subject: The Container Tracking System Plus A 3rd Party Logistics Supplier [print this page] In 1998 I was employed being a Customer Integration Manager for a NVOCC freight Forwarder. My initial project had been to create a web based shipping and delivery container track as well as trace system. Even though I'd by no means before completed this type of undertaking, I rapidly learned that web based shipping container tracking ended up being comparatively unheard of, so having experience wasn't required.
The project had been to personalize a web site that might provide track and trace information and design it to the customers' demands. Basically, the technology didn't yet exist to create this kind of track and trace code at a price that ended up being in our budget. Therefore we basically uploaded the every day customer Excel Spreadsheets to an FTP site and also linked almost all of the documents to every container number. That was the 20th century's reply to a customized web based track and trace system. My how everything has since changed!
At present, most of the freight forwarders or 3rd Party Logistics companies I work along with have far superior web based tracking systems than was available in older days, and therefore, I hear again and again exactly the same thing; that it is a fantastic system, however only about half of the capabilities are usually being used. Therefore just how can a container tracking system end up being the web based workstation which enables the totally free flow of freight information?
When I ask which functions aren't getting used, returning shipping containers to container yard or perhaps port is always at the top of the the list. Most simply state they do not possess the time and have by no means had any issues, but the majority is not aware that being a freight forwarder/NVOCC, it is a legal responsibility. Because the profit margin within shipping container freight is typically slim to start with, a web based track and trace system offers an accurate means to comply with the return of empty containers, by container number.
One 3rd Party Logistics business not too long ago called me to help check with their IT staff upon this very concern. Seemingly, their accounting department had obtained an invoice coming from one of the major ocean carriers for demurrage. Unbeknownst to the operations agent managing this customer ocean carriers permit a restricted quantity of totally free days from the period containers are generally delivered to the customer door.
Following the very last day, a per diem charge can be assessed up to $250 daily, in addition weekend days In this case. Nevertheless, the invoice amount with regard to demurrage, spread over one thousand shipping containers had been practically $30,000.00. The fee was afterwards negotiated right down to something a lot more affordable, but the point was made. It was clear precisely what was required as quickly as possible: an executable SOP, which was part of their own real time internet based tracking system.
After some time along with their IT department, we had been capable to rebuild their web based container tracking system so as to notify multiple parties when a shipping container needed to end up being returned. As a result, the system now executes an SOP alert for this event as well as insures that the responsibility is being implemented so that the shipping container is actually returned timely.
