Either the shipper, consignee, billing party or a third party logistics company may file a freight claim against a shipment, however only one claim per shipment maybe honored by the carrier.

Per NMFC Item # 300110, an invoice must be provided to substantiate the value of the product. This invoice will not be distributed to a third party, unless otherwise required by law.

It is the consignee’s responsibility to report concealed damages to the carrier. Please contact SAMC at +971 4 269 0055 and ask to speak with A Customer Service Representative. Concealed damages must be reported within 48 hours from the time of delivery.

It depends, how quickly do you NEED it delivered? SAMC designs custom SOP’s around some of the strictest service level agreements in the industry. Whether there is a patient on a table and a medical device needs to be delivered within 90 minutes, or marketing material that needs to be delivered next day, SAMC will customize a solution around your specific needs.

SAMC Transport pioneered the next flight out (NFO) industry back in 1990 and continues to innovate in the space to this day. We offer a customized online platform specifically designed for mission-critical delivery. SAMC maintains the highest levels of on-time service in the industry with the lowest failure rate, coupled with a strict focus on customer service. SAMC offers the latest technology providing the best visibility and tracking tools in the market place that will predicatively track the life of your SAMC order. With services that range from big box retail consolidation programs, to service part logistic solutions, there isn’t anything SAMC can’t do for you.

The roots and experience of a logistics provider will make a profound difference in the quality of its solutions and level of understanding its people demonstrate in your business. Most 3PLs come from a transactional transportation logistics background. While they can be strong in arranging air, ground, trans-oceanic or multi-modal shipments, their other logistics services may have been developed afterward, as complements to appeal to customers at either end of transportation. In contrast, SAMC is an industrial contract logistics provider. We come from industrial roots and have a perspective and understanding of exactly how logistics will improve your productivity and profitability throughout the supply chain.

One of our most frequently asked questions around freight is in regards to cost and fluctuating prices throughout the year. For businesses trying to keep ahead of these varying costs it can be frustrating.

The demand for shipping services is subject to a number of external pressures, including those of a political, economic and environmental nature. Trade sanctions, conflict, consumer behaviour, bad weather and more can affect demand, and that in turn affects cost. As there isn’t a single predictor or reason in the market, but a varying of factors including (but not limited to):

Destination/distance – the more popular the destination and the shorter the journey, the lower the ocean freight rate. Less common destinations, including those with a reduced capacity to handle freight, are more costly, and the further goods have to travel, the greater the ocean freight rate will be.

Currency – as ocean freight rate is charged in US dollars, the exchange rate has an impact on cost. Cargo type – the types of goods that are likely to attract higher fees include those that are dangerous, heavy, perishable, or out of gauge (OOG).

Fuel Costs – Bunker Fuel, that’s the name for fuel used to power a ship’s engines, and the cost can fluctuate, meaning the ocean freight rate charged will fluctuate. Bunker fuel has a big impact on the cost of ocean freight.

Seasons – certain goods are in demand, or in higher demand, due to the seasons, for example, in the run up to Christmas or the Chinese New Year. When demand is high prices often rise, whereas when demand is low, they fall.

Vessel size – as the biggest single cost in ocean freight is bunker fuel, the size and capacity of the vessel is important. Bigger vessels might use more fuel, but there are also more containers on board for that cost to be shared between.

Environment – 1 January 2020 saw the implementation of IMO 2020, new legislation introduced by the International Maritime Organisation. The aim is to reduce sulphur oxide gas emissions by using marine fuels with a maximum sulphur content of 0.5%, a hefty reduction compared to the previous limit of 3.5%. The expectation is an increase in cost.

Delayed shipments are one of the most frustrating parts of freight forwarding for many companies – the time involved, additional costs and waiting customers which has the potential to incur a larger cost (potentially losing clients/ customers). Vessels essentially move in a giant loop, calling from port to port then back again. if one tiny delay occurs at one port it can cause a chain reaction for all the other ports that the particular vessel calls in on, this can add days or even weeks to a transit time. Things that can cause these delays are:

• Impacts from weather conditions.
• Industrial action.
• Vessel quarantine
• Overbooking of cargo on shipments. (its common for shipping lines to overbook space during peak season, just like airlines do.)
• Vessel malfunctions/mechanical issues.
• Natural disasters.
• Seasonality.
• Equipment shortage. (no empty containers)

Anything really! We deal with large bulk shipments, so we handle all palletised and tank transport. We would be happy to discuss the details with you.

This is quite a large question but we will try to answer as briefly as possible. There are several risks to consider as a shipper but these can be mitigated with the following steps: exercise due diligence when choosing a carrier (trust the experience of your forwarder or broker here as well); be a stickler for paperwork and pay special attention to bills of lading and waybills; communicate clearly with everyone in the chain, including the broker, forwarder, shipping company and recipient. Make sure you have sufficient insurance coverage and be aware of who is liable for losses and damage and to what degree.