Caringbah: Shippers selecting a carrier between China and Australia can save up to 12% by using the site www.chinasearates.com, a service run by Tim Routh Down Under with plans to expand to different trade lanes.
The China Sea Rates Group was started by Routh, a man with 17 years of experience in the shipping industry, initially starting out as a customs broker trainee.
“My experience in the industry over this time has provided me with the ability to determine and negotiate the best solutions for our clients in regard to rates and outcomes,” he tells Maritime CEO.
China Sea Rates, the online shipping marketplace from China to Australia, is, says Routh, the only company handling a sea freight marketplace in a free flowing and comprehensive way, with over 250 agents and shipping lines contributing. The site has a freight calculator which then segues to a results screen, listing rates with the best up top. The results screen also itemises other important information; the agent in China, the shipping line, local shipping line port charges, exchange rates, transit time, cut off day at the wharf and the frequency of the service.
“The advantage of having a marketplace,” says Routh, “is not only in cost saving, but also the information in the marketplace itself. For example we always get the early run on rate fluctuations.”
www.freightcracker.com is the website that hosts and stores the agents, rates and internal communications. This is a Hong Kong company and has been established as a hub for the operations of the global brand. The marketplace extends to the USA and UK on a wholesale basis. Agents can either load the rates into the system themselves or they can have our staff do it for them. On a weekly basis there are in excess of 8,000 rates loaded and advertised.
China to Australia is just the first tradelane the company has opened up. Others from China are in the offing, including a likely focus to the Middle East. A consultancy firm in Singapore has been employed to handle worldwide expansion.
“Each country has rates structured differently,” explains Routh, “and as a consequence more research on procedures and the presentation of the marketplace is required. Australia, for instance, has the freight rate plus the port charges, both in different currencies, in contrast the USA present their rates all in US dollars. Researching the country requirements takes longer then establishing the presence.”
There are many other factors to consider in launching in countries such as political, banking and economic stability, he concludes. [05/08/13]
