OWL Designs Unique, Cost-Effective Logistics Service To Help Apple Growers Expand Exports

Lake Success, New York – Ocean World Lines (OWL), a global, single source NVOCC (non-vessel operating common carrier) and a subsidiary of Pacer International, is helping apple growers in the U.S. increase their exports and meet the growing demand among global consumers for this popular fruit.

OWL leveraged its expertise in trade facilitation and its in-depth knowledge of the apple business to create a unique, cost-effective logistics solution for growers in the Yakima Valley area of Washington and in Chile, areas that have complementary apple growing seasons.

Yakima Valley growers harvest their fruit from July through November. OWL stores the fresh-picked apples in state-of-the-art cold storage facilities prior to shipping them to Nhava Sheva, India, home of that country’s largest container port.

India is a new market for OWL, but the country is expected to become the second largest export market for Washington state apples by the end of 2011 and OWL anticipates strong growth in this traffic. The logistics provider also plans to initiate apple shipments to Hong Kong, China and Indonesia this year, says Roland Cardoza, regional manager of OWL’s Seattle office.

During the months of December through February, OWL provides a similar service for a major apple exporter in Chile. The company uses OWL to moves containers of apples from San Antonio, Chile, to Seattle, Washington for the season. This reverse movement supplements the demand for apples in the U.S. during its off season.

“OWL is the first NVOCC to handle this type of business, which is very exciting,” says Cardoza. “OWL provides personal service and the latest visibility and management tools to add value for the shipper. With OWL’s logistics expertise in handling apples, our goal is to assist US-based growers and help them expand their overall export volumes as much as possible.”

OWL’s proprietary visibility technology, known as OWL360°, offers shippers a total view of their product, down to the item level, and provides access to important shipment documents, including purchase orders. The system automatically and proactively communicates to both customers and their trading partners through event-specific alerts that include: late or out-of-tolerance sailing; container available for delivery; and empty available for carrier return. This feature results in lower per diem and detention charges.

“The system reduces transportation costs, while improving inventory levels, order cycles times, on-time and complete delivery, and staff productivity,” says Cardoza. “All of this really benefits our apple shippers.”