As widely reported in the trade media, and as Logistics Plus reported late last year, on July 1, 2016, a new regulation from SOLAS (Safety of Life at Sea convention of the International Maritime Organization or IMO) takes effect requiring shippers whose name appears on the bill of lading to verify the gross mass of a container carrying cargo when tendering the container to the ocean carriers and terminals. Many in the industry are warning shippers to expect delays and congestion portside after the new rules go into effect.
We encourage Logistics Plus customers that ship containers to begin developing internal processes in anticipation of the new rules. This includes collecting accurate weights, developing a procedure for weighing containers, developing procedures for producing signed verified gross mass (VGM) certificates, understanding local requirements and determining who the authorized certificate signer will be while ensuring there is also a backup for this role. We also recommend having a contingency plan: if a container is denied access to a terminal or is quarantined on-site, have alternatives planned to move time-sensitive cargo via air or some other method.
As always, your international shipping partners at Logistics Plus stand ready to help customers answer questions and address the new container rules as best as possible. The Journal of Commerce has published a helpful Shippers’ Guide to Container Weight Mandate article and FAQs on its website. Logistics Plus customers with specific questions or concerns should call their local Logistics Plus representative, or email us at quotes@logisticsplus.com.
About Logistics Plus Inc.
Logistics Plus provides freight transportation, warehousing, global logistics, and supply chain management solutions through a worldwide network of talented and caring professionals. Founded in Erie, PA by local entrepreneur, Jim Berlin, 20 years ago, Logistics Plus has been repeatedly recognized as one of the fastest-growing transportation and logistics companies in the country. With a strong passion for excellence, its 350+ employees put the “Plus” in logistics by doing the big things properly, and the countless little things, that together ensure complete customer satisfaction and success.
The Logistics Plus® network includes offices located in Erie, PA; Alma, AR; Little Rock, AR; Los Angeles, CA; Riverside, CA; San Francisco, CA; Visalia, CA; Atlanta, GA; Evansville, IN; Detroit, MI; Kansas City, MO; Charlotte, NC; Lexington, NC; Buffalo, NY; Cleveland, OH; Charleston, SC; Greenville, SC; Nashville, TN; Dallas, TX; Fort Worth, TX; Houston, TX; Laredo, TX; Bahrain; Belgium; Canada; Chile; China; Colombia; Egypt; France; Germany; India; Indonesia; Kazakhstan; Libya; Mexico; Poland; Saudi Arabia; Turkey; and UAE; with additional agents around the world. For more information, visit www.logisticsplus.com or follow @LogisticsPlus on Twitter.
As depicted in the circle image of the Logistics Plus (LP) logo, we have the experience and expertise to help shippers move their goods by any transportation mode, including GROUND, AIR, OCEAN, or RAIL. How did we acquire these capabilities? It all started twenty years ago with our first customer, GE Transportation (GET), a division of General Electric – one of the largest companies in the world. Back then, LP was GET’s lead logistics provider helping them move their products and parts across the country and around the world. Twenty years later, we’re still managing shipments across all transportation modes, but today we’re doing it for more than 2,000 customers and in dozens of countries around the world!
Ground Freight Transportation
Our domestic ground freight transportation capabilities have enabled us to be recognized by Transport Topics magazine as a 2015 Top 50 freight brokerage firm in North America. Our non-asset ground services include complete less-than-truckload (LTL) capabilities with all of the top carriers in the country, and a full-range of truckload solutions using our network of thousands of national, regional and specialized freight carriers. Additionally, with our National Truckload (NTL) division, we offer select clients the option for a dedicated fleet of trucks and equipment. When it comes to North American ground transportation, our carriers, services and rates are among the best in the industry.
Air Freight Transportation
For air freight transportation, we can handle both domestic and import/export shipment types. We have developed relationships with all of the major air freight carriers allowing us to negotiate the best combination of service, price, and speed on behalf of our customers. Our services include airport-to-airport, door-to-door, and even air charters. We are also a certified IATA cargo agent in both the U.S. and Mexico, meaning we get exclusive access to the top air freight and cargo carriers in the industry. When customers ship internationally with Logistics Plus, they can also tap our full-service Customs Broker Solutions division to help them with all aspects of global trade compliance.
Ocean Freight Transportation
Similar to air freight, our ocean freight transportation services are available for both domestic (i.e., AK, HI, PR, USVI, and Guam) and import/export shipments. As a Non-Vessel-Operating Common Carrier (NVOCC), we have long-standing relationships with ocean carriers which allow us to obtain competitive rates for our customers and frequent sailings to and from all major ports of call. We can handle both full-container-load (FCL) and less-than-container-load (LCL) ocean shipments. For international shipments, our customs broker solutions staff is there to help with duties, tariffs, and all other clearance details. For imports, our remote location filing (RLF) status with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) allows us to clear shipments at any and all U.S. ports of entry.
Rail Freight Transportation
If you’re looking to reduce your transportation costs, rail and intermodal freight transportation are often good options. Not only can we help you manage your rail logistics, we can also help you arrange the necessary drayage services to get your shipments to and from the rail yards. Because of our skills in this area, some of our customers have even asked us to provide dedicated, rail freight logistics management solutions for them (see our Hero BX case study for a great example).
Project Freight Solutions
Sometimes our customers have very unique or complex logistics projects that require a “multi-mode” approach to transportation. In these cases, the Logistics Plus Project Cargo division is ready to assist. Your logistics project will be customized for your situation—from a comprehensive, pre-shipment evaluation of potential risks, costs and delivery schedules, to route and port surveys, coordination of proper packaging of components, required documentation handling, and transportation mode analysis. Even if your cargo is oversized or heavy lift, our project cargo specialists can manage it all. Over the years, we’ve transported locomotives to Indonesia; imported solar modules into the U.S.; shipped wind turbines to Finland; hauled tugboats to Kuwait; and much more! In many cases, these shipments all required use of ground, air, ocean, and rail freight transportation – all modes we know how to manage.
If you’d like to request a free quote on your next ROAD, AIR, OCEAN, RAIL, or PROJECT FREIGHT shipment, simply click the button below to get started. We’re ready to help you with your single-mode or multi-mode transportation needs.
The International Maritime Organization (IMO.org) has recently approved changes to the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) Convention requiring the verification of container weights. Here are five things shippers should know – and do – in regards to the forthcoming revised rules for container weights:
Verify All Container Weights!
All shippers will be responsible for verifying the weights of their containers before being loaded aboard any ship. A verified gross mass document should be handed to the shipping line, then the terminal, who will then determine whether or not to accept the container.
Be Prepared!
The effective date of this new legislation is not until July 1st, 2016, but shippers need to start making arrangements now in order to ensure they are ready when its time.
Don’t Risk It!
Not declaring the gross mass of your container, may not only lead to its rejection from the terminal but could also cost you a large sum of money in fines, sanctions or in some cases, even jail time.
Pick A Verified Weighing Option:
Shippers have two options; they can either weigh the entire packed container using certified and calibrated equipment, or they can sum up the weights of each individual item utilizing an approved process.
Talk To Your Freight Forwarder
If you are using a freight forwarder, make sure they are experienced and reputable (like Logistics Plus), and that you establish a well-founded communication system with them. This way you can ensure compliance on both sides, and prevent non-shipment or delays of any of your goods.
If you have any questions, feel free to contact the international experts at Logistics Plus at pricing@logisticsplus.com or click the button below to get a quick quote on your next international freight shipment.
Logistics Plus (LP) provides logistics services within and across all national borders and using all modes of transportation. Air freight forwarding and ocean freight forwarding services come into play more often than not on international shipments. On the LP International team, Emily Grein is our lead air freight specialist and Kristen Smith is our lead ocean freight specialist. We asked these two to square-off in order to better understanding the pros and cons of shipping air freight versus ocean freight. Although Emily, Kristen, and their teams are intimately immersed in either air or ocean transportation, their top priority is always to ensure the right mode is selected for the needs of each customer (which, in some cases, can include both ocean and air).
When considering the choice between air and ocean freight forwarding, the top three factors to consider are generally reliability, speed, and cost. Whether you ship via air or via ocean, each requires some level of expertise to understand how these three factors will be impacted; and each has a different set of rules, regulations, and best-practices practices.
RELIABILITY Airfreight is more convenient and faster even though flights can get delayed by weather and other circumstances. There are usually daily air flights back and forth and between major cities around the world. Ocean carrier sailings, on the other hand, are generally weekly or every other week depending upon the trade lane. This means that if a cut-off time is missed at a seaport, there will be a longer delay. There is also the possibility of exposure to weather conditions and goods being damaged due to the wait at the ports of transfer. Lastly, the longer, more stringent schedule of ocean service may not always line up with business expectations.
SPEED It should be no surprise that shipping by air is usually much faster than by ocean. Air shipments can take up to a few days while shipping by ocean can take anywhere from a few weeks to months to arrive; however, more efficient routes are being created and ships are getting faster, meaning shipments crossing the ocean are taking less time.
COST For many businesses, cost can be a very crucial factor which can influence the decision to ship by air or ocean freight. Shipping your items by air is more expensive than ocean freight. Expect to pay between 5-6 times more to ship by air versus ocean transportation. With both air and ocean, costs are directly related to the cargo weight, dimensions, value, and distance being shipped. Generally, larger and heavier shipments are often cheaper to ship by ocean, while smaller more valuable shipments are better to ship by air.
The table below shows a few items to consider when deciding whether to ship via air or ocean:
No matter which mode you ship, customs regulations, duties, and fees will come into play on all international imports or exports. Working with a reliable freight forwarder that has in-house customs broker solutions will go a long way towards ensuring your shipment receives expedited customs clearance and that your import/export fees are minimized.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (Slideshow and Video included below)
Logistics Plus Coordinates Big Cargo Shipment from Germany at the Port of Monroe in Michigan First European cargo shipment received at the Michigan Port in over 50 years
ERIE, PENNSYLVANIA, July 15, 2015 – Logistics Plus Inc., a worldwide provider of transportation, logistics, and supply chain solutions, helped successfully coordinate the unloading and transportation of two 190-foot, 28 thousand pound windmill blades destined for Gratiot, Michigan, and 127 sections of 40-foot long pipes being delivered to the Ohio gas line in Dundee, Michigan. After a two-week journey from Bremen, Germany, the 411-footlong Faglegracht, a Spliethoff Lines vessel out of Amsterdam, arrived at the Port of Monroe on Monday, July 6. It was the first European cargo ocean line to dock at the Port of Monroe in the 1960s.
The delivery was brokered by Robert (Bob) Hallberg, vice president of domestic operations for Logistics Plus, and Paul LaMarre III, director for the Port of Monroe. In a quote to local media, Mr. Lamarre said the event marks a milestone in the port’s history and is a preview of its initiation into the modern, global transportation industry. “I think the Port of Monroe has not necessarily been seen as a potential gateway to international trade in recent history, but this is proof that our capabilities are far-reaching,” Mr. LaMarre said. “It essentially takes our port from being a highly productive domestic cargo hub and broadens its reach across oceans.”
The success of this international cargo project required coordination between six entities beyond the Port of Monroe, including Logistics Plus, Spliethoff Lines, DRM Terminal Services, Barnhart Crane and Rigging, the Carl Polzin logistics company, and Mund and Bruns cargo surveyors (see slideshow and video below). Logistics Plus facilitated a large portion of the communication to bring the parties together and is handling all of the domestic transportation, which will include over 60 truck movements.
“This is just one of much clean energy and pipeline cargo projects we are coordinating to the U.S. from Europe,” said Hallberg. “For this particular shipment, it was important for us to optimize the U.S. ground portion of the move to reduce overall transportation costs. In the Port of Monroe, we have definitely found a port that can efficiently handle this kind of cargo for shipments being delivered to points in eastern Michigan and northwestern Ohio.”
About the Port of Monroe Port of Monroe is a commercial harbor established in 1932. It is located off E. Front St. and intended to provide easy access for cargo to the interstate and railway transportation networks in southeast Michigan. For more information, visit www.portofmonroe.com.
About Logistics Plus (LP)
Logistics Plus Inc. provides freight transportation, warehousing, global logistics, and supply chain management solutions through a worldwide network of talented and caring professionals. Founded in Erie, PA by local entrepreneur Jim Berlin nearly 20 years ago, Logistics Plus has been repeatedly recognized as one of the fastest-growing transportation and logistics companies in the country. With a strong passion for excellence, its 350+ employees put the “Plus” in logistics by doing the big things properly, and the countless little things, that together ensure complete customer satisfaction and success.
The Logistics Plus® network includes offices located in Erie, PA; Fresno, CA; Los Angeles, CA; San Francisco, CA; Evansville, IN; Detroit, MI; Kansas City, MO; Lexington, NC; Buffalo, NY; Cleveland, OH; Charleston, SC; Greenville, SC; Nashville, TN; Dallas, TX; Fort Worth, TX; Laredo, TX; Houston, TX; Australia; Bahrain; Belgium; Canada; Chile; China; Colombia; Egypt; France; Germany; India; Indonesia; Kazakhstan; Libya; Mexico; Poland; Saudi Arabia; Turkey; United Kingdom; and additional agents around the world. For more information, visit www.logisticsplus.com or follow @LogisticsPlus on Twitter.
As widely reported in the trade media, and as Logistics Plus reported late last year, on July 1, 2016, a new regulation from SOLAS (Safety of Life at Sea convention of the International Maritime Organization or IMO) takes effect requiring shippers whose name appears on the bill of lading to verify the gross mass of a container carrying cargo when tendering the container to the ocean carriers and terminals. Many in the industry are warning shippers to expect delays and congestion portside after the new rules go into effect.
Ground Freight Transportation
Air Freight Transportation
Ocean Freight Transportation
Rail Freight Transportation
ERIE, PENNSYLVANIA, July 15, 2015 – Logistics Plus Inc., a worldwide provider of transportation, logistics, and supply chain solutions, helped successfully coordinate the unloading and transportation of two 190-foot, 28 thousand pound windmill blades destined for Gratiot, Michigan, and 127 sections of 40-foot long pipes being delivered to the Ohio gas line in Dundee, Michigan. After a two-week journey from Bremen, Germany, the 411-footlong Faglegracht, a Spliethoff Lines vessel out of Amsterdam, arrived at the Port of Monroe on Monday, July 6. It was the first European cargo ocean line to dock at the Port of Monroe in the 1960s.