The transportation industry is vitally important to the global and American economy. The transportation services have been greatly affected by COVID 19. It does not matter if you are looking at Ocean Freight Services, Air freight, Inland transportation or Even Package delivery. Every part of the transportation sector has been affected.

Let us start by looking at Ocean Freight Services . At the time of writing this article, ocean freight rates from China to the East Coast ports in the USA are at an all time high of around $20,000 for a 40′ Container. You would be lucky to find space. Then comes the booking roll overs because the vessel was over booked, the congestion at the port, etc..

Then when the containers arrive at the port of destination, you are faced with port congestion, delays at availability of container and then off course the availability of truckers to handle the drayage to your warehouse. In Miami, in some cases, there is no availability for truckers for two weeks. A congestion fees is being charged by most truckers because the ports are requiring truckers to make appointments to pick up the containers.

Freight forwarders in general are struggling with the delays at the port, angry customers are rising drayage costs. Some truckers are charging $200 per hour for waiting time. The situation does not seem to be getting any better, on the contrary, it is getting worse.

Now let us talk about Inland Transportation Services . America’s trucking industry is the lifeblood of the U.S. economy. Nearly every good consumed in the U.S. is put on a truck at some point. As a result, the trucking industry hauled 72.5% of all freight transported in the United States.

Recently, we have been experiencing many issues pertaining to pick up and delivery of goods. As an example, common carriers miss the scheduled pick up appointments on regular basis due to lack of capacity. Here is a message from dispatch of one of the major carriers ” The carrier is currently handling a back log. They are working as fast as they can to get freight picked up ” .

And finally let us mention the chaos in the courier delivery companies. I will point out a few issues that we have been experiencing: Courier companies are losing packages. I was personally involved in 3 different occasion where i handed the packages to one of the major courier companies only to find out that the packages were lost. Let me also mention how the packages are not picked up on time not to mentions the excessive damages. As a 3PL Company, we are directly affected by all of the issues in the transportation industry. There are a lot of work stoppage to resolve issues or deal with angry customers. The end result is the rising cost of doing business.

Resources

POP Freight

Miami Freight Forwarders

Logistics Companies

Artificial Intelligence has made it into our lives a while back and continues to make an impact. From playing chess against a computer to Siri, Alexa and detecting cancer cells, A.I. is here to stay.

The logistics industry is beginning to invest in A.I. heavily starting with the shipping companies such as Maersk and CMA. Soon we will be able to see more efficient shipments at a lesser cost.

To those of you who watch futuristic movies, rest assured the Artificial Intelligence will not take over the world, we will not be ruled by robots.

Artificial Intelligence is about machine learning and learning (input) requires processing power. There just isn’t enough processing power in the world to match the power of the human brain. To clarify further it took 90,000 processers 1 hour to process what 1/100 of the brain to process in 1 second. You do that math.

When it comes to logistics, Artificial Intelligence is lagging behind other fields. Ocean Shipping Companies, are developing software to better track Ocean Freight shipments minute by minute.

In the next 5-10 years, we might be able to see driverless trucks making deliveries, robots in the warehouse will be able to determine which box to use for a specific item. The shipping software will automatically decide on the best shipping method at the least cost depending on the variables presented.

Tech giants, like Amazon, have been using Artificial Intelligence to determine which location an item should be shipped from to minimize the cost and expedite the shipment, Omnichannel Fulfillment.

Efficiency of the supply chain will continue to improve with the implementation of A.I.

Will Artificial Intelligence Replace us?

You need to understand that as long as A.I. lacks consciousness, human interventions will always be needed.  Our input will guide A.I.  so, for you dreamers out there, please come back to reality and for those of you afraid of technology, do not worry, robots will not make us obsolete simply because there is no power more dominating than the human brain. Just ask Microsoft about the failed Tay experiment. A.I. has to be able to perceive and act.

Resources

A.I. and 3PL

A.I. and freight Forwarding

International 3PL specializes in export services to many countries around the globe. Our Export services cover all types of Cargo including personal effects shipping. We ensure the smooth transit of your products to their final destination around the world.

Exporting is vital for growing your business. Knowing how to deliver your product to a new market is a critical for your success.

International 3PL’s Export services are designed to simplify the process and have the orders shipping as quickly as possible.

What you need to know about Exporting

Freight Forwarders

An international freight forwarder is an agent for the exporter in moving cargo to an overseas destination. These agents are familiar with the import rules and regulations of foreign countries, the export regulations of the U.S. government, the methods of shipping, and the documents related to foreign trade.

Freight forwarders assist exporters in preparing price quotations by advising on freight costs, port charges, consular fees, costs of special documentation, insurance costs, and their handling fees, that is why it is important to work with a reputable freight forwarder.

Packing

Exporters should be aware of the demands that international shipping puts on packaged goods. Exporters should jeep four potential problems in mind when designing an export shipping crate: breakage, moisture, pilferage and excess weight.

Buyers are often familiar with the port systems overseas, so they will often specify packaging requirements. If the buyer does not specify this, be sure the goods are prepared using these guidelines

Labeling

Specific marking and labeling is used on export shipping cartons and containers to:

• Meet shipping regulations;
• Ensure proper handling;
• Conceal the identity of the contents;
• Help receivers identify shipments; and
• Insure compliance with environmental and safety standards.

The overseas buyer usually specifies which export marks should appear on the cargo for easy identification by receivers Therefore communication with the importer is essential

Documentation

While Exporters can prepare the documents themselves, its advisable that exporters should seriously consider having the freight forwarder handle the formidable amount of documentation that exporting requires as forwarders are specialists in this process. The following documents are commonly used in exporting; but which of them are necessary in a particular transaction depends on the requirements of the U.S. government and the government of the importing country.

• Air freight shipments are handled by air waybills, which can never be made in negotiable form
• A bill of lading is a contract between the owner of the goods and the carrier (as with domestic shipments).
• A commercial invoice is a bill for the goods from the seller to the buyer. These invoices are often used by governments to determine the true value of goods when assessing customs duties.
• A certificate of origin is a document that is required in certain nations. It is a signed statement as to the origin of the export item.
• A NAFTA certificate of origin is required for products traded among the NAFTA countries (Canada, the United States, and Mexico).
• Inspection certification is required by some purchasers and countries in order to attest to the specifications of the goods shipped. This is usually performed by a third party and often obtained from independent testing organizations.
• A dock receipt and a warehouse receipt are used to transfer accountability when the export item is moved by the domestic carrier to the port of embarkation and left with the ship line for export.
• A destination control statement appears on the commercial invoice, and ocean or air waybill of lading to notify the carrier and all foreign parties that the item can be exported only to certain destinations.

Documents Required by US Government

• A Shipper’s Export Declaration(SED) is used to control exports and act as a source document for official U.S. export statistics.
• An export license is a government document that authorizes the export of specific goods in specific quantities to a particular destination. This document may be required for most or all exports to some countries or for other countries only under special circumstances.
• An export packing list considerably more detailed and informative than a standard domestic packing list. 

Shipping

The handling of transportation is similar for domestic and export orders. Export marks are added to the standard information on a domestic bill of lading. These marks show the name of the exporting carrier and the latest allowed arrival date at the port of export consequently, instructions for the inland carrier to notify the international freight forwarder by telephone upon arrival should also be included.

Insurance

Export shipments are usually insured against loss, damage, and delay in transit by cargo insurance. Carrier liability is frequently limited by international agreements. Additionally, the coverage is substantially different from domestic coverage. Arrangements for insurance may be made by either the buyer or the seller, in accordance with the terms of sale. Exporters are advised to consult with international insurance carriers or freight forwarders for more information.

Although sellers and buyers can agree to different components, coverage is usually placed at 110 percent of the CIF (cost, insurance, freight) or CIP (carriage and insurance paid to) value

Tariffs

Finally, it is very important to consider the effects of tariffs, port handling fees, and taxes when determining your product’s final cost as they can be high. Typically, the importer pays these charges. However, these costs will influence how much the buyer is willing to pay for your product.

When you are ready to export your order, our staff will make sure that the process is made easy so you can focus on your core business. That is why you can count on our worldwide network to support your export needs.

Benefits of our export services

• Meeting export administration guidelines
• Streamlining your export business from order through delivery
• Enhancing compliance rates while controlling costs and increasing efficiencies
• Increasing visibility of transactions to your trading partners worldwide.
• We deal with the oceans of paperwork.
• Most of all : We ship your goods, as if they were our own

Our concept is very simple: We have the expertise and the connections to make your experience a pleasant one. and most importantly our Export Services are not limited to shipping cargo, we also can handle your warehousing and distribution services.

Contact us for a rate quote

As an international shipper, you want  efficient and dependable full service freight forwarder that matches your business demands. To keep your operations flowing, you need a company that will handle your shipments quickly and smoothly. That is our job as a partner. With multiple sailing and gateway options, supported by relationships with a variety of carriers, you have maximum visibility and options.

An International Freight Forwarding & Shipping Company usually offers a full range of global logistics services so that the movement of your international freight is very smooth.

Before entering into negotiations with a logistics provider, analyze your own transportation procedures and determine your requirements. Consider factors such as the volume of shipments the new agent will be handling.

Will your shipments move primarily via ocean, air, or truck? Do your international shipments consist primarily of container loads or do they sail as breakbulk or heavyweight freight? If your product moves via air, will most of the cargo fit into the bellies of passenger aircraft or must it travel via more expensive main-deck configuration?

As your international freight forwarder, you can rely on our  Network to have the knowledge and means to support your business at all times. International 3PL Network of providers can help you navigate the complexities of international trade by combining global reach, visibility and reliability. Our customer service and account management teams are determined to meet your international transportation needs.

As your single source for International Freight Forwarding, International 3PL offers a complete global network and can design  solutions to streamline your supply chain and increase efficiency, accuracy and cost savings.

Search & compare multiple international cargo shipping rates, then book your shipment with one of  the world’s largest international freight carriers. . Find the best Ocean freight rates rates fast.

Trust us with  your international freight  shipments. Ship your freight across the globe, reach more customers and build your business.

Testimonials

I absolutely love how I can get both air and ocean international shipping rates in 2 minutes or less instead of waiting 24 hours or more . We can now provide a higher level of customer service to our customers by being able to respond to their international import and export requests quicker than ever before. The International 3PL team has been very responsive when I have questions about the shipments that I have booked with them. The international rates and high level of customer service that we received are fantastic.

Carlos. Patio Zona

International 3PL provided me the best rate for my shipping needs and their staff was enjoyable to work with. I look forward to shipping with them again.
Al Miller, Director of Operations, Cabinet Express

The average knowledge worker spends 25%-30% of their day looking for information. Any time we can put useful information in the hands of our clients, it’s a benefit. International 3PL has probided such knowledge
Danny, Granite Express