At Bruning International, we are constantly monitoring situations that influence freight forwarding. There are a few seasonal hurdles including national holidays like Chinese New Year’s or weather patterns, that greatly affect how we ship goods. One such seasonal problem is the pacific hurricane season. Pacific hurricanes greatly influence any goods shipped via ocean freight between Asia and North America. Technically even domestic shipments to Guam or Hawaii are also faced with challenges during this time. Hurricanes also influence air freight because of canceled flights.
In freight forwarding, issues can have a domino effect. If a port is shut down, flights are canceled, or there are other logistical issues with freight, it will affect the next few weeks to months depending on the severity. That is why it is important to prepare for the shipping concerns that can be predicted. Pacific hurricane season starts in mid-May and extends through November. Over the last years the sizes of hurricanes, the number of hurricanes, and severity have increased. The NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) has predicted that both the Atlantic and Pacific hurricane season will be more active in 2020 comparatively. With increased numbers of hurricanes and the severity of these storms, it is likely that there will be freight forward issues this season.
A single hurricane can temporarily cripple domestic and international shipping. After a hurricane even as airports and seaports get back up and running, backlogs can continue to clog up shipments. Hurricanes often close down major ports for days to weeks and the effect is felt throughout the country. For that reason there are a few steps businesses should consider as we get closer to Pacific Hurricane Season:
Bruning International works with hundreds of American businesses from local small businesses to large industrial leaders. We are here for you to help guide you through any obstacles with shipping. We handle international and domestic shipments and have relationships with dozens of agencies worldwide. Send us a message below for freight forwarding support.