Four shipments, and the part of each one that was actually hard.
No percentages, no dashboards. These are the files, the lanes they ran on, and what had to be right before anyone took delivery.
Koppie Kafé
Colombia to Seattle
Green coffee moving by ocean into the Pacific Northwest, booked against real sailings and handed to a roaster who works to a production calendar.
The hard part
A customs hold at Seattle, and an FDA prior notice that has to be right before the roaster can take delivery. The notice is not paperwork you tidy up afterwards.
- Booking
- Bill of lading
- ICO certificate of origin
- FDA prior notice
- Customs entry
- Drayage to roaster
Doña Vega Tequila
Guadalajara to Rotterdam
An export program rather than a one-off container: repeat sailings from Mexico into Rotterdam, with the EU import pack running behind every departure.
The hard part
Alcohol. EEI, Schedule B, spirits labeling, export licensing, denied-party screening. Vandelay files the EEI. The client does not.
- EEI filing
- Schedule B
- Spirits labeling
- Export licensing
- Denied-party screening
- Sailing advice
Casa Ricard
Warehouse receiving and outbound distribution
Inbound received, put away, counted, and sent back out through a mixed carrier base. The unglamorous middle of the supply chain, run to a schedule.
The hard part
The dock. ASN, appointment, putaway, cycle count, then the outbound carrier mix that has to hold up when volume moves.
- ASN
- Dock appointments
- Putaway
- Cycle counts
- Carrier mix
- Outbound manifests
Gossamer Moon Designs
Hong Kong to Los Angeles
Design goods by air, where the launch date decides the mode and the mode decides the cost conversation.
The hard part
Air capacity first, then LAX, then a duties estimate the client can actually budget for, then a proof of delivery on the final mile.
- Air waybill
- Air capacity
- LAX customs
- Duties estimate
- Final-mile
- Proof of delivery