04-07-2013, 12:44 PM
Are you working with a freight forwarder/consolidator or shipping containers yourself? When I worked for my Dad's liner service I was the head of our CTPAT (Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism) program, which essentially allowed us to have preferred access and our cargo cleared quicker. I am not sure if you can find a forwarder who is a member. It may be that consolidated containers are just pulled more often due to the nature that anyone can stick shit in them, but nowhere near 70% of the containers that we offloaded from our vessels were ever physically inspected unless seals were broker or something.
We also never had that turn around for inspecting things, but we did own our own terminal so that helped.
Anyways, it's the terminals that are fleecing you with demurrage (and possibly the shipping line that wants their container back) - so there isn't much you are going to do to change the system. Ocean Shipping is a lot of large companies that fix prices so your shopping around options are limited.
We also never had that turn around for inspecting things, but we did own our own terminal so that helped.
Anyways, it's the terminals that are fleecing you with demurrage (and possibly the shipping line that wants their container back) - so there isn't much you are going to do to change the system. Ocean Shipping is a lot of large companies that fix prices so your shopping around options are limited.