Fundamentals of Shipping

That is the audience it was built for. The level is Foundation, and module one begins by defining shipping, forwarding and the logistics vocabulary before following a shipment from seller to buyer. Someone joining from retail, finance or a graduate scheme can follow every module in order and arrive at documentation and Incoterms with the context needed to understand them.

Module nine treats the Incoterms 2020 rules as working tools rather than a list to memorize. Participants learn what the rules do and do not govern, how the eleven rules split into two families and four groups, where risk and where expense transfer under each, and how to choose a rule based on transport mode, container use, insurance and the control a party wants.

Modules six and seven. Module six treats the container as the standard planning unit: cargo types and characteristics, the FCL versus LCL consolidation decision, and measuring volume, weight and chargeable basis. Module seven explains why containerization replaced break-bulk, the unitization principle behind it, how a standard container is built and identified, and how it is certified and secured for transport.

Further than the title suggests. After the core modules on vessels, ports, forwarding roles, containers, workflow, Incoterms and documents, the program continues into bills of lading and the contract of carriage, maritime law, customs basics, dangerous goods awareness, marine insurance, chartering and freight markets, freight quotations, digital documentation, multimodal forwarding and decarbonization, before a capstone on professional practice.

Very much so. Shippers who outsource to a forwarder still sign the contract, choose the Incoterms rule, supply the documents and absorb the delays. Module five explains the forwarder's responsibilities, liability and standard trading conditions, which tells an in-house team what it can expect and what remains its own job. Modules eight and ten cover the workflow and documents that team supplies.

There are 32 hours of self-paced content on the Blue Ocean learning platform, accessible on web and mobile. Nothing is timetabled, so an onboarding manager can set a target such as completion within the probation period and let each person pace the modules around shadowing and desk work. The administrator dashboard shows how far each new joiner has progressed and when they finish.

Use the Register Now button on this page. It opens Fundamentals of Shipping on the Blue Ocean Academy website, where you can enroll and start learning at your own pace.