American Shipper and BPE Global designed this year’s study to provide readers with a deeper understanding of the trends and issues impacting U.S. import operations and compliance managers.

In late March and early April 2013, 343 qualified respondents participated in a 31-question benchmarking survey covering organizational policies, structure, training, responsibilities, processes, costs, technology, and trade facilitation program participation, among other areas related to U.S. imports. The report compares the responses from shippers large and small, systems-based or not, as well as how best-in-class importers – or “winners” – fared against the average.

This study takes an in-depth look at:

• Import operations and compliance reporting structures
• Customs filing timeliness and accuracy
• C-TPAT and ISA participation and effectiveness
• Duty avoidance programs
• Operations and compliance technologies
• Whether operations and compliance functions are being blended

   World Liner Supply quarterly reports calculate the up-to-date ship capacity of each alliance, carrier, service and trade route on the 12 trade lanes operating between Asia, Europe, North America and South America. The reports cover all the liner services in a trade and gives a timely analytical assessment of total capacity supply from quarter to quarter that reflects changes in services or in the number or size of the ships deployed.
   The World Liner Supply reports are pivot tables sent within Excel workbook, showing the capacity and frequency for each service and alliance for the current quarter and previous quarter, as well as the percentage change.
   The reports feature a unique analytical summary of service changes and fleet changes by trade, including a highlight of carriers that have adjusted capacity the latest quarter. The summary shows the services added, withdrawn or restructured.
   The reports also provide a detailed list of all ships deployed in a trade. You must be an American Shipper Global Schedule Subscriber, a BlueWater Reporting Individual Subscriber or a BlueWater Reporting Corporate Subscriber to download the World Liner Supply Report.

American Shipper surveyed more than 250 shippers and third party logistics providers on their transportation payment and auditing practices and technologies. This year’s report delves into new areas, including the interaction between shippers’ logistics operations and finance departments, and whether shippers and 3PLs are using their payment data in the broader procure-to-pay process.

Key Focus Areas Include:

• Manual vs. automated processes
• Domestic vs. international payment
• Payment terms
• Auditing effectiveness
• The role of supply chain finance
• How payment data is used
• Costs associated with making payments

The increasing volume and complexity of global trade has placed demands on global trade managers that are amplified by broadened regulations affecting that trade. Governments are writing expanded rules and enforcing them with unprecedented vigor. But GTM is about more than just compliance – it’s about integrating the financial, regulatory, and transportation components of a supply chain through enhanced processes and the best people.

The report explores five challenges universal to global trade management practitioners today:    Visibility beyond basic track and trace.

•     Leveraging financial tools to create bottom-line benefits from GTM.
•     Recruiting, educating and retaining expert GTM practitioners.
•     Balancing the process management and technology sides of GTM.
•     Ensuring global compliance requirements are met.

   World Liner Supply quarterly reports calculate the up-to-date ship capacity of each alliance, carrier, service and trade route on the 12 trade lanes operating between Asia, Europe, North America and South America. The reports cover all the liner services in a trade and gives a timely analytical assessment of total capacity supply from quarter to quarter that reflects changes in services or in the number or size of the ships deployed.
   The World Liner Supply reports are pivot tables sent within Excel workbook, showing the capacity and frequency for each service and alliance for the current quarter and previous quarter, as well as the percentage change.
   The reports feature a unique analytical summary of service changes and fleet changes by trade, including a highlight of carriers that have adjusted capacity the latest quarter. The summary shows the services added, withdrawn or restructured.
   The reports also provide a detailed list of all ships deployed in a trade. You must be an American Shipper Global Schedule Subscriber, a BlueWater Reporting Individual Subscriber or a BlueWater Reporting Corporate Subscriber to download the World Liner Supply Report.

American Shipper, in partnership with the Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA), surveyed more than 200 supply chain managers on their international transportation management (ITM) systems, practices, and processes. This fourth annual study examines how successful firms are managing international transportation and emerging trends in the industry.

Key Focus Areas Include:

• Connectivity and system integration
• Current and planned ITM capabilities
• Centralization vs. localization of ITM
• The benefits of automating ITM functions
• Future plans for technology investments

In the private sector size and scale often provides the opportunity to create freight transportation savings through optimization. American Shipper's research shows that the federal sector is no different. This report will discuss the many challenges that federal agencies face in managing both inbound and outbound transportation. Using those challenges as a backdrop we will explore the benefits - and savings opportunities - related to adopting best practices observed in the private sector.  

In specific, this report takes an up-close look at the freight payment processes prevalent among civilian federal agencies. Government auditing regulations mandate these agencies follow the same guidelines on a critical piece of the transportation management function. On the surface this single, common trait may seem insignificant, but our research demonstrates this critical element can be leveraged to integrate disparate operations for mutual benefit, both in terms of operational effectiveness and efficiency.

American Shipper’s third annual Export Operations & Compliance Benchmark Study: The Exporter's Balancing Act. Regulatory enforcement actions are increasing at a time when the nation's leaders are calling for those same exporters to lead the country toward economic recovery. This report, co-produced with BPE Global and the ICPA, seeks to shed some light on the issues exporters are wrestling with and the value of technology solutions designed to support them.

Key issues addressed in this study include:

• The state of U.S. export control reform
• Organizational structures and responsibilities
• Operational best practices
• Productivity metrics
• The role of GTM technology

American Shipper’s second annual study focused on you, the supply chain practitioner. This report, co-produced with The Georgia Institute of Technology's EMIL-SCS Executive Master's Program and the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP), is designed to give an overview on the roles, responsibilities, and compensation of supply chain professionals over the past two years.

This report surveyed more than 450 qualified respondents to give a high level of visibility into the profession, remark on current trends, and hopefully provide a benchmark from which we can all improve as we move forward.

Key themes include:

• Career Path & Compensation
• The Continuing Gender Gap
• Supply Chain Education
• Supply Chain Departments & Reporting
• Job Roles & Responsibilities
• Satisfaction & Performance

BlueWater Reporting, an affiliate of American Shipper, has published a report explaining the complexities of containerized ocean transportation management.

The report, compiled by American Shipper's international editor Eric Johnson, identifies and examines six key dynamics of the modern ocean transportation market. These include:

• The dynamics of the carrier/shipper relationship.
• The rise of the "mega shipper".
• Deepening trade imbalances.
• Multimodal, multi-leg shipments.
• Schedule and service reliability expectations and reality.
• Technology's growing importance.

American Shipper, in partnership with the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP) and the Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA), surveyed roughly 275 transportation buyers and sellers on procurement practices, processes, technologies and results.

Key issues addressed in this study include:

• Transportation spend and contract rates
• Length of negotiations and timeframe to implementation
• Assessing bids and timing procurement events
• Procurement and contract management technologies