The BCR Blog

(6 min read)

Over the past months, numerous extreme weather conditions have shaken up the international freight forwarding industry – causing major delays for international cargo and tremendous difficulties for many Australian companies. 

Just recently, stevedores in Sydney and other cities had to shut down due to extreme winds. In October, Germany faced one of its worst hurricanes, causing massive destruction across the whole country. The USA and Puerto Rico were hit by Hurricane Maria in September, also leaving major chaos in its wake.  Adelaide and South Australia faced damaging winds and heavy rainfalls in August, causing flooding to several areas of the state. These are only a few to name, and with the Northern Hemisphere Winter at our doorstep, further disruptions can be expected. Even when these severe weather events do not occur in Australia, they still have a significant impact on international freight forwarding.

No matter if you are a CEO or an Operations Manager, you may wonder how your supply chain can be prepared for incidents like these? How to ensure the delivery of your customers’ goods, and what proactive measures can be utilised to secure the supply chain in the face of adverse weather events?

Read on to learn about proactive measures that you can take for your international freight forwarding tasks before, during and following severe weather conditions.

(4 min read)

As a logistics manager in a competitive marketplace, John knows that to make his company stand out; the faster products can reach customers the better. This is why he sees the value in air freight. Especially when emergencies occur and cargo is needed even quicker or planes are delayed, knowing how to act can give you a clear head start.

With air port locations all over Australia, including Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth and many more, air freight is the choice of transport for urgent cargo.

Read on to learn five ways Australian air freight can assist you in reaching your customers faster and fulfil orders efficiently and smoothly.

 (7 min read)

Welcome to the October edition of the BCR Global Market Update on international sea freight going to/coming from Australia.

With peak season being upon us, space keeps being tight and rates keep going up on many trade lanes. Northeast Asia is feeling the aftermaths of Golden Week and the carriers are trying to use it to their advantage.

In this quick update learn about the current conditions of the international sea freight market for major trade lanes including Northeast Asia, Southeast Asia, the United States and Europe.

(5 min read)

International shipping might be an everyday task for logistics managers, but that doesn’t mean it’s an easy one! Increasing loads, tight delivery schedules, shipping criticalities, operational challenges and the jungle of red tape and regulations keep everyone on their toes. At the same time said challenges don't leave much time to focus on common mistakes or how to fix them.

The risks of not doing so though include potential instability in sea freight operations. It has an impact on transit times, costs, customer satisfaction and the logistics manager’s own job performance.

Read on to learn about five common mistakes often made when managing sea freight – and how you can overcome them and ensure smooth sailing.

(4 min read)

Whether you’re a multi-billion dollar global organisation or a local small business, meeting sales targets is always a number one priority. While it is a core KPI for sales managers, the ability to meet their goals depends greatly on the operations and logistics managers.

Some operations and logistics managers might not appreciate just how much influence they can have beyond the primary goal of achieving lowest cost logistics. By looking at how air freight can meet sales demand when needed, and gaining a deeper understanding of potential issues including costs, processes and limitations on cargo, when demand runs high fast freight carriage solutions can be implemented and sales targets met.

Read on to learn how air freight’s fast turnaround, accessibility, frequency and flexibility can assist your sales colleagues succeed in keeping your company’s customers satisfied.

(5 min read)

One of the biggest challenges for any business owner is managing fluctuations in demand and the peaks and troughs that result. In peak seasons, the mission for the supply chain manager is to ensure sufficient products are flowing to customers to meet demand. When a trough occurs, controlled and efficient inventory planning is essential to avoid issues such as obsolete inventory and the subsequent locking up of capital.

To overcome these potential problems, the supply chain needs to be flexible, and provide cost-effective, timely supply and control of product flow. Sea freight can meet these requirements if it is used cleverly and planned carefully. The services of an experienced sea freight forwarder can be invaluable in ensuring the optimum outcome.

Read on to learn about how changes in demand may impact your freight operations and how best to ride the peaks and troughs successfully.

Being well-informed is essential for any business, particularly when you are managing a supply chain that involves freight movements. Not having timely information can not only generate an additional workload, it can also increase costs, delay deliveries and leave customers unsatisfied.

Proactive communication from your freight forwarder is the key to confidence and to navigating unforeseen challenges including space constraints, port congestion, changes to regulations or charges and supply chain bottlenecks. When you are kept informed, it gives you a chance to organise your way around problematic situations and protect your profitability.

Read on to learn how proactive communication from a freight forwarder can boost business confidence and assist you to avoid potential pitfalls and additional costs.

(7 min read)

Welcome to the September edition of the BCR Global Market Update. BCR understands the time pressure our customers have, in particular at this time of the year, with Golden Week starting soon and peak season progressing. Therefore, we frequently provide an update on current market conditions for companies importing sea freight to Australia.

Our aim is to give you a quick overview of the latest trends so you can act fast but well-informed.

Read on to learn more about the conditions of the Australian sea freight market for major lanes including Northeast Asia, Southeast Asia, the United States and Europe. Further, we provide information on a new International Terminal Fee at major Australian terminals.

(6 min read)

China is preparing for Golden Week. It is one of the biggest holidays in China. For seven days factories will close, logistics companies will be off and almost every business (taking part in a supply chain) will shut its doors to celebrate this holiday.

Most companies importing from China have considered this annual event in their shipping schedules. However, due to fluctuating demand, some companies may need to import additional goods at the last minute. This can be very tricky at this time of the year.

Read on to learn five major problems and their solutions that can help you with your imports around China Golden Week.

It's not only cargo moving in the shipping world - the entire freight forwarding industry is in a state of flux. Factors behind the changes include changing trade alliances, consolidation of some shipping lines, changes to oil prices, the growing demand for sustainable solutions, digitisation and terrorism threats.

While a CEO cannot control all these things, careful planning and partnering with a professional freight forwarder can help to de-risk supply chain operations and protect business profitability.

Keep reading and learn about five big trends your operations team need to navigate to make your business future-ready.