by logisticsplus | Nov 8, 2019 | News
If you regularly ship a high volume of products, you’ve probably had to deal with freight claims before. We all know that managing freight claims can be time consuming, frustrating, and a hassle to complete. From completing and submitting paperwork, to waiting on each claim to be settled, a lot of time and effort stands between your business and the valuable money a damaged shipment can lose you.
Because of these reasons, several businesses now outsource freight claims management to a reliable, trusted third party company such as Logistics Plus. If you want to achieve efficiency and gain tight control of your company, outsourcing freight claims is the best way to do so. In this article, we’ll discuss the steps it takes to file a freight claim and the main benefits of outsourcing them.
Steps to File A Freight Claim
- The shipment must be identified so the carrier can complete an investigation.
- The type of loss or damage must be stated.
- The amount for the claim must be stated.
- A demand for payment by the carrier must be included.
Benefits of Outsourced Freight Claims Management
- Don’t pay for someone else’s mistake. Unfortunately, accidents happen and the same applies to shipping. Although you have the right to be reimbursed for any loss, transportation companies have become so large which causes delays and frustration in the claims process. Don’t let this happen to you!
- Gain visibility to outstanding claims. If you outsource freight claims, you are able to receive shorter resolution times, improved win-rates, increased recoveries, and most importantly reporting. Things such as email updates and timely reports never leave you wondering how far along your claim is during this long process.
- Save the time and hassle. When you don’t have to worry about the administrative work, your team is able to focus on other projects and growing your business. For smaller organizations especially, this advantage is critical.
If you frequently ship LTL freight or truckload shipments, freight losses and damages are almost inevitable. That’s why it’s important to have an experienced and caring freight claim management team on your side.
Contact us today to learn more and find out why you should outsource freight claims to Logistics Plus.
by logisticsplus | Nov 6, 2019 | News
Sundreysh Sarup, Managing Director for Logistics Plus India Pvt. Ltd., had the privilege to attend the Indo-Pacific Business Forum in Bangkok, Thailand this past Monday. Sundreysh was invited to be a part of a delegation led by Kenneth Juster, the United States Ambassador to India (see first photo below). This event was co-organized with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the Thai Chamber of Commerce, in collaboration with the American Chamber of Commerce in Thailand (AmCham) and the U.S. ASEAN Business Council (USABC) with the support of the U.S. and the Royal Thai Governments. The forum was held in parallel with the 14th East Asia Summit (EAS) during the 35th ASEAN Summit. U.S. Secretary Wilbur Ross was part of the program (see second photo below), and various discussions on aviation development were discussed.
by logisticsplus | Nov 5, 2019 | News
In October 2019, Logistics Plus Dubai joined hands with Organic & Real to promote their products and living a healthy lifestyle. Organic & Real is one of the largest online platforms in the region for certified organic, natural, vegan, gluten free, and specialty food products. Headquartered in Dubai, UAE, they provide more than 5,000 products across multiple food categories and work directly with locally certified farms. Organic & Real also works closely with all local and international brands to house the freshest and healthiest food options under one big web umbrella.
In the month of October, Organic & Real ran a promotion using the special code “LP1111” at checkout. Logistics Plus Dubai was heavily involved in broadcasting the promotion to their clients, vendors, friends and family. Siew Hua, Director of Logistics Plus Middle East & Africa said, “The outcome of this promotion was very encouraging and heart-warming. A lot of consumers now realize that organic living doesn’t necessarily mean it has to be expensive or overwhelming.”
To learn more about Organic & Real, visit their website at: www.organicandreal.com
Logistics Plus Dubai offers a full range services including a customs brokerage, ground transportation, movement between free zones, warehousing for both chemical and temperature controlled products, open yard storage, air freight, sea freight, vessel and air charters and more.
by logisticsplus | Nov 1, 2019 | News
The United States International Trade Commission (USITC) just released its annual “The Year in Trade” report for 2018. This detailed report features all of the global trade trends from 2018. Some of the key elements to this report are exchange rate trends, administration of U.S. trade laws, global trade agreements, new trade relations, and global economic trends, among others. Highlighted below are a few of the trade trends we saw in 2018.
Trade Activities With Major Trading Partners
The European Union as a single entity continued to be the United States’ largest trading partner in 2018. The EU member countries accounted for 6 of the top 15 U.S. trading partners. Leading U.S. exports to the EU included civilian aircraft, engines, and crude petroleum. After the EU, China remained the United States’ largest single-country trading partner, accounting for 15.7% of total U.S. merchandise trade. Leading U.S. imports from China in 2018 were cellphones, computers and tablets, and computer parts. Canada remained third on the list and accounted for 14.7% of total U.S. merchandise trade.
In 2018, Canada was the United States’ second-largest single-country trading partner after China for the fourth consecutive year. The value of U.S. two-way merchandise trade with Canada rose 6.1 percent to $617.1 billion in 2018, accounting for 14.7 percent of total U.S. merchandise trade with the world. Both U.S. merchandise exports and imports with Canada increased in 2018 from the previous year, but imports outpaced exports, resulting in a $2.6 billion increase (15.8 percent) in the U.S. merchandise trade deficit with Canada to $19.7 billion. Leading U.S. exports to Canada included crude petroleum; civilian aircraft, engines, and parts; motor vehicles—both for passengers and for goods transport—as well as their parts and accessories; and light oils. Top U.S. imports from Canada included crude petroleum; passenger motor vehicles and their parts and accessories; refined petroleum products; natural gas; and coniferous wood and products.
In 2018, Mexico was the United States’ third-largest single-country merchandise trading partner. U.S. two-way merchandise trade with Mexico amounted to $611.5 billion in 2018, an increase of 9.7 percent from 2017. Mexico accounted for 14.5 percent of U.S. trade with the world. U.S. merchandise exports to Mexico totaled $265.0 billion in 2018, and U.S. merchandise imports from Mexico amounted to $346.5 billion. Both U.S. merchandise imports and exports with Mexico increased in 2018 from the previous year. Leading U.S. exports to Mexico included light oils; refined petroleum products; computer parts and accessories; diesel engines; semiconductors; parts and accessories of bodies (including cabs) for motor vehicles; and civilian aircraft, engines, and parts. Leading U.S. imports from Mexico included passenger motor vehicles, motor vehicles for goods transport, telecommunications equipment, road tractors for semi-trailers, color TV reception apparatus, and insulated ignition wiring sets.
Global Economic Trends
Overall, the global economic growth rate fell slightly from 3.8% in 2017 to 3.6% in 2018. The slow global growth seen in 2018 is attributed to short-term uncertainty in economies due to trade tensions and financial pressures in emerging markets. The United States was the only economy to show improvement in it’s growth rate from 2017 to 2018.
U.S. Dollar Exchange Rate Trends
The U.S. dollar appreciated in comparison to other currencies, rising 5.5% between January and December 2018. The previous year, the U.S. dollar depreciated by 6.3%. The upwards trend in 2018 was driven partly by the Federal Open Market Committee’s four interest rate hikes, along with a lower than expected unemployment rate.
To read the full report, The Year in Trade 2018, published by the United States International Trade Commission, click here.
If your company has import or export needs, you should consider working with Logistics Plus. Global trade compliance management is as important as it has ever been. In the U.S. Logistics Plus more than a dozen locations that can help you with your transportation and logistics needs; and our Customs Brokerage staff can also help you clear customs for imports at any port in the United States. Additionally, Logistics Plus now has locations at 50 offices in over 20 countries. As always, you can find any of our worldwide employees in our online global directory.
by logisticsplus | Oct 29, 2019 | News
When working with a reliable global logistics partner, port-to-port international shipping – transporting cargo from one seaport to another – should be made easy for shippers. An ocean freight forwarder such as Logistics Plus will navigate through different sailing options, complex regulations, customs documentation, and more behind the scenes. As a Non-Vessel-Operating Common Carrier (NVOCC), Logistics Plus is an expert at getting your freight on the water and to its destination.
What do I look for when selecting a port-to-port global logistics partner?
Many freight forwarders claim to offer port-to-port international shipping. But buyer beware – not all global logistics companies are the same. Some may be new and inexperienced, some may not handle customs clearance, and some may not offer shippers’ interest cargo insurance. It’s crucial to make sure your cargo is in good hands while it’s on the water. Here are a few questions to ask before selecting a port-to-port international freight forwarder:
- Are they large enough to be experienced but small enough to pay attention to detail?
- Do they offer a variety of sailings to and from all major ports?
- Do they offer global trade compliance and customs clearance services?
- Can they provide me with warehousing and distribution for my products if needed?
- Do they have offices located around the world with local knowledge of the country to which I am shipping?
- Do they offer competitive rates and have long-standing relationships with ocean carriers?
- Are additional ground, rail, or air transportation services required once my shipment arrives at the destination port?
- Will they explain to me how to choose the best Incoterms for my shipment?
- Will I have shipment visibility and access to technology solutions?
Now that you have asked yourself these important questions, it’s time to choose your global logistics partner and prepare your shipment for the big move. You should start by compiling a detailed packing list and itemizing every piece of the shipment. Simple things such as the size, weight, packaging, and dimensions will all play a factor in getting an accurate rate estimate. Your logistics provider will offer you appropriate shipping lines and sailings to and from the ports of your choosing. Once your shipment is en-route, you should be able to sit back and have the confidence that your logistics provider will frequently update you with the shipment status and final delivery.
Although port-to-port international shipping involves many different steps, our goal is to make it as easy as possible for our customers. If you’re ready to learn more about Logistics Plus and our international shipping services, please email us at quotes@logisticsplus.com or click the button below to receive a risk-free quote on your next ocean shipment.
