Supply Chain Frontiers issue #47
The MIT Global Transportation Reliability Initiative will present the latest findings of its research into improving the reliability of ocean transportation at a roundtable event scheduled to take place on the MIT campus, Cambridge, MA, US, November 29, 2012.
The event also will build on last year’s roundtable discussion and explore how shippers currently – and, more importantly, in the future – should design, procure, and manage their global transportation networks to include landslide transportation as well as port operations.
Some questions that will be on the agenda for discussion include:
- Should shippers use forwarders or directly work with carriers?
- What is the business case for using more reliable carriers?
- What is the best way to manage chassis pools?
- When is translating worth pursuing?
- How does throughput variability differ among ports?
- How do multiyear contracts with indexing work?
- How should inventory levels be set given a level of transit reliability?
- What systems should be used to better manage and monitor carrier performance?
The MIT Center for Transportation & Logistics roundtables are designed to be highly interactive, with all attendees sharing their opinions and insights. Shippers (importers and exporters), carriers (ocean, rail, and truck), as well as third parties (forwarders, 3PLs, software vendors) will attend and participate.
For more information on the roundtables, contact Dr. Chris Caplice, Executive Director, MIT CTL.