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When you’re looking for a contract logistics partner to assist with your Guam freight services—like trucking, warehousing, storage, distribution, and other supply chain activities—it makes sense to vet your options carefully.
After all, the right partner can help you move your freight faster and more efficiently, saving you time, hassle, and money. Conversely, the wrong partner can cost you big.
With decades of experience in Guam freight and logistics, we’ve got a strong handle on what you can expect from a solid contract logistics partner. As you evaluate your options, consider looking for an organization with the five qualities we’ll share below. A partner who checks all these boxes can help you streamline your logistics and reduce your expenses, boosting your bottom line.
Employees and Owned Assets on Guam
Some freight and logistics providers have their own trucking fleet, employees and terminals on Guam. (This is also referred to as an “asset-based provider.”) Others may not have a physical presence on Guam. Instead, they contract out these services to a local provider.
It’s to your advantage to work directly with a company that has its own physical presence on Guam. Here’s why:
Information You Can Rely On
If you’ve ever spent time on Guam, you know things can work a little differently here. When you work directly with a provider on Guam, their local knowledge and experience means they can get you accurate information about service levels and timelines, information that you can rely on. Off-island providers who don’t know Guam as well may not be able to offer the same level of certainty.
Priority Scheduling
When you work directly with a provider on Guam, you’re more likely to get priority scheduling on your requests. Freight and logistics providers tend to give first pick to their direct customers, so you’ll benefit from being at the front of the line for your scheduling requests.
Along these same lines, look for a provider with a complete fleet of owned equipment. If your provider has a number of trucks, vans, flatbeds, forklifts, etc. at their disposal, they’ll be able to react more quickly to any requests, rather than having to rent or borrow equipment from another provider on Guam.
Clearer Communication
Finally, rather than talking to a middleman who will relay that request to a Guam-based provider, you’ll be able to talk directly to the team on Guam delivering your services. That means reduced potential for mixed messages or confusion, since you’ll be communicating, first-hand, with the provider who’s handling your account.
Standing Base Access
With nearly 10,000 servicemembers stationed on Guam—and three installations within Joint Region Marianas—projects requiring base access can be fairly common on Guam.
Look for a provider that’s already secured pre-approved access to U.S. Naval Base Guam, Andersen Air Force Base, and Marine Corps Base Camp Blaz. With standing base access, their team will be able to start a project on base immediately, rather than waiting for clearance or permits.
Even if you don’t currently hold any military contracts, having a provider who’s ready and able to make deliveries or execute projects on one of Guam’s military bases can be handy. It opens the doors to potential contracts you might take on in the future, allowing you to expand and diversify your client base.
A Complete Range of Freight & Logistics Services
If your logistics needs on Guam are relatively simple, you might not think about looking beyond the current service you’re trying to book.
Even if you’re just seeking a Guam provider to, for example, deliver freight, we still recommend looking at each provider’s complete portfolio of freight and logistics services.
After all, your needs may change in the future. If they do, you may have to go through the whole vetting process again. However, if you choose a provider that offers a one-stop solution for Guam freight and logistics services, you’ll save yourself significant time if you want to add warehousing or installation services.
To give you an idea of what to look for, we recommend seeking out a Guam-based provider who can handle the following:
- Freight shipping (air, ocean, and ground to/from Guam)
- Trucking, including pick-ups and deliveries
- Warehousing and distribution
- Installation services, including FF&E installations and office and industrial installations
- Storage
- Supply chain management
Ultimately, if you do end up needing several different logistics solutions, a one-stop provider can offer you a simple, turnkey solution that will save you significant time.
Access to Mainland Facilities & Resources
When you’re doing a large project involving a significant amount of freight—such as an FF&E refresh or a complete office and industrial install—it can pay to work with a Guam-based provider with mainland capabilities.
For Example…
If all those containers go straight to Guam, you’ll end up with a bunch of containers that need to be unpacked and re-sorted so the installation crew can go room by room and get the furniture set. If you don’t have room to store all those containers on site, you might find yourself in a bind.
However, if your freight provider has access to mainland facilities, they can receive all of those containers from Asia. At a mainland terminal, they can unpack them, re-sort them to include full sets of furniture in each container, store them on the mainland until needed (often at cheaper rates than you’ll see on Guam), and then ship the containers to Guam on the right timeline.
This approach can save you a ton of time and money—not to mention hassle.
Want to know more about how exactly a project like this might work? Check out our article on this topic:
As you’re shopping for a Guam logistics partner, don’t forget to ask about any mainland relationships. These mainland partnerships can add significant ease to your next Guam freight or logistics project.
International Freight Capabilities
Finally, as you’re vetting Guam logistics providers, ask about their ability to handle international freight:
- If you have freight that needs to move internationally, can they arrange for those freight services for you?
- Can they assist with shipments to Guam direct from international locations, which can get freight in your hands faster?
- Or, if you have items that need to move between the Northern Marianas and Guam—namely Saipan, Tinian, and Rota—can they assist?
As with an expanded portfolio of capabilities, you might not need international services right now. However, choosing a provider with international reach will mean that you have the built-in capability to deal with international companies. No need to vet an entirely new freight company to meet your new needs. If your business changes or expand in the future, knowing you have a partner with international reach can give you one less item to worry about.
Making Your Guam Logistics Easy—and Efficient
In addition to having all of these capabilities in their portfolio, the right Guam logistics provider should add ease and efficiency to your supply chain. By helping you streamline your processes and manage the day-to-day movement of your cargo, an expert Guam logistics provider can save you time, money, and hassle—adding significant value to your business.
Given all these potential upsides, it’s worth evaluating any potential partners carefully to ensure the right fit.
Looking for assistance with your Guam freight and logistics? Our Tamuning-based team delivers a full roster of logistics services, including freight services, trucking, warehousing, supply chain management, FF&E installations, and office and industrial installations. We’d love to talk to you about making your Guam logistics easier—and efficient. Just reach out to our team for a free quote to get started.
