader range of buyers. With smaller, packaged shipments, pulse crops can reach international markets more easily.
A More Valuable Product
Packaging pulse crops adds value. Buyers are willing to pay more for containerized or bagged products, and customized branding on packaging can further enhance market appeal.
Better Protection from Spoilage
Bagging pulse crops for export ensures that they’re protected from moisture, pests, and contamination during their journey. Sealed bags reduce the risk of spoilage, ensuring that the product arrives in top condition.
WTC’s Technology Advantage: ShipSmpl
One of the biggest challenges Canadian agricultural exporters face is keeping track of their pulse shipments. We address this issue with our proprietary platform, ShipSmpl. This digital infrastructure gives customers visibility and control over every step of the shipping process, from quotation and rate management to terminal operations and invoicing.
Real-Time Tracking: ShipSmpl allows clients to monitor their shipments in real time, ensuring transparency from the moment a container leaves the terminal until it reaches its destination.
Quotations & Rate Management: The platform provides instant quotations, helping exporters plan and budget more effectively.
Documentation & Invoicing: ShipSmpl stores all shipping-related documentation in the cloud, streamlining communication and reducing paperwork.
Terminal Automation: We use automation to increase efficiency and accuracy in loading, unloading, and tracking, ensuring reliable operations at every turn.
Conclusion
Transloading logistics is crucial for efficiently exporting Canadian pulse crops, and we have you covered from the moment your pulses leave the railcar to when they reach international buyers.
If you’re ready to simplify your pulse crop logistics and access global markets, get in touch with us today to discuss how our transloading services can support your business.