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From city centers to rugged mountaintops in the Vancouver wilderness, there is no transport job too complicated for JAS Canada’s team to achieve. Case in point: the recent delivery of an RFS antenna shipped from France to a remote location near Williams Lake, British Columbia. The antenna was added to an existing communications tower to help boost telecommunication services in this remote B.C. town.
Anna Isaj, from the JAS Forwarding Worldwide Insurance and Claims department, said this one was of the most challenging requests for transport she has handled for this client in her 10 years of working with them. What made the process so difficult was securing a flat rack container, OOG Dept. approval, and shipping container to move the antenna from its manufacturer in France to its destination in Williams Lake, B.C.
“The current export market conditions lead to several weeks’ waiting time between the booking confirmation and the estimated time of departure,” said Isaj. “A shortage of equipment and congestion at the ports have made every day very challenging for the team.”
The port at Le Havre, France, where the antenna was scheduled to depart from, continues to experience backlogs due to productivity-related issues. Some container lines are bypassing this key French port to avoid the hassle, which is making it difficult for logistics managers to ship products on tight deadlines. Working around these issues requires creativity and connections to top carriers. JAS Canada’s team was up for the challenge.
Isaj and her team received the dimensions of the antenna from their client. It weighed 1,750kg, dims, with dimensions of 500x240x282cm. They determined the safest way to transport the aerial transmitter from the factory in France to the shipping port was using a combination of a step-deck trailer outfitted with a flat rack container. Once the container arrived at the port, it could be loaded directly onto the ocean freighter.
The JAS France team assisted with securing the transport and shipping container for the move. It took their team six weeks to locate and procure a flat rack container. With shipping ports still backed up from the height of the global pandemic, shippers often must wait for the shipping containers needed.
The team approached all the ocean lines in its pursuit to get the antenna shipped by the deadline. All but one responded they had no bookings available due to space and equipment constraints. One ocean line said it could accommodate shipping but could not guarantee arrival at the Port of Vancouver by the required time of arrival.
Identifying the delay and providing a new estimated time of departure to the client was the next crucial step in the process. Since the delay in receiving the antenna did not cause the telecom’s customers to be without service, the client agreed to the new timeline. “As long as the shipment was delivered in good order, the delay was accepted by the customer,” said Isaj.
Once aboard the vessel, it took 46 days transit time for the antenna to arrive at the Port of Vancouver from the port at Le Havre, France.
Upon arrival at the Port of Vancouver, the shipment required clearance from customs. Following approval from Canadian Customs, the oversize microwave antenna was unloaded from the flat rack container. JAS Canada arranged the delivery to the remote location in Williams Lake on a step-deck trailer. The JAS Canada team also secured a crane that was required to unload the antenna from the step-deck trailer. Getting the crane to the remote location was another challenge for her team, Isaj said.
“This was quite challenging; however, it was successfully done by our team. The amount of endless effort put forth by both the JAS France and JAS Canada teams to complete the door-to-door delivery of this oversize shipment was incredible.”
Throughout March, in honor of International Women's Day(March 8), we are celebrating some of the remarkable women at JAS. Today, we are honored to highlight Maria Paula Eslava, Managing Director, at JAS Colombia.
What advice would you give your younger self?
“I would tell my younger self to be fearless and to worry less about what people think of you. Be confident in your capabilities and open to learning new things every day. Believe in your power.”
How have female mentors/role models influenced your career?
“Sheryl Sandberg former Chief Operating Officer of Facebook, wrote a great book called “Lean In.” It is a very inspiring piece of work that every female leader needs to read.”
What achievement are you most proud of while working at JAS?
“I began my career at JAS as a Country Operations Manager. Over the years, I found a way to respectfully open doors, and I became the first female Managing Director at JAS. I am proud to be leading my country and making it a successful subsidiary by building a winning team on the local level and helping the company grow within the market.”
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Throughout March, in honor of International Women's Day (March 8), we are celebrating some of the remarkable women at JAS. Today, we are honored to highlight Ewa Osowska, Sales Manger, JAS Poland.
What advice would you give your younger self?
Don't change anything. Be stubborn, be ambitious, and be committed. Lessons from failures can be a key to success in the future. Continue keeping your promises because trust builds business relationships that matter.
From the very beginning, I have treated work as a long-term journey. I like to learn and set ambitious goals for myself. I also like being open-minded and innovative.
When I started in November 2003 as an Airfreight Forwarder Assistant, I didn't know I would stay in the industry for the next 20 years. However, I am very happy with this choice right now. Over the years, I have had a chance to delve into the ins and outs of air freight, as well as ocean, road, and rail freight, and even contract logistics.
What achievement are you most proud of while working at JAS?
In February 2022, the eyes of the world were watching the dramatic scenes of the Russian attack on Ukraine. Poland, as a country with a direct border to Ukraine, has naturally become one of the major countries on the logistics map for building alternative supply chains for food, medications, medical kits, and all the other important equipment.
Thanks to JAS' global experience in Aid & Relief solutions, the United Nations has asked JAS to help support humanitarian efforts in Poland, a region where JAS recently expanded. Together with my colleague Salvatore Lauro, VP Regional Manager Center and South for Italy, we quickly created dedicated solutions so aid could be delivered despite the challenging situation. As a result, we were able to make food deliveries from the very beginning. I am proud of being part of it because it matters not only to me, not only to the company but to the Ukrainian people.
How do you #Embrace Equality?
It is a good question because, at JAS, people make the difference, regardless of gender, skin colour, or origin. I have not even thought about embracing equality, because it is already what I naturally do every day.
JAS’ weekly Less-than-Container Load (LCL) service from the Port of Gothenburg, Sweden (GOT) to Charleston, South Carolina, USA (CHS) is up and running.
With the global maritime market continuing to experience demand vs. capacity challenges, port congestion, and equipment imbalance, LCL services provide an opportunity to optimize your supply chain. These services are designed to provide the flexibility needed to keep your supply chain moving while offering cost savings when compared to air freight. Our dedicated LCL team members have the expertise to support your business while providing the best LCL service solution.
Please meet our Gothenburg to Charleston LCL service expert, Åsa Andersson, from JAS Sweden in Helsingborg.
Hello Åsa!
What is your role at JAS Worldwide Sweden?
For the past five years, I have worked as an Ocean Export Specialist at the Helsingborg branch in Sweden. As an LCL expert, I focus on service from Gothenburg to Charleston. This includes container planning, maintaining contact with the shipping lines, issuing required documents for shipping goods to the US, and keeping in close contact with my JAS Charleston colleagues.
What is the advantage of having LCL service from Gothenburg in Sweden to Charleston in the US?
The reason why we’ve chosen to ship from Gothenburg port in Sweden is because it is the largest port in the Nordics. There we have a contracted and reliable terminal and it’s well located for goods from both northern and southern Sweden.
And why do we ship to Charleston in the US?
JAS in Charleston has its own terminal, which means that we have control over the cargo operations there, and with Charleston is ideally located for moving goods to their final destinations.
What are the benefits of an LCL service between Gothenburg and Charleston?
With this service not only is JAS able to provide efficient transit times between Gothenburg and Charleston but we also maintain control of the goods from sender to recipient. At the same time we provide a good rate overview because we collect the goods.
Has shipping goods from the Nordics to the US changed after the Pandemic and if so, how?
I feel the interest in shipping goods to the US has increased since the Pandemic as we are seeing more demand for shipping services.
What challenges have you experienced after the Pandemic?
The after effect of the Pandemic and the concern that prevails globally at the moment means that there is still a risk of shipping line changing sailing schedules with short notice.
What is important to think about when shipping goods to the US?
Since the US has special requirements for sending goods there, it is important that you, as an exporter, have extra control over delivery conditions, what broker you choose, and who does the ISF filing. Everything must be in place before the goods are shipped; otherwise, there may be hefty fines at the destination, which could have been avoided.
What do you like about your job, and what do you find most rewarding?
No day is alike – that's something I find attractive about my job. I have been in the business for 35 years now. I love what I do and enjoy working with my nice colleagues across Sweden and the US.
It is gratifying to find the best solutions for our customers and to experience that the customer is satisfied.
Thank you, Åsa!
For more information about our Gothenburg to Charleston LCL service, reach out to your local sales representative or download the flyer below.
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