The most important steps you should take now to keep your cargo

The most important steps you should take now to keep your cargo flowing:

1. Get in touch with your suppliers: Talk to them and see if they can deliver your cargo earlier or later than agreed if you are facing time constraints.
2. Reach out to business partners and customers: It is crucial to inform your business partners and customers about delays. As you should now be “brave in making decisions. Talk to your partners and make them aware the pandemic is changing behaviors. Partners need to stand together in overcoming the transformation to a new consumer behavior.”
3. Talk to your logistics service provider: Ask them for alternative routes – they are the experts in their field and will be able to help you out to avoid long waiting times in the next months.
4. Consider an alternative transportation mix: The mode of transportation is an important consideration when planning your shipment – particularly right now. Besides the costs, the urgency of the shipment, the value of the goods being shipped as well as the size and weight of the goods need to be evaluated when determining the form of transportation.
5. Think ahead: Is your cargo not time-sensitive and does therefore not need to arrive urgently at its destination? Then pre-book your cargo now – with that you can add some buffer to your overall transportation timeline.
6. Find alternative ports: Check larger ports than the ones where you would normally load your cargo. There it will be easier to find available loading space for your freight.
7. Choose different container types: You might normally use 40-foot containers to transport your cargo. As the capacity constraints count especially for 40-foot containers, and 20-foot containers are mostly available, this might be another container type to consider for your cargo.