As expected the ocean container industry just about scraped over the break-even line in 2012, albeit only because of the results of a handful of leading lights. There is every chance that lines will make decent money in 2013, but only if they refrain from old habits and stick to pricing and capacity discipline.
Conceptually, supply chain "risk" is used to denote perils, loss, dangerous occurrences, hazards, and even vulnerabilities. Risks include everything from management functions to fraud, to fundamental honesty and loyalty issues encompassing every aspect of an organization's status and operations. In addition to the firm's built-in management risks, the international supply chain provides additional third-party risk elements such as foreign shipper practices, carrier practices, weather, foreign government involvement, unforeseen disruptions in the process, timing, language, cargo quality and quantity, even payment issues.
When it comes to high demand volatility and difficulty in forecasting, few industries match the world of consumer electronics. And Monster Products, the maker of high-quality cables and other accessories for computer, video and sound systems, faces a challenge that's especially daunting. For much of its product line, the company depends on the ever-changing nature of big-ticket items like PCs and flatscreen televisions, not to mention the fickle tastes of consumers. Now add thousands of SKUs to that mix, and you have a forecasting effort that can be brutally complex. In this interview, conducted at eyefortransport's Hi-Tech & Electronics Supply Chain Summit in San Francisco, director of materials Jennifer Hochstatter spoke with managing editor Robert J. Bowman about how Monster Products approaches the problem of prioritizing supply for its extensive product line, and ensuring forecast accuracy for the most critical customers.
The EU has recently announced the official launch of negotiations for a free trade agreement with Japan. The agreement would cover goods, services and investment, and would eliminate tariff and non-tariff barriers, and cover other trade-related issues, such as sustainable development, regulatory issues, competition and public procurement.
During the past few years much has been reported about the transfer of manufacturing from Asia to countries located closer to western markets, but much of it appears to be hype over substance.
Regardless of the goods that are being shipped - from electronics to pharmaceuticals to fruit - once released into the supply chain, they are immediately at risk. And the longer they are in transit, the more vulnerable those goods become - facing threats of terrorism, of theft, or even of a natural disaster. Until the cargo arrives safely at its final destination, there are an inordinate number of things that could jeopardize the supply chain from running smoothly.
Drewry's research shows that the average size of vessel deployed between Asia and North Europe now exceeds 10,000 TEUs for the first time. Orders for Ultra Large Container Vessels (ULCVs) have been quiet recently, but the pace of growth in vessel sizes will continue to outstrip cargo growth for the foreseeable future.
The latest news, analysis, services and systems regarding ocean transportation and its impact on global supply chains. Today’s companies are transporting and delivering container shipments in a more efficient manner than ever before using new services and technologies that provide information en route - allowing them to stay ahead of the competition in their industries. As ocean cargo services continue to evolve, businesses are discovering new ways to increase efficiency and cut costs. Learn how companies are using ocean shipping solutions to power their supply chains.
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