AS the year-end approaches, cargo traffic is surging, marking the start of the peak holiday season. Asian Terminals Inc. (ATI) and the Association of International Shipping Lines (AISL) are acquainted with this annual rise in volume. This year, however, presents heightened challenges.
The global shipping disruption brought about by the continuing Red Sea crisis caused many vessels to reroute via the Cape of Good Hope in Africa to avoid security risks to crew, vessel and cargo. This shift has led to longer transit times, delaying the arrival of European cargo to Asia and causing congestion at major hubs, impacting both arrival and departures. Exacerbating the problem is the erratic behavior of recent typhoons, which have caused interruptions in terminal operations.
ATI and AISL have taken proactive steps to address these issues to strengthen their coordination. In a recent meeting, ATI was represented by officials led by Reginald Rivera, assistant vice president for Commercial, Ports and Terminals; Jun Balita, manager for Government Liaison and Customer Service Commercial and Marketing); and Arcelle Villon, marketing representative.
ATI and AISL officials are in a meeting to work together to assess and prepare for any disruptions this coming peak holidays. PHOTO FROM AISL
The AISL team was composed of Joey Ilagan of Pan Ocean Co. Ltd., Myra Tan of ZIM and Gold Star Line, Romel Carmelotes of Cosco, Criselle Bago of Maersk, and Dino Fernando Navarra of Namsung Shipping Co. Ltd.
All parties exchanged updates on the potential operational hurdles and discussed solutions to ensure the continued flow of cargo during the holiday season. One of the important initiatives discussed during the meeting is the Empty Load Out Shipping Alliance (ELSA), a strategic collaboration that ATI and AISL member lines have jointly implemented.
ELSA enables member shipping lines to load their excess empty containers onto the earliest available partner vessels on a daily basis, thus giving the member lines the platform they need to evacuate empties into shortage areas, thereby freeing up terminal and yard space to ensure operational efficiencies are sustained.
ATI and AISL are also working hand-in-hand to facilitate smooth import operations. By communicating closely with customers, shipping lines ensure that import containers are promptly collected from the terminals, preventing container pile-ups and keeping the overall flow of goods steady. This collaboration between ATI and AISL underscores their shared commitment to maintaining a seamless supply chain despite the obstacles posed by global shipping disruptions and weather challenges.
A similar visit was made by AISL to the Manila International Container Terminal (MICT) on Oct. 14, 2024, to explore possible collective efforts to address peak season challenges. AISL will continue to pursue these collaborative initiatives to demonstrate how partnerships can drive forward-thinking solutions to address immediate concerns while laying a foundation for improved resilience in the face of future challenges in shipping.
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