Cargo Delivery – 6 of the Most Important Problems
Cargo Delivery – 6 of the Most Important Problems We See in Freight Transport
International cargo delivery problems often include mismanaged deadlines, damaged shipments, and customs clearance errors. Overcoming these problems requires careful planning, accurate documentation, and clear communication with logistics partners. Grand Logistiks is a specialized company in the field of cargo delivery, and we can offer you reliable and efficient transport solutions for your business.
Very often, potential accidents in the supply chain are underestimated, and the result is unexpected costs that directly affect the final delivery price and, quite naturally, delay it. Why does this happen? We will describe 6 of the most important problems for this and how you can avoid them.
Customs clearance is not ready - so the cargo cannot be released.
When your goods need to clear customs to be released and transported to their final destination, your cargo must be cleared by customs, who will scrutinize your shipping documents. If there are any gaps or anything wrong with your documents, your cargo will be held by customs until clearance is complete, which is a significant additional cost in terms of time and money, including the cost of storing the cargo for as many days as it takes for customs to release it, and any detention fees. Additionally, if you have a time slot booked to pick up your goods and they have not yet cleared customs, your freight forwarder will miss the current time slot and will have to rebook for another day, which will also incur additional costs. That’s why you need to make sure that all shipping documents are in order.
Not paying your freight forwarder on time
Your freight forwarder is a key party in your supply chain. He is responsible for ensuring that your goods arrive on time. However, if they do not receive payment on time, they will not be able to ensure timely delivery and this does not mean that your freight forwarder is in trouble, but that they need the funds in their account from you to pay the service providers to do their job. The freight forwarder pays on your behalf. In order for the transport company to receive a delivery order from the freight forwarder, they must receive payment. If they do not receive payment, they will not be able to generate a delivery order and therefore the driver will not be able to pick up the load. Or - pay your freight forwarder on time so that they can load your shipment and be released on time.
Improper equipment
If you do not provide the correct equipment for lifting or loading/unloading your goods, or have not informed your freight forwarder of the need for such, this can cause serious problems. It may sound strange to you, but it happens more often than you think. Equipment includes things like the type of truck needed for your cargo, trailers, cranes, etc. Sometimes this is a problem in the communication between the customer and the forwarder and important details are not communicated, such as: How exactly is the height of the cargo, its length, weight. Everything is important, because it may require a semi-flatbed truck or a semi-trailer. It is good for the forwarder to be informed whether you have a forklift on site suitable for the weight of the cargo or if you need a flatbed truck for loading and unloading. Experienced forwarders can avoid unpleasant situations and recommend the most suitable type of truck and equipment needed to transport and unload your goods, but for this purpose the information and documentation you provide must be complete, i.e. you must provide your forwarder with as many details about your cargo as possible so that he can plan and implement all delivery operations smoothly.
Keep in mind that even if you know what equipment you need, it may not be available on the exact day you want it. You may have to wait another day or two until it becomes available for rental. That is why it is good to plan everything well in advance.
Delivery location or specific cargo.
If your cargo needs to be delivered to a remote, more difficult-to-reach area or has specific characteristics, this will in most cases lead to a delay in its delivery. In more remote areas - areas where there are no main roads or places that are more difficult to access - not many trucks move. If your cargo has a final delivery point in such an area, more time should be planned for the implementation. It is often necessary to reload and change the means of transport or combine different ones, which is why it is important to plan more time for delivery. And when the cargo is specific, they are often subject to additional inspection. And if problems are identified, it is stopped from moving until they are fixed, all at your expense, including the time delay.
Last minute change of plans
We have had customers change their mind at the last minute about how and where to deliver their cargo, and this has often resulted in additional costs and delays. Some examples of this are - delivering cargo to another destination, storing the goods elsewhere for a few days, changing their shipment from FCL to LCL. In fact, these are quite normal things and are often unavoidable, and we understand our customers - but it is good to know that all this leads to additional organization and time on our part and resources on your part. In such cases, we are required to act quickly. We can either collect your cargo on the appointed date and unpack it in our own warehouse or another rented one before sending it, or postpone the delivery.
Indicating the wrong delivery address or force majeure circumstances
As unusual as this may sound, it is not unusual for a shipment to be delivered to the wrong address. Even the most experienced forwarders can get the shipping address wrong. You may have been shipping to the same location for years. Suddenly, you find yourself moving. But you may have forgotten to notify your forwarder.
Your forwarder assumes that nothing has changed and then arranges delivery to the usual old address. Oops!
Delays happen all the time in the supply chain, and sometimes you really can’t avoid them. This includes things like traffic jams, strikes, and adverse weather conditions. Research the local circumstances of your delivery locations to understand the risk of these delays. Consider the risk of unexpected delays in your delivery schedule. Discuss everything with your forwarder, they will help you navigate the complexities of global supply chains and together they will minimize the aforementioned problems as much as humanly possible, of course.
See more:
Transportation costs for different types of goods
How to Determine If Your Forwarder Is Financially Stable
Grand Logistiks
*Excuse us if there is an inaccuracy in the translation - a common translator is used.