Port of Halifax might not have backlog of ships, but supply chain pressures challenging – Halifax

A seafood importer and exporter based mostly close to Halifax is aware of all too nicely about stress on the availability chain.

Chris and Maggie Richards personal Sea Harvest Seafood, and use transport containers to maneuver their items globally.

Freight charges to import from some markets have skyrocketed. Whereas transport containers used to price about US$4,500, Richards says they will now price US$24,000 or extra.

“We don’t have that $20,000 within the freight price to move on,” Chris Richards says.

“There are numerous gadgets that we’ve clients asking us for and begging us for that we’d technically have each different 12 months that we simply can not get. And it comes right down to a freight price and pricing problem.”

Rising prices can happen when demand outweighs provide, one thing that has develop into a extra noticeable actuality through the pandemic.

The domino impact

In contrast to another ports round North America, there’s no backlog of ships ready within the Halifax Harbour to dump cargo.

It has “good fluidity,” in response to the port’s CEO, however there are some challenges.

Some vessels will present up on brief discover, whereas others received’t present up in any respect as a result of they’re caught at different ports the place these prolonged backlogs exist.

“From a planning perspective, that makes it an fascinating problem for us, for positive,” Cpt. Allan Grey, the Port of Halifax’s president and CEO, says.

“Any failure in any a part of the availability chain causes a ripple impact proper by way of,” Grey says.

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The provision chain remains to be feeling the surge in demand that has come through the pandemic, so when the demand drops off, the catchup can happen, he says.

“However the important ‘if’ think about that’s, is the availability chain going to react now to get forward of the sport?” he asks.

“And which means, are we going to have labour availability 24-7? Are we going to have the truckers? Are we going to have the rail capability to proceed to clear it out? Are the distribution centres and warehouses — are they going to step as much as the plate?”

“As a result of if the entire provide chain doesn’t, we’re going to be coping with this backlog for a protracted, lengthy, very long time,” Grey says.

The enterprise challenges

The spike in demand can imply excellent news for companies, however demand outweighing available provide can hamper that success.

Chris Richards says the corporate tried to develop and export reside lobster by air.

However that concept has been grounded as a consequence of a rise in connector flights.

“Prospects are actually coming to us as a result of the demand is there, however we will’t get the product there,” he says. “We don’t wish to ship reside lobsters by way of an additional few airports as a result of it’s a reside merchandise and it solely has a sure shelf life.”

Whereas reside lobster exporting hasn’t labored out, he says he’s grateful the corporate offers with many various seafood species, and so they’ve been in a position to develop these avenues.

Preventative measure transferring ahead

Grey says transferring ahead, there must be higher emphasis on utilizing know-how and collaboration between events at every stage of the availability chain.

“In the mean time, every of the events within the provide chain has their very own information and so they maintain it fairly shut,” he says.

“Right here on the port, we’ve usually talked about digital transformation and the necessity for it,” Grey says. “However transparency within the provide chain, understanding the place the blockages are, the place the pinch factors are as a way to react to them, redirect cargo, redirect sources upfront — I feel that’s going to be the massive push out of this.”

Merely put, Grey says digitalization means there could be a “information hub” that has shared info to assist make extra knowledgeable selections and assist keep away from delays.

So whereas there’s no ship backlog ready within the Halifax Harbour, the impacts are nonetheless far-reaching and impacting the buyer’s expertise.