Goods sent by air, are usually handled more carefully. Airplane are very expensive and the owners are usually more concern about their "Airplane" than the goods.

Although occasional mishaps, such as goods arriving at the wrong destination or fresh vegetables arriving frozen, are not totally unusual.

Port of Destination, when the box or crate is unloaded at the port of destination, it may also be subjected to rough handling.

The stevedores may be unable to read cautionary signs such as "This side up", "Use no hooks", "Keep dry", or "Handle with care", even if printed in their own language.

There may not be adequate covered storage available for the goods or even proper unloading equipment such as dockside cranes.

At some ports, the ship remains out at sea in deep water and the cargo is transferred to lighters which then bring it ashore where it is eventually unloaded.

Often, during the transfer of cargo from ship to lighter, a crate may bump against the side of the ship or the deck of the lighter.

Also during the transfer, or while on the way to shore, the crate or package may be drenched with salt spray. At worst, a crate may even disappear into the sea.
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Large loads are sent whenever possible, as large loads are less likely to be damaged than small ones and most shipping companies offer a discount for "unitized" where the various packages of goods are combined into a larger unit.