Sea freight case study for Chinese New Year
During the Chinese New Year, household goods retailer Imerco needed several sea freight containers to leave China for Europe immediately.
But at this time of the year, there is extra pressure on shipments out of the country as capacity can be restricted and a backlog can easily build up. Like so many other people in China, port workers take vacation to visit family at the New Year and that means vastly reduced capacity in ports as business virtually shuts down. It is not unusual for sea freight to be delayed a week or two as a result.
The containers held Norwegian-designed Cathrineholm enamel cookware for a new product launch. Imerco had invested heavily in a marketing campaign, including TV ads, so a delay would not only mean a financial cost, but also disappointed customers.
Preventing “out of stock”
DSV’s freight forwarder Mia made a few calls to sea freight colleagues in China and to the carrier, asking them to reserve space on a specific container ship for this particular shipment. "It was all part of the service", she says. "Helping customers helps make the job worthwhile".
The worry was that the containers might not get loaded on to the desired vessel and would have to wait for the next one. And similarly, that the containers might need to be unloaded at a transit port and then not make it back onto the same ship, causing another delay.
In a competitive industry, saying "out of stock" to customers is not what a retailer wants to have to say. Imerco’s logistics manager Jan Kaya-Mortensen wanted personal assurance that everything would go well – and he got it. All containers were loaded on board the ship in time and left for Europe.
It’s nice to see DSV using their brain and their muscles to get the job done – especially as it was Chinese New Year. Please give my regards to your staff in China for their extra effort.
Imerco's Logistics Manager, Jan Kaya-Mortensen
The worry was that the containers might not get loaded on to the ship and would have to wait for the next one. And similarly, that the containers might need to be unloaded at a transit port and then not make it back onto the same ship, causing another delay.
Mia made a few calls to colleagues in China and to the carrier, asking them to reserve space on the ship for this particular shipment. "It was all part of the service", she says. "Helping customers helps make the job worthwhile".
About Imerco
Imerco is a Danish retail chain selling homeware and cookware. Founded in 1928 by a group of 28 ironmongers, it now has 155 shops as well as a webshop.
When is the Chinese New Year in 2021?
The Chinese New Year begins on a different date every year; in 2021, it will run from February 12 to February 26 under the title “The Year of the Ox”. Like every year, DSV’s teams will be prepared to meet the exacting needs of its customers for shipments from China to locations around the globe.
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