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Ways of Preventing Shipment Delays

excelsior on June 15, 2020

Ways of Preventing Shipment Delays

Untimely arrival of shipment is perhaps one of the most common problems of businesses nowadays.  With the world currently facing the COVID-19 outbreak, supplies can deplete faster, and delayed shipments could result in poor customer service and wasted profit opportunities.

On the other hand, those who specialize in manufacturing are more likely to suffer from the effects of delayed shipment. Based on a study, around 62% of respondents believed that they are less likely to negotiate again with a supplier whose products were not delivered to them within the promised dates.

If you’re running an import/export business trying to transport your products with minimal to no delays, then here are some of the ways to do so.

Know the Cause of the Delay

The first step for preventing delayed shipment is through having an understanding of what causes the delay in the first place. This will enable you to prepare solutions the next time around.

Examples of scenario that are usually attributed to the untimely arrival of shipment include:

  • Bad Weather – Typhoons and even other forms of natural calamities are purely unavoidable, which make it the most tolerable cause of shipment delays.
  • Errors in Documentation – Any errors in documentation, such as the misspelling of the address, incorrect order forms, and incomplete information, can also lead to unnecessary late deliveries.
  • Package Redirection – A change in information, especially the address, can usually make a shipment be transferred in a different time of arrival.
  • Customs Delay – Customs authorities typically require a list of requirements before you can clear your shipment. Failure to submit these documents in time will guarantee a late shipment.

Practicing utmost care and planning ahead of time are the best measures that you can do to prevent any of these indicators from happening.

Make your Warehouse More Organized

Keep your warehouse well-organized, especially if you receive tons of orders every day. Arrange your products based on how popular they are, and make sure that the packages that you will transfer are all in a separate place so that they can be easier to find upon dispatching.

Utilize Logistics Software

Automation can be considered as one of the efficient ways of combating delayed shipment. However, you should take note that using software for managing logistics can prompt you to invest more money, as they can be quite expensive. But in case you don’t have enough resources to afford logistics software, you can still go for an alternative way. Formulate a step-by-step checklist that will guide your employees while doing logistics tasks.

Hire a Freight Forwarder or Customs Broker

Partnering with a freight forwarding agency or a customs broker in the Philippines comes with a lot of benefits, which include preventing any delays in your shipment. Since both professions are very knowledgeable in logistics, they can provide you some helpful advice of the best carrier company that will ensure the timely arrival of your goods. And if you have issues with your documents, a customs broker will surely help you clear everything up as they are very familiar with the process involving customs requirements.

If you want to know more about what freight forwarders and customs brokers do, check out the infographic here.

Excelsior Worldwide Freight Logistics conducts free orientation for those who are willing to learn. It is our advocacy to share our knowledge & experience worth more than a decade in the business. Visit our website today at www.excelsior.ph to learn more about our service.

Importers/Exporters Primer for Break Bulk Shipment and Container Loading

excelsior on January 16, 2018

If you are just new in the import/export business, then one of the first shipping methods you should get familiar with is the break bulk shipping, better known as Less Container Load (LCL). Probably it is because you are still testing the waters first, i.e., your first orders are likely to be small or, perhaps, your product’s dimensions do not fit or utilize standard shipping containers or cargo bins. Either way, knowing when to use break bulk shipment is essential as you grow your trading business.

What is Break Bulk

In the old-world context, break bulk means the extraction of a portion of the cargo on a ship or the beginning of the unloading process from the ship’s holds.

In the modern context, break bulk is meant to encompass cargo that is transported in bags, boxes, crates, drums, or barrels – or items of extreme length or size. Compared to Full Container Loading, this type of shipping involves paying for space your load takes up in a standard container.

To be considered break bulk, these goods must be loaded individually, not in intermodal containers nor in bulk as with liquids or grains.It is without a doubt the most common form of cargo ever since time immemorial. Examples of commonly shipped break bulk cargo include:

  • Bagged or sacked cargo.
  • Baled goods
  • Barrel, drums, and casks,
  • Corrugated and wooden boxes or containers
  • Reels and rolls
  • Equipment, vehicles, and components
  • Steel girders and structural steel
  • Any long, heavy, or over-sized cargo

Benefits of Break Bulk Shipment

The main advantage of this shipping method is that it allows you to move oversized, over-weight load that would not otherwise fit into a container or cargo bin. It can also be an affordable way to ship large cargo since the item will not have to be dismantled to ship

Take note, however, that even when you are not shipping over-sized cargo, break bulk shipment can still be a very advantageous mode of shipment. If you can find a freight forwarding company that specializes in break bulk, you will be able to control your shipping expense when you are shipping a small trial order.

For exporters, shipping in break bulk requires them to put an extra care in packing and labeling goods because break bulk shipments are more prone to theft and damage. Typically, break bulk cargos are packed using the following materials:

  • Pallets
  • Slip sheets
  • Crates

Container Loading

Since the late 1960s, break bulk cargo has declined while containerized cargo has grown significantly. Moving containers on and off a ship are much more efficient than having to move individual goods. This efficiency, therefore allows ships to minimize time in ports and spend more time on the sea.

There are different types of container units that cater to different types and sizes of cargo. The most commonly used by small to medium-sized importers/exporters are the 20-foot container, while large-sized companies often use the 40-foot and 45-foot containers.

The following are approximations of how many pallets or skids can into each type of containers:

  • Ten standards (40”x48”x48”) pallets can fit into a 20’ dry ocean container.
  • 22 standard (40”x48”x48”) pallets can fit into a 40’ or 40HC (high cube) dry ocean container.
  • 24 standard (40”x48”x48”) pallets can fit into a 45’ dry ocean container.

Overall, choosing between break bulk and container loading are mainly depends on the type and quantity of your goods.

Allow Excelsior Worldwide Freight Logistics Corp. to help you navigate the world of import and export. For more information on our breakbulk service, visit our website today at www. excelsior.ph. For any queries that you may have, you may call us at (063) 5259775, or send us an e-mail through wecare@excelsior.ph

 

 

Excelsior Worldwide Logistics Corp.