Page 119: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (August 2018)

Photo: SC Ports

A number of chassis await their ultimate box cargoes at one of SCPA’s inland ports.

On another front, TRAC has pledged to The Logistics of Chassis Management that more robust volume is expected. At “Knowing where demand is going improve the quality of its rolling stock, After an atypically strong ? rst quar- that point, providers can move or reposi- to be is paramount. If we get advance refurbishing as many as 8,000 existing ter of 2018, Lovetro told MLPro that tion or even add equipment to make it notice that one of our customers is ex- chassis, in this year alone. That involves TRAC’s management team talks with available where it’s most needed. pecting increased demand in a certain stripping each down to bare metal, sand- steamship line customers frequently. It is here that it becomes apparent that market, we can proactively go out and blasting, repainting and installing new “One of the questions we’d ask them logistics for the chassis supplier is every make equipment available – either move electrical systems to bring it back up to would be, ‘Why are we seeing abnor- bit as important as it is for ports, termi- it into market, bring new equipment in – like-new condition. Separately, some of mally high volumes?’ We want to know nals and containership operators. For an whatever that piece of the solution is, but the TRAC ? eet did not have radial tires, what’s causing those volumes, and to industry that sees Hong Kong to Los An- we can respond and then be well-timed so that was another way of improving better understand the root of the situ- geles sea transit times of as much as 16 to handle it,” he said, adding, “If it just overall quality. He added, “TRAC also ation. And, I’m not sure we ever got a days, the advance knowledge of a partic- shows up, then that’s always a dif? cult standardized its parts, maintenance and completely clear picture, or we certainly ular box – or 5,000 like it – shouldn’t be scenario. So communication is absolute- replacement policies for the entire ? eet. got a variety of answers.” Therein, per- that much of a mystery. But, sometimes ly critical.”

For us, the value is that it creates a more haps, rests the real problem. it is. According to Lovetro, this is one of At the same time, shipping companies predictable and reliable piece of equip- From TRAC’s perspective, the issue the most important parts of the supply tend to be very protective of proprietary ment.” involves getting better or advance notice chain, and yet, one of its most secretive. information. But, for chassis provid- www.marinelink.com 119

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