Congestion of world ports (cf.Sea freight: congestion of ports a major and persistent problemThe pandemic has plunged the maritime transport sector into profound disorganization. A particularly worrying situation for European small and medium-sized enterprises and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) dependent on imports and exports, which have seen their expenditure explode, in particular the transport post, while the value of the goods transported sometimes fell. Not onlytransport prices are 6 to 10 times higherbefore, but the quality of the service has deteriorated sharply: some ships change their routing at the last moment to serve a port other than that originally planned, the capacity is often lacking, many ports of call are cancelled...

To cope, small companies are constantly making efforts to adapt. Containers are optimized. In order to reduce the extra cost per unit while anticipating any shortages, some managers import more copies at a time or pool transport with other importers. Others are looking foralternative means of transportopting, for example, for rail transport. But the latter is also saturated (See. China/EU rail freight: an alternative solution?). More and more entrepreneurs are working to relocate part of their productions to Europe. But in many cases, they resign themselves to hovering on their margins and to raising selling prices.

Over the past few months, the European Commission has been making a lot of efforts to raise the alarm. On 17 February, the CLECAT, the European Liaison Committee of Common Market Transport Commissions and Auxiliaries, called for theopening an urgent sectoral inquiryin the container shipping sector in order to eliminate « unfair and discriminatory rules ». Until then, for Brussels, disruptions remained collateral damage to the pandemic. Some countries, such as the United States, China or South Korea, are more offensive to large shipowners. Washington has strengthened its regulation (cf.Sea freight: first step for the US law on shipping) while Seoul recently imposed a $81 million fine on 23 shipowners for price agreements.

To go further...

• Sales Administration (SDA) Subcontracting Export
• Import/export flow management (air & maritime)
• Diagnosis of international logistics flows

Thanks to ourGlobal Supply Chain Management Experts, move from a transport policy at least so-called to a real supply chain strategy efficient, secure and efficient!