Bulk shipping vessels, typically used for grain, coal or other raw materials, have been pulled into use by Atlanta-based drink maker, Coca-Cola. The company says the usual shipping containers and cargo space needed for transportation, have not been available. Procurement director of global logistics, Alan Smith, posted about the dilemma on LinkedIn. They are using three of these types of ships to move manufacturing materials.
The post says they have had to “get creative” with how they move goods and materials across the world during this shipping crisis. The company says they are also avoiding major ports in an effort to bypass the severe overload of ships and inability to get into port.
Other companies say they have chartered their own cargo ships. Ports are backed up and have been for months, causing unusually long delays. One reason for this is the ongoing labor shortage. Tens of thousands of shipping containers are stuck off the Port of Los Angeles as it continues to operate below capacity. A dramatic shortage of workers and equipment are part of the problem.
Here is the full post from Alan Smith: “When you can’t get container’s or space due to the current ocean freight crisis, then we had to think outside the box (or the container)
3 Bulk Vessels loading this week with 60k + tonnes of material to keep our production lines running across the world.
This is the equivalent of 2800 TEU’s that traditionally would have shipped with the shipping lines.
The first of many we hope over the coming months and a prime example of excellent collaboration between our procurement teams, our supply chain partners and our suppliers.”