International transportation and logistics is perhaps the most complex and difficult aspect of the supply chain to manage. Whether you are shipping via air or ocean — international logistics requires an additional level of understanding and thorough knowledge of a myriad of regulatory requirements, customs issues, and detailed import and export processes. In addition, visibility into and control over international freight is quite often limited versus what shippers are accustomed to when using domestic truckload or other modes of transportation.
In this blog, we’re exploring the three critical challenges shippers face with the complicated world of international transportation — and how Momentum Transportation, an Award-Winning Landstar Agent, solves them for our customers:
Challenge 1: Finding access to the right, competitively-priced capacity — and selecting the type of capacity suited to their shipment. Shipping by ocean is often the most affordable way to send international freight, but comes with substantially longer transit times. Whereas, shipping via air freight is speedy, well-suited for expedited shipping, but comes at a much higher cost. Balancing this tradeoff is critical to efficiency and cost management.
- The Momentum solution: This is where experience and relationships count! We have established relationships and carefully honed, repeatable communication processes with major ocean and air carriers. We stay up-to-date on the latest rates, and leverage our combined customer volume and spend to secure competitively priced rates. Best of all, we help you assess the nature and requirements of your freight and identify the best possible carrier and routing solution at the best possible price to get your freight where it needs to be, at the right time. Fast fact: as an agent of Landstar, we have access to over 76,000 third party partner relationships with ocean lines, airlines, motor carriers and railroads to tap into on your behalf.
Challenge 2: Lack of visibility and communication from ocean and air carriers. Particularly with ocean shipments, predicting exactly when a shipment will arrive at its final destination is extremely difficult. From weather to port traffic, there are many factors that come into play that can affect arrival times. Here’s an example that clearly demonstrates what we mean: in November 2021, there were 179 container ships waiting at sea to unload at Los Angeles-based ports, according to Business Insider. And, even when ships are able to offload, there can be additional wait times — up to 18 days — for those same containers to leave the shipyard!
- The Momentum solution: Our customers count on Momentum, an Award-Winning Landstar Agent, because we have staffing 24/7 to keep the lines of communication open during the international transportation process, including after hours, weekends and holidays. We’re focused on providing visibility, transparency and responsive service. Leveraging the latest technology, we have a personalized tracking portal that provides real-time pick-up and delivery notifications, as well as ETAs for all shipments. Our in-house team relays on-time performance updates immediately and we commit to KPIs that include 30-minute customer response times.
- One of the things our customers tell us they love is Momentum’s single point of contact, so you never get caught in an endless automated phone loop. That same person does your booking — and also handles your quoting, tracking, and invoicing. Not only does your designated rep become an expert on all of your shipping needs, but you can be confident they have the complete picture of what is happening with your freight at any given time.
Challenge 3: Limited buying power and expertise. Many of our mid-tier customers with highly-specialized products — particularly in categories like lithium batteries, alcohol and spirits, fast food equipment, and specialized industrial equipment — don’t have enough volume to negotiate competitive rates from air or ocean carriers. What’s more, they simply don’t have the extremely specialized knowledge of their in-house staff to manage the details inherent to international transportation, which can add risk to their operations.
- The Momentum Solution: Handling over 45,000 ocean and air shipments, with revenue exceeding $650 million annually, Momentum has the scale and buying power for international shipping that customers can’t get on their own. In addition to leveraging the great rates that our massive buying power commands, customers can be assured they’ll get a total solution from start to finish. From import/export expertise, a wide selection of ocean and air lanes, customs brokerage and clearance, drayage, and more — every shipment is a seamless door-to-door experience. Customers can leverage our worldwide network of agents for highly competitive cargo insurance rates as well.
Let Us Be Your Trusted Partner as a Landstar Agent
Landstar is a $5.3 billion company with 1,100 operating agency offices, over 9,800 trucks, more than 18,500 trailers, plus over 76,000 3rd party capacity partners. More than 25,000 businesses worldwide count on Landstar to deliver, because they know Landstar can handle whatever customers send our way. To find out how we can help you with your international transportation and logistics, contact us today at www.landstar-agent.com.