Fall brings a surge of capacity demand — for grain hoppers in the Midwest, reefer units on the coasts and wherever fruit and produce are being harvested, and dry vans everywhere to help retailers stock their shelves for holiday shopping.
Peak season tests transportation providers’ mettle. Proven transportation providers know to prepare for seasonal tests, and they have the strategies in place to successfully navigate all challenges.
“Modern supply chains need end-to-end optimization to manage resilience and an expanded set of responsibilities,” SupplyChainBrain said.
Produce, in particular, requires shipping mode and route optimization to maintain its prime condition. A skilled team is needed to know the optimal temperatures for various fruits and vegetables. Produce shipping also requires a team adept at quick decision-making to deal with situations such as port congestion or delays at pickup.
This year, transportation providers that carry imported goods also must have contingency plans in place — especially if this peak shipping season is impacted by a strike at East and Gulf Coast ports, which could severely disrupt the supply chain.
“As far as preparing, we have seen a good bit of the front-loading of ocean freight cargo. The early peak season and some of that could be attributed to a potential strike to make sure that the retailers have their inventory and such,” Cathy Morrow Roberson, founder and president of Logistics Trends and Insights, said during an Industry Dave panel discussion in late July.
Dockworkers at ports all along the East and Gulf Coasts could go on strike as early as Oct. 1 as the International Longshoremen’s Association contract with the United States Maritime Alliance expires Sept. 30.
Jonathan Gold, the National Retail Federation’s vice president of supply chain and customs policy, confirmed that peak imports of holiday goods started earlier this year.
“Retailers are concerned by the possibility of a strike at ports on the East and Gulf coasts because contract talks have stalled,” Gold told Reuters in August.
But there are other factors affecting ocean imports this year, including vessel diversions because of attacks in the Red Sea and the Panama drought and elevated hurricane risks.
The early peak season has resulted in a “tremendous surge into the West Coast as the U.S. consumer has stayed strong in terms of their consumption to bring in imports to meet demand nationally,” Paul Bingham, director of transportation consulting at S&P Global Market Intelligence, said at a Port of Los Angeles media briefing in mid-August.
Technology should be leveraged to enhance shipping efficiency in every season. It’s absolutely critical during the hectic peak season, when shipments need to be monitored in real time. Automated tools are also essential in modern logistics for load planning, route optimization, and on-time delivery.
Shippers’ desire for greater visibility of containerized freight is evident in the growing numbers of members in the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Freight Logistics Optimization Works (FLOW) program. Among the 80 shipping giants that have signed up for data-sharing platform are John Deere, The Home Depot, and Ace Hardware.
The ports also are trying to provide shippers and carriers with greater visibility. The Port of Los Angeles received a nearly $8 million grant this summer to upgrade its Port Optimizer. Enhanced container tracking and an improved truck appointment system using artificial intelligence are among the planned upgrades.
The Port Optimizer also serves as a forecasting tool for the Port of LA – and the shippers and carriers it works with.
“Our Port Optimizer data provides stakeholders with up to 40 days of advanced visibility on their cargo, effectively enabling us to see around corners and over hills. This ability to anticipate and address potential issues allows us to resolve challenges much quicker than ever before,” Gene Seroka, executive director of the Port of LA, said during a media briefing in July.
Monitoring current conditions also is important, particularly for haulers of fruits and vegetables, and U.S. Department of Agriculture market reports serve as good capacity planning aids to know when and where harvesting will be getting underway.
Peak season shippers need to have strong relationships with logistics providers. They should be logistics partners — real people who answer the phone whenever shippers call 24/7/365 to collaboratively solve challenges and continually streamline operations.
Logistics partners should have shippers’ backs — no matter what it takes. They should be dedicated to providing exceptional service, deep experience, and creative thinking to navigate peak season — and every season.
VCPB Transportation is that logistics partner. We are experts at navigating peak season challenges.
We also are experts at moving perishables. We make sure both domestically grown and imported fruits and vegetables are delivered in excellent condition every time. We know that temperature control is a top priority, and we utilize the latest technology to deliver perishables in pristine condition.
Our extensive network and expertise in port drayage management ensure containers are efficiently moved off terminals. We ensure trucks arrive on time every time to reduce shippers’ exposure to unnecessary detention and demurrage fees.
At VCPB Transportation, we have the skill and the resources to handle expedited shipments, cross-border shipping, transloading, and over-the-road, intermodal, and overweight and oversized freight.
We’re ready for your peak season freight. Start shipping with VCBP.