Shipping and Freight

Currently sitting in the comfort of your home or office can you imagine a life without access to the internet or social connectivity, especially...

"An outstanding Easter Sunday rising" is how William Doyle, Executive Director of the Port Baltimore has termed the refloating of the Ever Forward on...

Here are the answers to the General Average questions that were posted on this site last week.. These questions and answers are courtesy of...

In the latest episode of ocean carriers acquiring logistics businesses, MSC has confirmed in a statement that it has entered into a share purchase...

The Port of Los Angeles posted another record performance in February 2022 breaking its own record, handling 857,764 TEUs which is an increase of...

Unprecedented Early Success of Blockchain Advance Cargo Information (ACI) Processing Project Leads the Government of the Arab Republic of Egypt to Convert its Agreement...

Shifl’s widely-used supply chain software is now rolling out its newest addition: A modern financial technology built alongside its sophisticated logistics technology. Creating...

project44 receives $420 million investment led by Thoma Bravo, TPG and Goldman Sachs valuing business at $2.2 billion pre-money With $100+ million in...

The extraordinary growth figures of the US retail sector cannot hold up forever. 2022 might be the year it falters, taking the trucking market...

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is the latest entrant to enter the fray to try and identify the issues surrounding the massive supply chain disruptions...

The Port of Los Angeles and the Port of Long Beach announced on the 29th of November that the implementation of the much unwanted...

CMA CGM posted a net profit of $5.6bn for Q3 increasing its consolidated revenue by 89%, compared to 2020 on the back of incredible...

Efficient warehousing should be one of the top priorities in any supply chain strategy as this is the holding area for various types of materials including raw materials, semi-finished, and finished products all of which need to be stored and managed effectively for a seamless production and distribution process..

There are several failures in warehousing operations as many warehouses don't monitor or don't know what key metrics need to be monitored in order to effectively manage warehouse operations..

Does a shipping line charge demurrage and detention for LCL shipments the same way they charge for FCL shipments..??

The sweet taste of freedom was probably being experienced by all concerned with the Ever Given as it was released by Suez Canal authorities on the 7th of July – a good 106 days after becoming one of the most talked about ships in the world, by even those who were not interested or knew about the business of shipping..

Further to the below, the update as of the 12th July is that the Ever Given is showing that it is sailing en route to Rotterdam which was its original destination before passing through and getting stuck in the Suez Canal..

Harbour, Port, Terminal, Berth, Quay, Pier, Jetty - you are not alone if you are confused about these terminologies..

To many of us, these terminologies sounds the same.. It took me also a while to understand the difference when I started out in this industry..

So here's how it works..

Shipping Container, Freight Container, Container, Box, TEU – many of the synonyms and acronyms by which the common shipping container is referred to as, depending on who is talking..

It has also evolved in shape and size and now comes in various sizes and types such as 20′, 40′, 45′, GP, HQ, OT, FR, RF etc etc etc..

Universally hailed as one of the greatest inventions of the modern world, the container has really and truly made the world a smaller place and in my view, can be termed the one true architect of Globalisation..

Well, that container has now reached retirement age in human terms as it turned 65 on the 26th of April 2021 having started its journey in 1956..

Many journalists and Twitteratis around the world might be having withdrawal symptoms after the Ever Given has been refloated from being stuck diagonally across...

Competition is one of the constants in business, something that can spur you on and make you better or something that can bring you down..

Every industry has competition in varying degrees.. Some companies look at their competition and say "Yeah ok, whatever" (think Google/Facebook).. Some companies look at their competition and say "Oh crap, that's close" - like a lot of companies in the shipping and freight industry..

While competition comes in various forms, there are several cases where you may really struggle to find a way to stand out from your competition..

Let me explain further with some examples relatable to the shipping and freight industry..

For any business to be successful, one needs to know the business, its model and requirements inside out.. Many businesses start with a great idea.. But there could be big gap between a great idea and a great startup and many people don’t have a clue on how to bridge this gap and may end up spending their life savings to start the business.. Forbes published an article on 10 Reality Checks Before Starting Your Own Business..

1. 1. Are you ready for the startup lifestyle?
   2. Are there customers with real pain and money?
   3. Is the market opportunity large and growing?
   4. Is this a crowded space already?
   5. Does your solution have hidden dependencies or costs?
   6. Do you have intellectual property to defend against competitors?
   7. Can you build a motivated and qualified team?
   8. Have you looked realistically at the costs?
   9. Do you have stamina and skills?
   10. Going “from” rather than “to”?

 

While the above is good for any business, if you are planning to start your own shipping and freight business, here are 7 reasons why you shouldn't start your own shipping and freight business..

Yes you are reading it right.. You shouldn't start your own shipping and freight business if :