Shippers are moving into Q2 2023 of the logistics calendar with a bit of uncertainty. On the one hand, a recent FreightWaves report shows that the U.S. imported almost 7% more containerized freight in March than the month before. On the other hand, shippers find it problematic that their inventory levels are still relatively high due to stagnant domestic sales fueled by ongoing economic inflation. The ratcheting of belts by U.S. consumers means it’s less likely they will have the extra purchasing power to buy nonessential items. The increased container freight from last March was not equally distributed among North American ports. In fact, East Coast shipping terminals actually experienced a loss of container volume in U.S. ports like Charleston and Savannah. These ports are strategically important for a number of reasons. The drop in volume in the short term is most likely temporary when considering the long-term investment that has poured into East Coast ports in the past few years. Last month, we wrote about the concerns of a market slowdown on the horizon and how the long-term forecast looked pretty good for places like the Port of Savannah.
So how are 3PLs relevant during times of economic uncertainty? This article looks at the advantages of working with third-party logistics providers to overcome some of the common problems shippers face when navigating an uncertain economic landscape.
What Added Values Do Modern 3PLs Offer Shippers?
We’ve already written about why shippers turn to third-party logistics providers to manage transportation. The vast majority of shippers outsource their transportation because it’s easier than managing and maintaining their own fleet of trucks, drivers, equipment, and support workers. 3PLs can support shippers by providing services that a shipper might lack, such as drayage, transloading, and distribution. Typically, shippers might silo their transportation providers into singular roles and functions. This approach sometimes creates problems with communication and causes headaches for shipping managers as their emails become bloated from all the updates sent by multiple parties. However, some more elaborate and experienced 3PLs are fully-integrated single-source logistics providers that can manage every aspect of your company’s supply chain. For shippers, this helps streamline communication, simplifies operations, and makes their job much easier since they will only work with a single point of contact.
How Do Single Source Logistics Providers Reduce Supply Chain Disruptions?
When you work with a 3PL shipping company like PortCity, shippers obtain dedicated capacity that is built around the unique operational requirements of the company’s supply chain. From drayage service and LTL to specialized transport and long haul; to warehouse and distribution, transloading, and cross-docking service across North America, PortCity covers everything needed to help shippers connect global suppliers to local consumers.
Dedicated Capacity
One of the common problems that all shippers experience throughout the year are shifts in carrier density, seasonal market volatility, and other large-scale economic factors that pressure the U.S. truck market. The current freight slowdown might make some shippers resistant to onboarding new providers. However, consider this: PortCity owns and operates a fleet of assets and equipment, giving shippers access to dedicated capacity on all local and regional lanes. They combine this with a carefully vetted network of national carriers, providing shippers with long-haul transportation, cross-border freight solutions, and final-mile service throughout North America. PortCity’ transportation solutions also include:
- FTL service on all reefer, dry van, and flatbed shipments
- LTL and partial loads
- Specialized and oversized transportation
- Full Hazmat
- Spot Freight Solutions
Distribution, Warehouse, and Transload Service
What separates PortCity from the vast majority of 3PLs is that they own and operate 11 different warehouse and transload facilities in the United States, totaling over 4 million square feet of secure storage space. Customers can use these areas as staging grounds for long-term storage or to cross-dock and deliver quickly. As a single source provider, PortCity helps streamline the supply chain of their customers, providing additional value-added services that include:
- Cross-docking
- Ramped Doors
- Pick and Pack Service
- Bulk Transfer
- WMS Digital Inventory Management
- Level Loading Docks for All Equipment Sizes
- 24-hour Security
Port Drayage
Some of the most common supply chain problems shippers face involve port drayage. Why? Because no matter how sophisticated a 3PL might be, there are always issues involving detention costs, demurrage fees, a lack of capacity, and service issues. PortCity hauls over 90,000 containers a year, demonstrating why they are the preferred provider for hundreds of global shippers and freight forwarders. As an asset-based provider with decades of experience navigating all major shipping terminals in North America, PortCity helps streamline drayage, offering real-time visibility on every leg of a load’s journey, from the water to the receiver. Their drayage service also includes:
- TWIC-certified and bonded drivers
- Secure stack yards
- Port-to-door service
- Dedicated drayage capacity
- Company-owned chassis and trailers
PortCity Helps Mitigate Risks in Your Supply Chain
PortCity Is the dependable transportation service provider that thousands of shippers and freight forwarders worldwide count on each day for their logistics and supply chain solutions. For the past 22 years, PortCity has helped shippers and freight forwarders overcome many common problems in their supply chain. PortCity’ dedicated specialists help companies streamline operations, improve communication and visibility, optimize routes and on-time delivery, reduce accessorial fees, and lower transportation costs. As a fully integrated single-source provider, PortCity helps shippers mitigate risks and reduce the headaches involved in logistics. Contact PortCity today!