Trade between Thailand and the USA is a long and proud tradition. However, while relations between the two countries stretch back almost 200 years, this is not some relic of history. Instead, it is a thriving economic partnership, rich with opportunities for Thai exporters and US importers alike.   In 2017, the US imported $35 billion worth of goods and services from Thailand, with $13.9 billion heading the other way in exports. By 2018, Thailand had become the United States’ 20th most important trading partner in terms of import and export value, and the Southeast Asian nation conti ..read more

Amazon’s Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) program allows sellers to ship their products to one of its distribution centers or warehouses. Sellers who take part in this program can leverage the power of Amazon Prime to offer free two-day and same-day shipping.   Using Prime’s free shipping is a game-changer. At least 25 percent of all shoppers abandon their cart due to high shipping fees. Forty-seven percent of those shoppers will buy that product from another company. That makes using the FBA program a game-changer.   For importers, the process to take advantage of Amazon’s FBA program is ..read more

United States (US) Exporters and Importers as well as Philippine Exporter or Importer can benefit from reading this blog.   We will focus more on the Philippine market for US Shippers (Transpacific Westbound) in this post since that is the major trade lane between the two countries. The US is Philippines’ 3rd largest trading partner, after China and Japan.   Some basic information about the Philippines: 7,107 islands containing 3,144 named islands 300,000 square kilometers / 115,830 square miles 15 Million population 24 yrs old average age 120 to 175 dialects Official languages: Fil ..read more

Your supply chain is only as good as its weakest link, and all too often that weak link ends up being transportation.   As consumer demand for affordable goods and fast shipping increases, it is imperative that businesses seek out ever more effective ways to meet consumer needs. Improving transportation times and rates can make a huge difference for businesses and their customers.   Shippers who experience cost or logistics constraints often have to get creative. That’s where combination shipping comes into play. What Is Multimodal or Combination Shipping? Multimodal or Combination ..read more

Pronounced car-nay, a carnet is a quick-and-simple way of getting customs clearance for a temporary export. It is a document that will allow the free movement of goods between countries for a year before being returned to the US. Recognized throughout the world, the carnet is jointly administered by the World Customs Organization (WCO) and the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC). It is referred to as an ATA Carnet, which is an amalgam of the French “Admission Temporaire” and the English “Temporary Admission.”   An ATA Carnet reduces costs by eliminating the need for a financial deposi ..read more

  LTL, or less-than-truckload shipping can be a very useful and affordable way to send freight when you don’t need an entire trailer. Here’s everything you need to know about LTL freight shipping and why you should consider using it. LTL is different than local cartage because LTL is more cost effective and when the cargo goes beyond a 25 mile radius.  Cartage is when cargo is transported to and from a CFS via truck within a local area, such as from an airport to a local warehouse or shop. What is LTL shipping? Less-than-truckload shipping is used to transport smaller shipments of f ..read more

  DOWNLOAD OUR INCOTERMS PDF HERE   Incoterms® 2020 went into effect January 1, 2020. These set of  international commercial terms for shipping, have 11 terms with 5 changes. Incoterms is short for International Commercial Terms.   As global trade shrinks our world, the terms of that trade grow increasingly complex. To simplify that complexity, the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) created a set of rules – called Incoterms® (which stands for International Commercial Terms) – that govern the way companies do business worldwide. These rules have become the global standard – recognized by t ..read more

Image via Pexels What Is LCL Shipping? LCL stands for less-than-container load, so LCL shipping is the process of shipping a load that takes up less volume than one single ocean container. This load is then consolidated into a “shared” container, with other Less Than Container Loads.   The LCL Process: Phase  1 The LCL process begins when the shipment is booked. Most people who ship LCL consignments do not have enough cargo to warrant an entire container, and are therefore using an LCL consolidator to ship their cargo. This is usually consolidated and/or arranged through an international frei ..read more

Source: Military Sealift Command – A heavy lift vessel offloading a harbor tug at the Yokosuka Japan Naval Base When it comes to moving large pieces or amounts of cargo from one side of the country to the other, or across oceans, many people know about the most common methods. But sometimes a piece of cargo is too big for an airplane (or too expensive!), too big for an ISO intermodal container, or just not suitable for shipping by either of these methods for some other reason such as the final door destination location.   In such cases, shippers will often turn to breakbulk shipping. Dependin ..read more

  Now that the World Health Organization has declared the coronavirus (COVID-19) an international public health emergency, it’s important to consider the long and short-term impact of the disease on supply chains around the globe. Below, we briefly consider the current impact of COVID-19 on supply chains before offering some practical advice for minimizing your own supply and shipping disruption. COVID-19 and supply chains Credit: Reuters The impact of COVID-19 on supply chains is already being felt around the world. In fact, 94 percent of the Fortune 1000 are already experiencing supply cha ..read more