The ongoing supply chain disruption stemming from ports in Southern California has led to a sweeping change to keep ports open for 24 hours, seven days a week in order to “unclog the supply chain,” according to the Wall Street Journal.
Both the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles have pledged to shift operations to 24/7, with both ports already operating well outside of traditional working hours in more than one terminal, and major brands have committed to moving and processing a certain amount of shipping containers in order to ease the latest supply chain issue.
This is at least the second major supply chain disruption related to the pandemic – with the first relating to a sharp rise in e-Commerce battling against a workforce shortage in both the manufacturing and supply chain sectors. Since late summer, an combination of rising costs, workforce shortages, and residual ripple effects of the primary disruption have created a second wave of disruption.
This year has also seen issues in manufacturing and supply chain between the global chip shortage and the Suez Canal disruption.
With one historic issue after another interrupting the highly important global supply chain, the need to digitally transform is growing more and more crucial.
The Internet of Things (IoT) is positioned to help achieve a nimbler supply chain by delivering high-value insight into how and where assets move. By aggregating data from the time goods leave a manufacturing or OEM floor to the destination by leveraging sensors, several key benefits can be reached:
Real-time tracking: With real-time tracking, data fed into a user interface can provide detail into the exact location of a shipment. Sensors can further be leveraged to detect temperature, tilt, and shock for more high-value or cold chain goods.
Automation: Specifically related to warehouse activities, automation can cut down on costs, the need for workforce, and errors. But in order to rely on automation, accurate and consistent data is needed.
Forecasting demand and inventory control: With sensors that monitor inventory positions and stock levels, and the data collection that slows from proper demand, the supply chain flow can be more optimised with more data-based, informed decision making.
Contingency planning: Interruptions in the supply chain are going to happen, but having data at hand can help mitigate challenges with a comprehensive and agile contingency plan.
No matter what may be causing supply chain disruption, the ability to have greater visibility and move with issues instead of against them can lessen some of the challenges that have occurred in 2020 and 2021 with supply chains.
With enhanced shipment visibility and security, KORE Assets solutions provides the information you need to keep your goods under control in transit. We help reduce losses, mitigate gaps in visibility, and increase efficiency by offering the products and services you need to implement robust systems for container identification, global location information, cargo monitoring and feedback, and security alerts.
Experts in IoT connectivity, KORE can build a strategic smart supply chain solution for global, multi-modal supply chains so that whether your goods travel by air, road, or sea – or a combination of all three – we’ve got you covered.
Learn more about smart supply chains in our on-demand webinar, “Creating a Connected Supply Chain.”
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