DATA AND INSIGHTS
Bottlenecks at
shipping yards:
Reality captured
in data
DATA AND INSIGHTS
Bottlenecks at
shipping yards:
Reality captured in data
We surveyed shippers to understand what challenges they typically face in their warehouses and distribution centres and to learn how they solve them.
Our survey revealed that dock delays are not just a minor inconvenience for shippers. Of those surveyed, 60% reported that waiting times have a high or medium impact on their operations. One delay triggers another, disrupting schedules and affecting bottom lines.
of shippers tell us waiting times have a high or medium impact on their business.
of shippers do not have access to accurate,
reliable ETAs.
of shippers have communication issues with the carriers and drivers.
of shippers use outdated manual processes such as Excel and fixed time slots.
The reasons for these delays are multifaceted. Seventy-two percent of shippers cite trucks arriving at the same time as the main reason, while 49% attribute delays to a combination of traffic jams, adverse weather conditions and border queues. It's a reminder of how external factors, often beyond our control, can significantly impact operations.
Lack of communication is another critical issue: 43% of shippers reported communication issues with carriers and drivers. Lastly, as mentioned in the introduction, it's astonishing to find that 39% of respondents are still relying on outdated manual processes, such as Excel and fixed time slots, to manage their operations.
'With Time Slot Management, we aim to make dock scheduling more dynamic by identifying which trucks are arriving earlier and which are arriving later. The real-time, end-to-end visibility that Transporeon offers is a great help to us.'
Guido Schierhofer, Supply Chain Director, Intersnack
Stories from shipping yards
As the data shows, delays and inefficiencies in dock and yard operations place significant pressure on supply chain processes. Let’s zoom in on some common bottleneck scenarios that shippers often face.
“Paper-based systems for scheduling and documentations are highly manual, clunky, tedious and time consuming.”
“It gets challenging to ensure compliance with safety amidst the chaos.”
“Congestion and queues at the docks is a nightmare.”
“It’s frustrating not knowing exactly when the trucks and shipments are arriving.”
“Dock and yard management is time consuming and prone to errors.”
“Communication breakdowns are a common thing between our teams, drivers and suppliers.”
The optimisation blueprint
What seems to be a lot of chaotic problems all comes down to two things: efficiency at the dock and communication.
Without transparency on vehicle ETAs or a flexible, automatic dock scheduling solution, how can you possibly run a dock or yard properly? Simple. You can't. On the next page, we'll be sharing what Tesco, Michelin, thyssenkrupp, ArcelorMittal and Shell are doing to solve inefficient docks and yards.
© 2024 Trimble Inc.