Shipping Delays Management Can Save Time & Money

POSTED ON August 24, 2021

When it comes to importing from other countries, shipping delays Management are way too common. The problem has become even more pronounced due to Covid pandemic induced lockdowns in various countries. However, you can avoid shipping delays and other sourcing-related issues through better project management.  The best way to prevent such problems from occurring is by having a local project management team take care of your project.

It is also important for every importer to understand why shipping delays Management occur in the first place. This will help take preventive measures and plan against such eventualities.

• Vessel delays: Quite often, the shipping delays are a result of vessel delays. This can occur due to a wide variety of reasons including port congestion, bad weather or container shortages. Sometimes, ships take a detour or have to skip a port due to technical issues or natural hazards.
• Non-availability of slots: In case you leave your booking for the last minute, you might not find any slots available. For last minute bookings, sometimes the rates are too high and this too can delay your shipment.
• High demand: During peak season, such as around Christmas, there are much higher volumes shipped and you might not find carrier space easily.
• Custom holdups: Sometimes, incomplete or missing documents or incorrect cargo declaration can lead to customs holdups for inspection.
• Uncontrollable factors: There are some external factors that we have no control over. These include natural disasters, terrorist attacks, vessels malfunctions/collisions, theft and more.

It is needless to say that shipment delays can spell disaster for businesses in ways more than one. Having worked in the China sourcing industry for over a decade, we have realized that shipping delays can be as detrimental to businesses as poor-quality products can be.

A shipment delay could mean unhappy customers because they are less likely to buy from you if you cannot meet the deadlines. It can also affect cash flow because you won’t be able to deliver goods to your customers in time.

If you are sourcing raw materials/components of the product you are manufacturing, shipping delays Management can affect your entire manufacturing cycle. All this can lead to additional expenses as well. Moreover, the more the shipment is delayed, the more could be the loss of value of the product. The product will not have the same value after a few weeks as it has now. In short, shipping delays can have a very bad effect on your business and must be avoided at all costs. Shipping delays and other issues related to China sourcing can all be avoided to a great extent by having an experienced local project manager take care of your project.

We are all aware that the best way to avoid shipping delays is to plan the shipment well. You should always keep a buffer of a couple of weeks and make all bookings well in time to make sure there are no last-minute hassles. This is even more important during peak season or holidays when you are more likely to face shipping delays. All this can be handled meticulously by a professional project manager present at the location.

Seasoned project managers have been shipping goods for a very long time and are good at timing the shipments well. They can account for all the possible delays including seasonal delays, weather problems, demand surges and other such issues that can cause shipping delays.

Apart from planning and organizing your shipments, the project manager can also help with preparing all the paperwork for the shipment. This can save you a lot of time and potential problems. A project manager with experience in exporting would know the type of documents you will need and how you need to produce them.

They can also take care of licenses, permits and other compliances that are required for smooth shipping.

A project manager would also have contingency plans in case of any eventuality. So, you are safeguarded in ways more than one.

If you are planning to start sourcing from China, especially if you are planning new product development, we would strongly recommend that you have a virtual project management office to take care of your project. It acts as a single point of contact for you and you stay assured that there is someone at the ground taking care of your project. Call us now to discuss your project and our sourcing experts will guide you through the whole process.