2009 should be a very interesting year for everyone. The changing compliance requirements for transportation in the U.S. have created a great deal of opportunity for logistics providers. The interim final rule for 10+2 will take effect on Jan. 25. Customs brokers now have another opportunity to let their clients know how valuable they are.
Historically, brokers haven’t really had to deal with a shipment until it left the foreign port and was close to U.S. shores. With 10+2, they now need to protect their customer and file the data 24 hours prior to the cargo leaving the foreign port.
Many importers don’t know a shipment is coming until after it leaves the foreign port and their forwarder notifies them of the incoming shipment. The entire business process will have to change, and this will be good for everyone.
Talking of change, 2009 is probably a great year for any logistics provider looking to upgrade its infrastructure and systems. Yes, we are in the worst financial crisis since the 1930s, but it won’t last. The global economy will emerge more vibrant than ever and international transportation will continue to grow.
This temporary lull provides the perfect opportunity for companies to make the switch to new systems and experience productivity gains, real-time collaboration and expand their capability to provide visibility to their customers, positioning themselves to take advantage of the increased opportunities as they start to emerge in the third quarter of 2009.