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Cross docking is a practice in logistics of unloading materials from an incoming truck or shipping container and loading these materials in outbound trucks, trailers or shipping containers, usually the process is completed in a short period of time and sometimes instantly. As the cargo is off loaded form one truck, it loaded into a waiting truck or container. This also may be done to change type of conveyance, to sort material intended for different destinations, or to combine material from different origins. This process is also used to consolidate shipments from multiple vendors to a single customer.

Looking to off load cargo quickly to have it picked up later or you want us to deliver? we can help you. Do you need Saturday or Sunday service, we are here too to help. Our warehousing and distribution services are here to give a lending hand when you need to re-palletize or re stack pallets that have shifted during transport. We off load the pallets, make sure they are in perfect condition, and re-road them again.

Benefits of Cross Docking

As cross-docking does not require the inventory to be stored at the warehouse.

• Operational Efficiency: As the material does not have to be stored at the warehouse, and directly moves from the receiving docks to the shipping docks or staging areas, the warehouse operations are more efficient.
• Inventory Efficiency: As the inventory moves directly from the receiving to shipping docks, there is no storage at the warehouses for the cross-docked items and that reduces the total system inventory in the supply chain.

Usually many companies that are involved in distribution and order fulfillment, offer cross docking services to facilitate the quick and effective transport of cargo. Miami happens to be at the core of such activities being the gateway to South America. Many of the freight forwarders Miami hosts offer such services with efficiency.

International 3PL works with several customers by receiving their international shipping containers, staging the merchandise, crating it and shipping to the final consumer.

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Resources:

Cross Dock Miami

Cross Dock warehouse in Miami

Biggest Challenges facing the Shipping Industry Today.

The shipping industry has had with its fair share of challenges during the past few years and is expected to face even more in the near future

Here are a few of the biggest challenges today’s shipping industry is expected to experience.

Employee Shortages

There seems to be less and less people interested in this industry, add to that the retirement of many truck drivers during COVID 19

New Environmental Regulations
Stricter environmental emissions regulations help to deliver great benefits in the long run, but these could cost a series of short-term challenges for the shipping industry. According to a recent article, these new regulations depend heavily on certain technologies. The government may require companies to implement them to ensure that they meet the new regiments, but doing so will come at a cost.

Security Risks
Shipping IndustrySecurity risks have always been a challenge for the shipping industry, but today, they’re providing more issues to overcome. For example, pirates pose a bigger threat for shipping, especially since the number maritime piracy and armed robberies on ships in Southeast Asia and West Africa has increased.

Rising Costs
The rising costs of necessary materials could negatively affect industry competitiveness. The increasing prices may lead to higher costs of operation. Higher prices of fuel and parts as well as poor market conditions could cause serious issues in many global shipping companies. The Malaysian domestic shipping industry is already experiencing difficulties because of these higher costs.

What is causing the shipping Industry crisis?

After a fall in shipping demand during the early days of the pandemic in 2020, a surge at the end of that year led to delays, port traffic jams, and blockages across the world. Now, containers are jammed up in ports due to rising demand and a continuing shortage of dockworkers and truckers.

The supply chain crisis could last into 2023 unless governments boost spending in ports, railways, and warehouse.
The global supply chain network is on its knees. After a fall in shipping demand during the early days of the pandemic in 2020, a surge at the end of that year led to delays, port traffic jams, and blockages across the world. Now, containers are jammed up in ports due to rising demand and a continuing shortage of dockworkers and truckers.

As shippers, you are facing many problems such as lack of resilience in supply chains, late shipments, High freight rates and lack of visibility. All of these contribute to higher cost being passed on to the end user.

Challenges facing Freight Forwarders

• Increased Cost.
• Container Capacity Remains a Problem.
• Commoditization of Freight Forwarding Makes It Hard to Stand Apart From Other Forwarders.
• Unforeseen Disruptions to Trade Cause New Challenges.
• Staffing Shortages and Retention Continue to Undermine Performance

Resources

Miami Freight Forwarders

Supply Chain Disruptions and Inflation

Logistics Companies

What do logistics companies offer

Some might wonder what are logistics companies. Until this day the definition is not very well understood. In the beginning the term was used to describe the process of moving  goods from point A to Point B which in most cases involved shipping of goods from point of origin to destination by means of Ocean, air or inland or a combination.

The process involved picking up the cargo transporting to the port, shipping to destination, clearing customs and delivering to final destination.
Those were the old days. The process has evolved to include other activities such as compliance, distribution of the product and even handling some of the services such as customer services.
Many retailers and distributors started using these available sources to augment their own shipping department services in order to focus on their core activities, this gave rise to 3PL Companies.

Logistics is not what it was before, it is not only shipping, it is an integral part of the supply chain. Logistics providers add more and more services to their arsenal of services in order to be able to compete in a tough business. You can call it value added services.
Some Logistics companies have embraced technology where they are able to offer their customers the means to be able to track their shipments, monitor their inventory levels at the warehouse, and give total visibility as the movement of items minute by minute. In essence logistics companies have become  to many importers, distributors and retailers.

Over the years we have seen many large freight forwarding companies evolve into Third party logistics companies which compete for business aggressively. They are able to handle the needs of very large retailers and distributors however; they are still struggling in gaining the trust on smaller businesses. The cost of outsourcing logistics to such large companies is too high for smaller distributors and that gave rise to smaller 3pl’s who can offer better rates and a more personalized service.

The decision to go with one logistics company or another depends on need, services and rate.

Sources

Miami Freight Forwarders

Miami Logistics Companies

3PL Companies in Miami