Transportation and the Role of the Software Provider

Who can you trust? Who should you use? What makes sense for your business?   Who's the most affordable?

So many of our clients approach us with the same issues that plague many companies in the international transportation and trade industry.  They tell us "We need a software product to manage our shipments, meet trade compliance requirements and, by the way, we want it cheap, it should do it all (and speak to us when we make a mistake and fix it for us yesterday)".   Typical requirements for clients, right?  ABSOLUTELY. 

Please read this paragraph....No matter what is said throughout the software industry...the fact is software is cheaper, faster, and easier and can “do it all”.  Besides those facts, a good software product is easy to use and should require little training and support to get started.  Finally, if mistakes are made, the software should fix it and then make sure that mistake does not happen again. 

But, would a client of ours (or a potential client) call Adobe, Microsoft, Apple etc. to get software to manage International Transportation and Trade shipments…maybe…but no one at these companies would know what a T&E is, what a disposition code means or even how to report a shipment that is transshipped, short shipped, or is FROB cargo…you know, basic shipping stuff.

No one at Microsoft, Apple or even our 50+ competitors knows how to handle these shipments like our staff, both from an operators perspective and from a software-user perspective.  All of us here at ARTEMUS have done the actual work, we have transported shipments all over the world so we know what needs to be done and how it should be done.  That’s what makes ARTEMUS Transportation Solutions so attractive to our clientele and has kept us in business for 8 years, getting ready to start our 9^th year. 

Listed below, are the most popular products and services ARTEMUS offers and the reasons why our products are state of the art, faster, easier, and cheaper. 

US CUSTOMS AND CANADIAN CUSTOMS SOFTWARE – Does your company import shipments into the US or Canada?  Do you control shipments that arrive on a vessel in the US or Canada but are destined to another country?  Well, our software is a one screen, single entry product that can do an entire vessel reporting in ONE CLICK!  Enter an entire shipment into the system ON ONE SCREEN!  Even an Importer Security Filing, one screen, one click, one time.  If you perform more than 5 shipments a month, we here at ARTEMUS can save you over $1000 a year by using our product. 

Our software is accessible from any internet enabled device.  Our system is available 24/7, we don’t charge you by the user, we charge by the shipment, just as you get paid.  Whether it is an AMS Filing or an ISF Filing or for Canada, and ACI Electronic Filing, ARTEMUS Compliance Solution is the cheapest, fastest, easiest, best supported, and most technologically advance product on the market today. 

RATE FILILNG AND TARIFF HOSTING SERVICES (powered by Info-X Software) – ARTEMUS, teaming with Info-X, have put into the market the first new RATE FILING and TARIFF HOSTING product in over 10 years.  This product is priced 35%-50% less than our nearest competitors and meets the FMC Requirements for Tariff Filing/Hosting.  As with all products ARTEMUS provides, it is the most cost effective, fastest, easiest and most technologically advanced product on the market today and is accessible on any device with internet access.  No special software required!

TRAINING – ONLINE AND CLASSROOM – Do you know how to do everything in the shipping industry?  Most of you who are reading this would say, of course!  I don’t need any training!  But, you do need Hazardous Cargo Certification or Recertification, correct?  You do need to know new regulatory requirements for terms and conditions, tariffs’, documentation, etc.  Well you can, with three clicks, take an online course and get all of this information while at the comfort of your desk or from the privacy of your home (pajama’s and coffee not included).  ARTEMUS conducts classroom training sessions consistently in New York, New Jersey, Virginia and Texas.  We can also provide the course at your facility at a very affordable price.  ALL STUDENTS who take our course are considered “alumni".  You have lifetime support with questions, feedback or help with any and all international trade support when needed….just an email or phone call away.   FINALLY, does your company have training classes that they would like to be put online?  ARTEMUS can do this for you, quickly and easily. 

With a partner like ARTEMUS, the only thing we cannot do is get you business….oh wait, we can do that too!  We refer shippers, exporters, agents and importers to our clients consistently.  We provide our clients with freight rate quotation opportunities to help their business.  We can also help you negotiate service contracts….yep, that too.  Finally, we can help set your company up as an Ocean Carrier or NVOCC.  Yes, we have done 5 of them in 2012 and expect to double that in 2013. 

With ARTEMUS as your long term partner, we can help you set up, build and manage your business, cheaper, faster, and provide you with all the solutions you need to be your clients best service provider. 

An easy answer to all of your transportation and trade needs and questions? ARTEMUS Transportation Solutions

Until Next Month….ARTEMUS OUT!

Follow the Effects of Hurricane Sandy on the Shipping Industry on the US. East Coast

Hurricane Sandy began its rampage on the east coast back on October 23^rd. Most of us heard of the start of a Tropical Depression and reports started to circulate about a potential “once in a lifetime” event up the eastern coast of the United States.  Most of us on the east coast, by the end of October, feel the air cool, the leaves turn and the chill of fall strike the air.  None of us even think much about a Hurricane this time of year as the official Hurricane Season was only about three weeks away from being over. But, this was a historical event…

How did this affect ocean cargo and shipping? 

Starting on October 23^rd, this storm was well south of Florida…in fact, directly south.  As the storm traveled north through Jamaica, Cuba and the Bahamas, it caused just minor tidal issues off of the Port of Miami/Palm Beach and Fort Pierce, which caused the Port Capt. to put in place Condition ZULU on October 26^th.  

As the storm continued north, the Port of Norfolk Virginia put Condition ZULU in place on Saturday October 27^th…, this was about the same time, the Coast Guardsman put into place a response exercise in North Carolina…a staging exercise, to ensure they were prepared for a potential disaster response as the storm went north.  Also, Master Carriers started to divert cargo through the Ports of Savannah and Charleston, SC that was previously destined to NYNJ Port; which began taking place on October 25^th. 

Then, as the storm passed Virginia, we saw port closures for days at the Port of Baltimore, Port of Philadelphia and of course, Port of New York and Port of Newark for almost a week.  Subsequently, we saw airport closures some of which lasted 4 days to almost a week. 

Most everyone has seen the personal devastation of the New York, New Jersey and Connecticut shorelines and all of the people affected by the storm. But, for our industry, even almost two weeks since the effects started to become visible, we have cargo needing to be diverted, both Air and Sea Cargo.  

Brokers/Forwarders, Carriers and US Customs having to redo paperwork, redo entries, remove holds, set up new container and shipment moves and the over utilization of road and domestic transportation to ensure cargo is not adversely affected or delayed, especially as the final holiday shipments starts to arrive.  When you see life lost and tragedy, you say, why care about the paperwork and diversion of my shipments?  Well, it’s because lives and livelihood of your staff and clients depend on this.  Your family and personal safety and health are extremely important but you also need to maintain an income and business to stay secure as well. 

The purpose of this piece is simple….many of our company’s do not prepare for this type of situation.  If there is anything we can learn from this it would that disasters happen at any place, at any time…but client satisfaction, business transactions, and freight orders continue and most clients expect delivery, even in these type of tragic situations.  

Start today to get a plan in place for all potential possibilities and ensure that even this type of once in a lifetime situation, your business can survive, your staff will still have jobs and your clients will still get your service…by taking the time to do the plan and test it, you could solidify your business for years to come and your clients and your staff will be more dedicated to you in the process.  

Finally, help out…help a vendor, help a customer, help an organization to get back on their feet.  Do what you can to ensure that the “chain” we work in remains productive and strong. 

Until next time…ARTEMUS OUT!

ACE – New Processing Environment for the Trade Commercial Industry in the US

As most reading this would know, ACE has been put into its final phases of full implementation.  That one large step, getting all trade information into one environment has been completed as of 29 Sept 2012.  This centralizes all shipment related data into one place with many participants benefiting from a centralized system, free of charge, for trade participants. 
In the following paragraphs, Artemus TS would like to point out the benefits for different participants who are using or can use this new environment. 

The list distributed by the Customs and Border Protection Service (from now on, CBP) says that those listed as Trade Participants are: Trade Account Owners, Brokers, Carriers (Truck, Rail and Sea), Importers, Self-Filers, Sureties and all those not covered with a label previously stated. 

The main discussion on this post is for the ARTEMUS TS clientele and how you can benefit from getting an account set up for yourself and your clients in ACE. 

For our Importer clients, you can set up an account in ACE for your shipments and enable your ability to manage your duty payments, track and trace the details of your shipments, add partners who can also review and track cargo under your control.  Importers can also check Hazardous Material Codes, check Harmonized Tariff Numbers and design your own reports for your cargo, stating the details for each shipment in form and structure to match your service needs. 

For our Carrier and Freight Forwarder Clients, you can search bond details, search your client details, give clients access to their shipment information, take care of In Bond Transaction Authorization details, design your own operations/service reports. Finally, Carriers and Forwarders can get cargo systems messages, to provide more proactive customer service for your clients’ shipments.  For Master Carriers, you can add/delete vessel details, rather than sending emails to CBP for these updates.  Carriers can also search vessel information and also provide these details to their clients. 

For more information or help with setting up your accounts for ARTEMUS TS Clients and/or their ultimate clients, please send us an email at ACE@artemus.us

CBP has many detailed documents listed on their website, some of which we will link you to rather than reprint information already very detailed. 

ACE 101

http://www.cbp.gov/linkhandler/cgov/trade/automated/modernization/ace/ace101.ctt/ace101.pdf

Trade Benefits from the Automated Commercial Environment

http://www.cbp.gov/linkhandler/cgov/trade/automated/modernization/ace/ace_benefits_automated.ctt/ace_benefits_automated.pdf

Information Notice: e-Manifest: Rail and Sea (M1)

http://www.cbp.gov/linkhandler/cgov/trade/automated/modernization/manifest_railsea/m1_trade.ctt/m1_trade.pdf

Create and Maintain Ocean Conveyances

http://www.cbp.gov/linkhandler/cgov/trade/automated/modernization/manifest_railsea/create_maintain.ctt/create_maintain.pdf

ACE Resource Contact Guide
http://www.cbp.gov/linkhandler/cgov/trade/automated/modernization/ace/ace_resource_guide.ctt/ace_resource_guide.pdf

Until next month, ARTEMUS OUT!

TAG BOX – AMS, ACE, Automated Commercial Environment, ACE M1, Automated Manifest System, Import Security Filing, ISF, ISF 10+2, Importer, Exporter, Import, Export, Customs, Customs Broker, ABI, ACI, Automated Commercial Interface, Canada Customs, 24 Hour Rule, 10+2 Rule, Ocean Shipping, Cargo Shipping, Logistics, Rail Carriers, Sea Carriers, Master Carriers, Import Documentation, Export Documentation, Hazardous Cargo Certification, Hazardous Cargo, HazMat.