Shipping and transportation industry services concerning port drayage are constantly changing and adapting to current market trends and customer demands. Of all the services involved with efficient shipping,  drayage shipping services are among the most critical. According to a Supply Chain 24/7 article, “The truck driver shortfall hit 80,000 drivers in 2021 and is expected to grow to 160,000 by 2030.” Those statistics demonstrate how important drayage container shipping and transportation remains. 

A leading issue impacting shipping delays and logistical dilemmas is a lack of warehouse efficiency overall. This is clearly evident in freight market outlook predictions for the year ahead. Issues such as capacity procurement, container loading and unloading, port delays, and many drayage issues continue to plague the supply chain. Combined with increased demands, ongoing delays, renewed COVID shutdowns, lack of workers, and increased pressure from consumers make container drayage a significant concern for management. Drayage covers picking up shipping containers from ports and hauling them to inland locations for unpacking, reloading, and final distribution as needed. It is among the most critical and most volatile of all domestic freight shipping and transportation aspects.

Shippers across the globe are looking for strategies to improve port container management amidst a supply chain still reeling from pandemic-imposed congestion. According to Hellenic Shipping News, a global study indicated that the United States was “the second-worst performer in terms of the average median time containers spent in depots in 2021,” with an average dwell time of 50 days. Amidst the “get rich quick” suggestions that optimize today’s transport into the US, there are a few nuggets of true gold for shippers to consider — including cross-docking. 

Within the shipping and freight transport industry, one key piece of the puzzle has long been drayage services and port container management. This highly specialized yet vital freight shipping and handling service can make or break shipment deadlines and customer experiences. Finding capacity from drivers specializing in dray freight is becoming increasingly difficult these days. As highlighted by the Journal of Commerce, “A historic drayage capacity shift from larger carriers to small companies and owner-operators is complicating efforts by importers to secure capacity and move containers inland.” However, maintaining reliable access to dray service providers requires streamlining dray cargo and freight services through port expansion and improved utilization of resources. The following tips can help make this process easier and simpler.

Today customers are very aware of the last mile, even if they are unfamiliar with the term. E-commerce businesses continue to raise consumer expectations for last-mile transport with every notification that their items are just a few stops away. However, with truck capacity tightening, shippers need to be proactive from the very first mile and throughout drayage service management too. 

With increasing supply demand comes expanding transportation needs. Shippers and beneficial cargo owners (BCOs) are looking left and right for ways to maximize logistics and tricks of the trade to get their freight where it needs to be punctual. Drayage is a critical piece of that puzzle, but shipping drayage can be expensive and confusing at times. 

Managing port drayage sounds simple—on paper. Unfortunately, drays are among the areas of transportation where costs can easily spiral out of control. Why? It comes from the limited perception of what exactly drayage is and what drayage service providers can do. Facing facts, drayage involves moving freight from a port to an inland destination. Whether that destination is nearby or hundreds of miles away will determine whether shippers are penalized with per diem fees and even how long it takes to empty a pier of containers. However, a solution rests with port drayage providers that also offer warehousing capability, and it’s important to know how this reduces headaches for shippers, or importers in this context.

It’s a windy morning at the docks. A shipping manager can practically feel the coastal breeze whipping around them when a chassis tracking notification dings to say that the freight has deboarded. Yet just as fast as the refreshment of the sea breeze hits, a chilliness sets in: there’s no one to dray the freight. 

Ports in Southern California are trading in the phrase “New Year, New Me” for “New Year, New Fee.” The spring cleaning of the two largest ports in the United States is expanding beyond its bottlenecked port — they aim to clean the air too. By incorporating clean truck fund rate fees, California port authorities are working toward their goal of a zero-emission port by 2035. This article will provide a birds-eye view of the situation and its effect on port drayage this year. 

Supply chain shortages continue to be the norm in today’s economy. Unfortunately, the efforts to overcome disparities and shortages arising from the pandemic have created massive backlogs at many major ports. However, there is hope on the horizon as major retailers look to curb total supply chain costs in anticipation of potential fines for excess idle time. Furthermore, additional operating hours at ports are helping to avoid issues on both sides of the country. According to Maritime Executive, “The Georgia Ports Authority is reporting an initial success at clearing some of the containership congestion at the Port of Savannah while the port also recorded its first-ever month handling more than 500,000 TEU.” Let’s take a closer look at what’s happening and how it will impact port operations and port drayage in your supply chain.