C.H. Robinson says it was recently named the largest Non-Vessel Operating Common Carrier (NVOCC) offering ocean transportation between the USA and Oceania.
It says it is confident that this vital trade lane is handling the increased demand for delivering imported goods from the USA.
“In 2021, we shipped more than 10,000 TEUs from the US to Oceania,” Andrew Coldrey, Vice President APAC at C.H. Robinson, says.
“It is encouraging to see the US-Oceania trade lane performing so strongly, with a total market of more than 190,000 TEUs highlighting the benefits of the Free Trade Agreement and providing growth opportunities for importers in our region,” he adds.
He says C.H. Robinson has worked with every single ocean carrier in this trade and has the most comprehensive view on how the market is responding to the disruption caused by COVID, the war in Ukraine, and congestion at ports around the globe.
The logistics platform says it is responsible for moving about six per cent of goods between the USA and Australia and New Zealand. It adds that it handles more volume than any other NVOCC on this trade lane.
“C.H. Robinson has more than 200 offices in North America employing 12,000 people with a dedicated inland team devoted to drayage procurement, which is a major challenge in the current US market,” Andrew says.
“It is this sheer scale on the ground in North America across Canada, the United States and Mexico coupled with our number one position on the North American – Oceania trade lane that enables us to handle the volume of imports demanded by our customers,” he adds.
C.H. Robinson says one customer with operations in both Australia and New Zealand that is benefiting from its position is Kubota Australia Pty Ltd, a leading importer and wholesaler of farm, construction, and power equipment machinery and associated equipment.
C.H. Robinson notes it not only acts as a customs broker and freight forwarder for Kubota in Oceania, but it also liaises with Kubota’s suppliers in North America (predominantly Kubota Corporation affiliated companies) to bring together components from many locations, prepare full container loads, and ship them to Australia and New Zealand.
Greg Vincent, Kubota’s General Manager Supply Chain says the company receives container loads shipping through C.H. Robinson daily.
The shipments are directed to Kubota Australia head office and through Kubota Supply Chain partners and direct to its dealer network through the Ports of Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Townsville, Adelaide, Perth, Auckland, Napier, Christchurch, and Wellington.
“We receive over 3000 containers a year and about 40 per cent of these are from the US, largely out of Gainesville and Charleston through the East coast of the USA,” Greg says.
“Our team has a good understanding of the requirements, and C.H. Robinson has the knowledge and expertise on the ground there, so we work well together,” he adds.
He says given the challenges from shipping out of North America as well as Europe and Asia, C.H. Robinson has been on the front door with Kubota Australia, its factories, and suppliers to ensure it has a good and full understanding of the requirements to provide forward planning and notice.
“C.H. Robinson is across the Free Trade Agreement, is a proponent of Trusted Trader in Australia, and offers sound advice in relation to trade requirements, biosecurity, and customs matters,” Greg says.
Kubota benefits directly from C.H. Robinson’s dedicated inland team in the US, collating goods and preparing container loads for shipment from Charleston South Carolina right through to customs clearance electronic delivery orders for local couriers when the goods arrive in Melbourne.
Andrew says that Kubota is a great example of a global forwarding company and an importer working together to deliver seamless logistics.
“Kubota has great affiliated suppliers in the US and a highly effective operation in Oceania, which makes working with them a pleasure,” Andrew says.
“It is because of great companies like Kubota that we have been able to secure the top spot as the leading NVOCC of the US-Oceania trade lane, and we work well together as a team to get their goods to their dealers in Australia and New Zealand,” he adds.
C.H. Robinson says it is more than 10 per cent ahead of its nearest competitor for volume moved by an NVOCC on the US-Oceania trade lane.
For more information on C.H. Robinson, click here.