The shipping industry includes any type of service that focuses on moving freight or goods from one location to another. This can be done by means of trains, trucks, airplanes, or even cargo boats. Shipping industry jobs therefore vary significantly according to the type of transport that is being done. Cargo planners are usually needed in any form of shipping; these shipping industry jobs focus on planning the order in which cargo will be loaded on a transport vehicle. This is a vital process for airplanes and boats to ensure a balanced load that will prevent loss of control of the vehicle.
Logistics professionals will fill shipping industry jobs in planning and strategy. They will be responsible for creating shipping schedules and may be involved in scheduling flights, train departures and arrivals, and departures and arrivals for ships. Other logistical shipping processes will be addressed by such professionals as well to ensure items are transported in a timely manner and delays are avoided whenever possible. When delays do happen, logistics professionals must change schedules and alter shipping methods to accommodate those delays.
Driver and operator positions are shipping industry jobs that deal with the actual movement of goods. Drivers may operate delivery trucks on land, trains, or even boats and airplanes. Pilots can work for shipping companies exclusively to transport goods more quickly than any other method of shipping. Boat captains may guide ships all over the world to transport larger items and bulk goods. Along with operators, various types of personnel will be involved with ensuring vehicles are safe and prepared for transport; inspectors and refueling workers, for example, will be responsible for preparing a vehicle for departure and ensuring it is safe.
Yard engineers work in rail yards to organize train cars, prepare trains for loading and unloading, and coordinating with train conductors to ensure the route has been established correctly, the train is fueled, and all other details are addressed. These shipping industry jobs will require experience and training, and in some cases the job can be quite hazardous, since the engineers will work in an active rail yard where trains will be in motion.
Air traffic controllers are not necessarily exclusive to the shipping industry, but they are vital players in the safe transport of goods. These professionals work at airports and monitor and control the arrivals and departures of various aircraft. Shipping planes cannot arrive or depart from an airport without the coordination of the air traffic controller.