Change is inevitable. But what matters most is how we have responded. When the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the flow of goods, the supply chain industry had two options: To evolve or maintain its present, unsustainable course.
At Port Everglades, we had a front-row seat to the shift in the industry to alternative shipping methods. It wasn’t quite a sea change. However, it was notable in how it highlighted our ability to collaborate and adjust quickly.
Due to limited availability and a shift in trade routes, several of our customers pivoted to breakbulk and project cargo.
For example, a usual container shipment of rice from Thailand began arriving in 1-ton super sacks. We also saw this occur with other port partners transporting tile and paper.
Our goal as a major seaport was to be agile and accommodate our customers during these challenging times. We adapted as they adapted. In fact, in FY21 our bulk/breakbulk cargo increased 33 percent over the previous year and our containerized cargo rebounded to pre-pandemic levels with 1,038,179 TEU during the same period.
It remains to be seen if the surging in South Florida goods movement to breakbulk versus containers is a lasting change. As much as change is a constant, the economics and cargo movement efficiencies will also be a driving force.
One thing that has irrevocably changed for the better is the shared confidence we have as an industry that through technology, out-of-the-box thinking, and tenacity, we can keep commerce flowing during the toughest of times.