Selling your products on a global market is essential to many UK businesses and freight is at the core of that. Whether you are a small company just dipping your toes into international waters for the first time, or a multinational corporation with some firm connections around the world, we at Millennium Cargo are here to share our experience and expertise.

1 – Don’t Let Delays Ruin Your Day

When you’re part of a supply chain, being reliable and making sure your cargo reaches its destination when expected is vital. Delays happen for many reasons – all of which are mitigated with proper planning and the right freight partner.

Whether those delays happen due to hold-ups at customs, port congestion or paperwork issues, the knock-on effect can be damaging. Consider:

• Planning backwards – Rather than starting with the idea that you’re ready to go so now must be the time to ship, think about when you need the cargo to arrive and work everything out in reverse. Focusing on the delivery deadline and putting the pieces in place backwards from there will give you a realistic date when you need to put the process in place.
• Include plenty of flexibility – Unfortunately, there’s a lot that can happen between the cargo being ready in your warehouse and its arrival on foreign shores. Make sure you give yourself plenty of buffer time to absorb unexpected issues.
• Consider different freight methods – Choosing your transportation mode makes a huge difference. Balancing cost vs. timescale is essential, and you’ll want to plan accordingly. Multi-modal shipping enhances shipping plans, so work with a freight forwarder who can put comprehensive shipping plans and routes into place.
• Communicate – Don’t try to work everything out on your own. Speak to experts (and listen to them!) to understand the finer details of cargo transportation.

At Millennium Cargo, we’re always here to help you with optimal shipping routes and transportation methods. Our team has all the experience you need to make sure everything runs as smoothly as possible – why not give us a call to chat and let us help you begin planning?

2 – Get On Top of Administration

Paperwork can be a huge bugbear for many businesses undertaking international shipping. Advances in technology help more every year, but there are always plenty of places where slip-ups are possible. Poor paperwork is where a huge number of export delays and fines originate, so it’s worth focusing on this detail when developing export plans.

• Make sure the standard items are covered: consignment notes and packing lists, commercial invoices, EORI numbers and more – you can learn more about the specifics of consignment notes in our article here. 
• Research your destination country to understand all its requirements, such as a certificate of origin. 
• Be accurate. While some systems have a little flexibility, clean data is essential to make everything run smoothly. Even a misspelled name can cause unexpected problems somewhere along the line. Check and double-check.
• Become digitally savvy. With every year, systems lean more and more into digital submission – it’s important not to be left behind.

At Millennium, we understand the importance of administrative details and will work with you to make sure everything is covered. Our team are experts in the latest technologies, with a company-wide focus on continuous training and development in the digital sphere. Partnering with Millennium gives you paperwork peace of mind.

3 – Match Freight Mode to Your Goods

Different types of cargo demand different approaches to global freight and there’s an important balance to be made when choosing between speed and urgency and cost savings. Sea is often the best for your budget, while air freight offers rapid delivery across continents.

Consider:

• Perishability – If your cargo needs special conditions for transit or must arrive quickly, this must be taken into account.
• Weight – Heavy items will have a greater than average impact on cost between modes.
• Value – High value products must have security at the centre of shipping considerations.
• Fragility – Packing to protect your goods properly can increase size and alter the cost-effectiveness of different shipping methods.

Millennium Cargo is a multimodal freight forwarder, which means we combine the different shipping methods to meet your exacting needs. We can advise on the best transportation and routes to ensure your cargo is delivered as quickly and efficiently as necessary.

4 – Learn from Every Shipment

You’re unlikely to get it right the first time. International shipping is complicated! It’s helpful to learn from each experience, so note down what went well and what didn’t, what caused additional costs and what stayed comfortably within budget.

Over time, you’ll build an internal team who understands more of the nuances of global freight, giving you confidence to make better informed decisions for the future. Don’t waste that experience by just doing everything the same next time; evaluate and adapt.

At Millennium Cargo, we’ve been analysing every shipment we’ve been a part of since our first days of global shipping and we continue to do so, looking at the data gathered every day, which leads us to…

5 – Build a Relationship with Millennium Cargo

Working with professionals who know what they’re doing makes everything easier. Partnering with Millennium Cargo means that you can outsource your worldwide transportation needs to a company that has already done all that learning. We offer:

• Dedicated customer relationships that keep you fully in the loop regarding your shipments.
• Advanced technologies that streamline operations and improve security, including real-time tracking.
• Expertise in handling all administrative needs and paperwork, considering everything right down to the fine customs nuances of smaller importing countries.
• Rapid response to unexpected issues, with a team of highly trained specialists able to put secondary plans in place in minutes.
• Trusted partnerships with third-party carriers.
• Established relationships with customs officials, storage experts, insurance companies, and other organisations that form part of the global logistics arena.
• Custom planning that serves your specific business needs.

Call Millennium Cargo now to discuss your shipping requirements and begin a relationship that’ll propel you forward on an international stage.