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Road hauliers in containerization
Page 38
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• In a highly practical lecture, "The role of the road haulier in containerization", Mr. E. M. Haim stressed that road hauliers involved in container and unit-load movements must know something of the functions of other people in the chain. If this did not occur the combined efforts would be disjointed. "You will never make a good goalkeeper unless you know what the other 10 players are trying to do." Mr. Haim is director (operations) Ferrymasters Ltd. He spoke at a two-day conference on containerization arranged by the College of Production Technology this week.
Mr. Haim said that the speed of change in the international haulage field was rapid. The UK road operator was establishing himself over the short sea routes and acquiring some of the international outlook and "know-how" which the Dutch and other Continental truckers had built up over many years.
UK-based through-transit operators were broadly aligning themselves in two separate groups—either as through container forwarders, or as international over-the road carriers, said the speaker. There was a field for both, though opinions differed as to the effective areas and merits of each, and a genuine comparison of total costs. Because of the complexity of many European road operations he felt it might be many years before the true costs of both types of operation could be identified.
The terms of sale and the prime contract for carriage had many permutations, said Mr. Haim. Where the haulier simply performed a collection or delivery service to or from the port of shipment /arrival he could be engaged as a sub-contractor to a throughrate contractor, (and in such circumstances, his client could be a freight forwarder, an overseas trucker, the shipping line, etc.).
Alternatively, his direct client could well be the exporter or importer (or their respective forwarding agents) with f.o.b. or c.i.f. terms applying. It was important to clarify the point, not only for normal financial considerations, but because many other factors such as liabilities for containers and contents, detention planes, etc., hinged upon this point.
In the case of the international haulier offering a house-to-house service the emphasis was generally on the through-rate concept. Usually, therefore, he would en
deavour to sell his services to the exporter on a delivered-domicile rate, or to the importer on an ex-works rate.
There were, however, various shades in between and split freight charges between buyer and seller, according to terms of sale, needed the haulier's careful scrutiny and precise stipulations in his quotation.
Mr. Haim said that turn-round time was a major factor which international road hauliers must consider when attacking their costs and calculating their rates. Concentrated equipment utilization was vital if the operation was to remain effective and competitive. Its achievement required the closest supervision of many factors—minimizing Customs delay, accurate border crossing documentation, vigorous overseas marketing to maximize two-way loading and minimize empty mileage, efficient port /terminal services and effective cargo/container handling equipment.
Other factors would arise, detrimental to efficiency, which were frequently beyond the operator's direct control, particularly where overseas agents and sub-contractors were extensively used.