It is going to be an interesting peak season in the trucking market. We got one early! It started in July and then a lull on the west coast in August. Why? In my opinion there are multiple factors in how the 2018 will play out.
• People know the US economy is strong and people are preparing for a good retail season, so shipping started early.
• Tariffs! We don’t know the final outcome but no one wants to pay more, so they shipped early just in case.
• This year we will have 2 waves. Preparation that came in July and then the follow up that will hit us in September and October.
We need to be on the look out for the next wave and what issues that may arise. Many things have been changing the landscape of Supply Chains, so we are getting prepared. Steamship Lines have been limiting capacity and changing routes. Vessels are actually docked and in some cases being scrapped. SSL’s have been in the red for years and they are looking to change that. This will likely mean less options for Beneficial Cargo Owners and its likely that transit times will get stretched. As the second wave of peak season approaches, Port X Logistics is making sure that we are nimble for our clients. How?
• More company trucks in California to make sure we can respond quickly.
• Warehouse preparation to ensure staff and supplies are on hand. We have the pallets!
• With vessel transit times stretched, we are anticipating the need for increased expediting and transloading of critical items.
• Port X Logistics continues to invest in technology to assist in DO creation, real time updates, and implementation of IOT for our customers. Who doesn’t want easy to digest data on any device and anytime?
We are here to collaborate if you need to proactively plan for the months to come. For the latest market news and Port X Logistics perspective you can askus@portxlogistics.com or visit the blog www.portxlogistics.com/blog