Page 45: of Maritime Logistics Professional Magazine (May/Jun 2017)

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LOGISTICS stages cargo, and positions container handling equipment. each end are capable and ready to perform these services. And,

As part of its multi-terminal project with Crowley, Tide- says Larkin, it is about being able to offer more choices than the works will also be providing Disaster Recovery (DR) capa- otherwise very rigid 40-foot model can allow. “We also offer bilities. The DR facility is located in a geologically stable and cross-dock services in our operations close to Jacksonville, try- geographically disparate region, so if a catastrophic event oc- ing to reduce the cost of the miles on that inland transportation.

curs at Tideworks’ primary data center, the TOS technology “We think in terms of total landed cost. If we have to posi- ensures that Crowley’s terminals will continue to function. tion an oceangoing container out to Chicago as an empty, that

At the heart of Crowley’s philosophy, and one which is rap- is wasted money in the customer’s supply chain. So if we can idly being tightened via use of its new TOS (and other tech- do domestic vans from Chicago into Jacksonville, and do the nologies), is the leveraging of considerable in-house resourc- cross-dock tier, we’re eliminating empty miles of equipment es that ultimately provide value for the customer. Crowley’s which equates to signifcant savings that we’re able to pass on

Larkin insists, “That speaks to kind of the seamless nature of to customers.” In doing so, Crowley eliminates the so-called what we want to be able to provide to customers. If time is lit- shoreside ‘ballast leg.’ erally the most important commodity on the planet, if we can Finally, customers have always been loath to break the integ- save people time through that seamless integration of things, rity of the seal on their shipments in transit. But, when a particu- again, we think we are providing value.” lar cargo is in the hands of just one service provider from start

Ayesha Diaz, Crowley’s General Manager, Warehousing, to fnish – in this case Crowley – the mindset can change in that has her own take on that concept. That involves 24/7 supply they want to explore ways to become more effcient. The con- chain contract visibility and real time visibility and transpar- tainer model was built upon the premise that it eliminated – for ency for the customers. About 18 months ago, and in order lack of a better phrase – theft on the wharf in break bulk cargoes. provide that transparency, as many as 14 different operating Crowley’s view is that taking the movement totally in-house platforms within Crowley Logistics were consolidated onto from Point A to Point B, no matter where it is, all under Crow- one platform, aptly named CargoWise. “We have the system ley’s control for the entire intermodal trip, is the better way to go.

to provide visibility to the customers. Everything that we re- “We, of course, focus on the container’s ride from the U.S. ceive, every document that we upload into our system, it’s up- to Puerto Rico,” says Diaz, continuing, “But it’s also important dated and customer will have immediate visibility.” to mention that we here in Puerto Rico are also providing the

That sort of visibility is already paying dividends for Crowley fnal mile delivery to the customers here at this destination. Yes, – and its customers. One island-wide retail chain, for example, we can deliver intact containers from the port to the customer’s was being managed by another logistics provider using different door. But we are also handling those goods at our facilities. We companies to provide different segments of the business that the have the capacity to transfer those goods into our smaller equip- account required. Crowley proposed a different way forward. ment to be able to perform that kind of delivery, as well.”

Diaz explained, “It’s not just about time. It is about providing a full supply chain solution. As an example, they were receiving Small Trade Corridor – Big Picture ‘X’ number of smaller assorted containers and we offered a full With well over a billion dollars spent in the Jones Act Puerto supply chain solution with our customer, utilizing 53-foot con- Rico trades, it is way past time to doubt the commitment of tainers while at the same time increasing capacity.” That move, Crowley, and to be fair, some of its competitors. At a time says Crowley, coupled with the totally in-house solution, saved when Jones Act naysayers would advocate the elimination of the retailer about $300,000 in a six month period. the Jones Act between Puerto Rico and the mainland, the evi-

Separately, and in the grocery markets, Crowley has taken dence is clear that the domestic model holds far more in way shipments from various different food suppliers and worked of economies for the island and those who would like to do to top load partially laden containers with lighter cargo. For business there than it does for registered tonnage operators example, a 53-foot box could be partially stuffed with canned who would like to service the island in a tramp mode.

goods that would otherwise bring the container to full weight Investment in these trades today involves far more than the before its cubic capacity would be reached. A load of consid- bottom line of a couple of Jones Act carriers. Crowley’s 60- erably lighter potato chips would then “cube out” the contain- year history here, its renewed commitment to a more effcient er. Maximizing the cubic area of oceangoing material, in this future, and the environmentally correct way that they are case, ultimately reduces the overall number of shipments that bringing that reality to the region, speaks volumes. Here at the a client might need to make, as opposed to having straight- beginning, persevering through good times and bad, Crowley load shipments of those individual products. will no doubt be calling on San Juan long after I’m gone. That

That sort of effort also involves making sure that facilities on takes turnkey logistics – the Crowley way.

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