Today, more than 80% of global shipping involves containers. They're packed with everything from personal storage items in dry containers to heavy machinery on flat rack containers. For business owners shipping products, getting a container from point A to point B requires precise planning and high-level tracking. But that's easier said than done when global supply chains become over-congested, leading to loading time issues and delays.
That's bad news for business owners who are already under a massive amount of stress. The truth is that container storage delays can cripple a business, but there's a viable solution: drayage brokers in Washington, DC like RelyEx. Drayage companies provide unique solutions to minimize demurrage and help ensure the successful delivery of your freight.
With more than 30 combined years of experience and a solutions-oriented team, RelyEx has quickly become the first choice for streamlined, efficient drayage services. To understand the true value of RelyEx's offerings in the global logistics industry, it helps to understand first what drayage is and why it's used.
If you're a seasoned business owner who uses port drayage to transport your products, you know exactly how important the service can be. But if you were to poll a group of random people, you may get five different definitions of the term "drayage." That begs the question, how is one of the most crucial steps in the supply chain and most vital components of global trade such a confusing concept? When you break it down, it's not too difficult to grasp.
Drayage, by definition, means the transportation of freight from an ocean port to another destination. Today, drayage is also used to describe the process of transporting products and goods over short distances or over "the first mile."
While drayage often means short-distance movements during the supply chain process, it's primarily used in the container shipping space. Drayage loads usually have arrival and departure points in the same city and don't include long-haul, national transportation.
Because a drayage load can mean a few different things, confusion among carriers is common. Many carriers link drayage with going into a port, but that isn't always true. While all drayage loads typically originate from a port of entry, there are often several legs of a drayage journey before a container turns up at its final stop. Legs of a drayage load may include:
You may be thinking, what's so important about drayage? It's such a small step in the container storage transport process. In reality, it's an integral piece needed in the logistics industry and a crucial part of U.S. supply chain management.
To truly understand the importance of drayage, let's use flowers as an example. Most cut flower shipments enter the market from areas in South America until they end up at Dutch auction houses. Once there, wholesalers purchase flowers in bulk and send those products to retail outlets worldwide. Because flowers are perishable, they typically need to be refrigerated and are often shipped in reefer containers. These refrigerated vessels must maintain a certain temp to prevent loss.
Drayage companies like RelyEx allow flower shippers to send their products from Argentinian ports to airports in the Netherlands with peace of mind because their products are protected. The only way to accomplish this feat is with the help of swift, meticulous port drayage services. Drayage companies allow flower shippers to send their products from Argentinian ports to airports in the Netherlands with peace of mind, because their products are protected. The only way to accomplish this feat is with the help of swift, meticulous port drayage services.
If port drayage is compromised, it can cause delays and even fines. You know the packages you get delivered to your front door from apps like Amazon? Without drayage and drayage brokers, one or two-day shipping times wouldn't even be possible.
As a multi-billion-dollar industry in the U.S. alone, it seems like drayage shipping issues shouldn't exist. But the fact is inefficiencies and congestion are still major problems at ports. Whether it's a lack of carriers, absent chassis, or overburdened terminals, delays lead to missed deadlines, lost revenue, and worse.
But anytime challenges exist, so too do innovative solutions.
QUOTE REQUESTRelyEx was created because our founders saw a need in the logistics space for more reliability and efficiency. The reality of the shipping and logistics industry is that it has become very transactional. It's an odd evolution, because most businesses seek a third-party logistics partner that is accessible, transparent, and committed to providing solutions.
As the logistics space continues to grow, it creates newfound expenses and complexities. Clients like ours know that and need a supply chain partner who is genuinely interested in their business. By understanding the needs of our customers and carriers, we can provide the most reliable, effective drayage services possible.
Unlike some drayage companies in Washington, DC, we begin managing your containers before they ever hit the ports by mapping out the most efficient pathways of delivery. That way, our team can discover the best drayage pathways to expedite delivery time and reduce fees that cut into profits.
Our valued drayage customers choose RelyEx because:
At RelyEx, we like to consider ourselves problem solvers. The nature of the container drayage industry presents new challenges every day, but we're firm believers that there's a solution to every hurdle we encounter. And while some drayage businesses implement a reactive approach, RelyEx customers choose us for our proactive mindset. We take pride in solving your company's drayage challenges to help you avoid frustrating fees, missed expectations, and delayed shipments. We strive to make every transaction successful and streamlined by partnering with shippers who prioritize transparent, prompt, and accurate communication.
RelyEx approaches your business from the customer's perspective - a unique approach that helps us provide high-quality, effective drayage services. We've been in the customers' shoes, know their pain points, and because of that, provide first-hand solutions to stressful supply chain issues. With over 30 years of collective knowledge, our team excels in:
Our varied, high-level drayage shipping experience helps us achieve our overarching goal: expertly managing your freight movement needs. That way, you can direct your time and focus on growing the core aspects of your business while we handle the heavy lifting. Throw in proactive planning to avoid bottleneck situations and strong communication for transparent customer relations, and you can see why so many companies trust RelyEx.
When it comes to shipping logistics, it only takes one mistake by a mediocre worker to disrupt your business. That's why, at RelyEx, we pride ourselves on forming and nurturing relationships with carriers who match our standards of care. Our founding partner started his career transporting freight for companies as an on-demand carrier. He uses that knowledge to maximize the resources of our carriers so that our customer's expectations aren't just met - they're exceeded.
Based in the port city of Washington, RelyEx has a keen understanding of the challenges of managing the inbound and outbound flow of containers. Our team of container drayage experts provides your business with unique solutions to nuanced shipping problems, minimizing demurrage and ensuring the successful delivery of your freight.
Customers choose RelyEx because:
Some drayage brokers don't care how customers feel about their service as long as they sign a contract and get paid. As a solutions-oriented team, RelyEx takes the opposite approach. We're motivated by the opportunity to overachieve for our customers and to provide them with the best logistics experience possible. With professional experience as carriers and shippers ourselves, we know the roadblocks and challenges you're facing. We excel at mapping out the best plans of action to solve those problems. But that's just the start.
Our tracking experts monitor and manage every aspect of your drayage shipment from booking to delivery, 24/7. Once booked, we look for the availability of your containers hourly once they're at port. When they arrive, our team acts quickly to access your storage containers when they're available.
Plus, RelyEx ensures your company's requirements are met by the carrier during loading and delivery and provide necessary documentation as fast as possible. With real-time tracking updates and access to our customer service professionals, your team has complete visibility throughout the shipping process.
Over the years, RelyEx has built a strong network of drayage carriers, transloading locations, and container storage spaces to provide you with the best possible options to match your drayage service needs. We know that searching for quality service presents an added layer of complexity and stress to our customers. That's why we work hard to take that off your plate by connecting you with our reliable shipping partners.
With a background moving freight as an on-demand carrier, our founding partner understands how to maximize the resources and equipment of our carriers to match your needs.
Like other industries, the global logistics space is complex. Mistakes will be made, and problems will happen. With those truths in mind, RelyEx has built its reputation as problem solvers. Unlike other drayage companies, we don't shy away from this industry's complexities because we take pride in solving problems. Even better, we aim to do what's needed to avoid those problems altogether.
As your logistics partner, we will provide your company with accurate, transparent, and prompt communication. If there are unexpected issues, we'll notify you immediately and will provide several options to remedy the problem. We even offer custom reporting for large clients who need at-the-moment updates and quick access to shipment documentation.
Why let the unpredictability of your industry dictate your success? With a background working in manufacturing, our founders are familiar with the demands of managing production schedules and sales orders. That experience makes it abundantly clear to us that every business and industry is different. If you struggle with seasonal surges or other factors, our team supports your business with a mapped-out plan and schedule, so you stay ahead of the game.
QUOTE REQUESTBased in the port city of Washington, RelyEx has a keen understanding of the challenges of managing the inbound and outbound flow of containers. Our team of container drayage experts provides your business with unique solutions to nuanced shipping problems, minimizing demurrage and ensuring the successful delivery of your freight.
Demurrage is a charge issued by a port, carrier, or railroad company for storing containers that do not load and unload their cargo promptly. Once the daily limit of free time is exceeded, shippers are charged daily demurrage fees until their cargo is shipped. Though different ports have different policies, charges can range from $75 to $150 per container, per day, for a set number of days. Additional demurrage fees are incurred if a shipper exceeds the port's parameters.
Even when shippers maintain a tight schedule for unloading freight, external factors can play an uncontrollable part. Typically, shipping mistakes caused by human error trigger the most demurrage charges. Some of the most common causes of demurrage include:
Typically, shippers need four specific documents to clear shipments through customs: A Bill of Lading (or BOL), a commercial invoice, a packing list, and an arrival notice. Seasoned drayage brokers like RelyEx are used to preparing these documents, but new shippers tend to miss this step due to inexperience.
If a shipper only pays for part of their shipment, a vessel operator may refuse to release their freight until their bill is fully paid. Payment delays lead to cargo detention at the port of entry, which triggers demurrage charges.
QUOTE REQUESTPaperwork is needed when you're shipping goods with a drayage company. When documents like the Certificate of Origin or Bill of Lading arrive at their destination late, you can expect demurrage fees. RelyEx avoids this situation entirely by being proactive when submitting paperwork.
Additional causes for demurrage fees can include:
At RelyEx, we know first-hand how stressful supply chain problems can be for business owners. Though drayage shipping might seem minor on the surface, it affects every stage of your shipping process. And when inevitable hurdles manifest, RelyEx propels you over the proverbial roadblocks with a proactive mindset and a passion for challenging projects. We believe that all problems have a solution, and our unique vantage point allows us to provide first-hand solutions to customers in a wide array of industries.
When it comes to your business, don't settle for anything less than RelyEx. Contact our office today to learn more about how we make your shipping experience streamlined and stress-free.
The number of homeless people in the Washington D.C. metropolitan area has increased by 18 percent from last year's total, according to a new report published by the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments.Based on a point-in-time enumeration of the city's homeless population in a single night in January 2023, the number of homeless people in the area has increased to 8,944, up from 7,605 the year before.All nine jurisdictions in the report—the District of Columbia; Montgomery, Prince George's and Frederick countie...
The number of homeless people in the Washington D.C. metropolitan area has increased by 18 percent from last year's total, according to a new report published by the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments.
Based on a point-in-time enumeration of the city's homeless population in a single night in January 2023, the number of homeless people in the area has increased to 8,944, up from 7,605 the year before.
All nine jurisdictions in the report—the District of Columbia; Montgomery, Prince George's and Frederick counties in Maryland; and the counties of Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun and Prince William, adjacent independent cities within those counties and the independent city of Alexandria in Virginia—experienced increases, with the District of Columbia and Montgomery County experiencing the highest numerical increases. In D.C., the number of homeless rose to 4,922 people, up from 4,410 (11.6 percent) last year. In Arlington, Virginia, the report observed a 110 percent increase in unsheltered homelessness, and a 32 percent increase in emergency shelters for families.
The study totaled the number of unsheltered persons in the region along with how many people used winter shelters, year-round emergency shelters, safe havens, transitional housing and several other desperate housing solutions.
The report's executive summary concluded that, while the region's continuum of care (COC) polices had been “effective in preventing and ending homelessness,” the discontinuation of certain programs implemented since the beginning of the COVID-19 public health emergency—such as eviction moratoriums, unemployment assistance, expanded child income tax credit, and emergency housing assistance—has greatly increased the number of homeless people in the US capital and its environs.
These programs were allowed to lapse by the Biden administration, cutting many families off from relief and subjecting the working class population to mass evictions and poverty.
Those reporting that they experienced homelessness for the first time increased by 37 percent from 2022. The study concluded that this was largely “due to the end of both pandemic related assistance and the eviction moratorium.”
In many parts of the country and around the world, working-class people are finding it harder to live in cities as rents continue to rise, leaving their livelihoods in grave doubt. The Washington D.C. area is no exception. The data, the report said, “confirms that one of the most persistent barriers to ending homelessness in our communities is the insufficient number of affordable and available permanent housing opportunities for the lowest income households.”
In a 2019 report by financial advice company Smart Asset, assuming a rent limit of 28 percent of income, a worker living in D.C. would have to make $132,857 annually in order to afford a two-bedroom apartment with an average rent of $3,100 per month. The median household income in the capital, according to the analysis, is $82,372. Only San Francisco ($196,843 for an average rent of $4,593) and New York ($162,857 for an average rent of $3,800) ranked higher.
Spiraling housing costs mean that even those with jobs and other sources of income face increasing rates of homelessness.
In Alexandria, Virginia, wage earners and people on disability saw a vast increase from 2021, making up 49 of the 152 homeless people in the survey. Of the DC homeless, 12.9 percent of unaccompanied adults, and 41.8 percent of adults in families, were employed. Another 81 percent of unaccompanied adults and 46.3 percent of adults in families relied on wages or disability as a primary income, with 51 percent of adults in families relying heavily on public assistance.
The homeless in America are frequently treated as criminals. On February 15, an encampment of at least 70 homeless people in McPherson Square was cleared out by the National Park Service, with their belongings destroyed. While city officials claimed to engage with residents of the encampment, this is not borne out by the evidence.
As one person cleared out of the encampment put it to WAMU, the raid happened “because you just want to hide the homelessness. You don't want it to be down here on K Street, which is a powerful street. You don't want it to be by the White House.” Two homeless people were arrested when they refused to leave.
The Princeton School of Public and International Affairs has long had a significant scholarly presence among and within the three branches of the federal government. Now the school has a dedicated office and meeting space in Washington, D.C., as well.SPIA has leased space just off Dupont Circle in Washington, D.C., to be used for education, public affairs and other engagement. It marks the first time the school has established a permanent physical presence in the nation’s capital.“Actually being in Washingt...
The Princeton School of Public and International Affairs has long had a significant scholarly presence among and within the three branches of the federal government. Now the school has a dedicated office and meeting space in Washington, D.C., as well.
SPIA has leased space just off Dupont Circle in Washington, D.C., to be used for education, public affairs and other engagement. It marks the first time the school has established a permanent physical presence in the nation’s capital.
“Actually being in Washington, the center of policy making in the country, will enable us to connect faculty members, researchers and students directly with policymakers in ways we haven’t previously,” said SPIA Dean Amaney Jamal. “This initiative gives us an unprecedented opportunity to advance our mission of service to the nation and humanity.”
SPIA in D.C. is one of the strategic priorities identified by Jamal when she became dean in fall 2021. The program was born in part, she recalled, from her own experience having to build a network in Washington during her 20 years as a Princeton politics faculty member and researcher.
“The school is not like any other policy school in the country,” Jamal said. “Ninety-nine percent of our faculty are jointly appointed with other departments. We have the most outstanding economists, sociologists, political scientists, etc., teaching our students. Because of this, they aren’t naturally connected to policymakers; they haven’t gone through the process of compiling their own networks of policymakers and influencers. It’s imperative that we as a school think about how we help our faculty make these linkages.”
According to representatives of SPIA’s 20 centers and programs, the site offers opportunity and great value for students and faculty to interact in a real-world setting outside the Princeton campus. They also look forward to hosting meetings and events, engaging with policymakers and partners, and expanding professional networks.
Alan Blinder, the Gordon S. Rentschler Memorial Professor of Economics and Public Affairs and a member of the planning committee for a SPIA in D.C. launch event held May 10, has considerable experience in Washington. He served as vice chairman of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and as a member of President Bill Clinton’s Council of Economic Advisers. He noted that the initiative will help to connect two groups that can learn from each other.
“There are lots of possibilities for collaboration between Princeton faculty, who tend to be deeper and more academic, as they should, and think tankers, who tend to have their feet on the Washington ground better, as they should,” he said. “Cross-fertilizing that will add value to both.”
Todd Bristol, SPIA’s acting associate dean of public affairs and communications, noted both the symbolic and practical impacts of SPIA’s expansion to the District of Columbia.
“The School of Public and International Affairs could not be more excited to plant our flag in Washington,” he said. “This is a physical manifestation and extension of the influence SPIA has had here for decades.”
For example, Bristol said, the co-directors of the School’s Scholars in the Nation’s Service Initiative (SINSI) already spend a significant amount of their time in Washington. A dedicated office and meeting space will greatly facilitate their work with SINSI students pursuing graduate fellowships and undergraduate summer internships within the U.S. federal government.
SPIA plans to use the space for both formal and informal alumni gatherings, networking and other career-related activities. In addition, the site will host events for prospective graduate students, facilitate communication between local alumni and applicants, and host recruitment and other informational meetings with local organizations and visiting delegations.
“Twenty-eight percent of SPIA’s graduate alumni and 17 percent of our undergraduate alumni are in the greater Washington area,” Jamal said. “In terms of career placement, our alumni network is one of our most valuable resources to students. To have a dedicated space for students to meet with alumni to network is extremely important.”
The site of SPIA in D.C. comprises more than 6,700 square feet of office space that includes a reception area, offices, conference rooms, a pantry and kitchen space, and an open area for gatherings and events. There is also a shared rooftop with views of downtown Washington that can accommodate almost 490 people in indoor and outdoor spaces.
“It looks like a wonderful home base in Washington,” said Janet Currie, the Henry Putnam Professor of Economics and Public Affairs and co-director of the Center for Health and Wellbeing, who travels to the capital often. “I’m sure I will use it when I’m in town for meetings or to meet with policymakers.”
SPIA in D.C. launched officially with the May 10 event. The site had already hosted numerous private SPIA gatherings, including receptions, planning meetings, several student visits and a meeting of the Public Affairs Committee of University’s Board of Trustees.
A host of public events is planned for the months to come. These include annual meetings of some of SPIA’s centers and programs, a Masters in Public Policy alumni lunch, presentations and panel discussions, and a conference marking the 50th anniversary of the 1973 oil crisis.
“We have remarkable intellectual talent at SPIA,” Jamal said. “SPIA in D.C. will enhance our strategies for communicating research to inform national policymaking at all levels of governance, as well as augmenting the public policy training we provide for our students.”
Jamal sees the move as a natural extension of the progress the School of Public and International Affairs has made in recent years.
“SPIA has accomplished much over the last few decades,” she said. “I was lucky to become dean of a school where a lot of benchmarks and target points have been met, so I could think more creatively about what’s next. It’s an opportune time to think about what we can do next.”
OTTAWA, ON, May 17, 2023 /CNW/ - The Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, and the Honourable Mary Ng, Minister of International Trade, Export Promotion, Small Business and Economic Development, will travel to Washington, D.C., on May 18 and 19. They will participate in a North American semiconductor conference to discuss how to strengthen and secure the semiconductor supply chain on the continent.While in Washington, Minister Champagne and Minister Ng will also meet with U.S. Sec...
OTTAWA, ON, May 17, 2023 /CNW/ - The Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, and the Honourable Mary Ng, Minister of International Trade, Export Promotion, Small Business and Economic Development, will travel to Washington, D.C., on May 18 and 19. They will participate in a North American semiconductor conference to discuss how to strengthen and secure the semiconductor supply chain on the continent.
While in Washington, Minister Champagne and Minister Ng will also meet with U.S. Secretary of Commerce, Gina Raimondo.
The two Ministers will then hold a media availability to provide an update about their visit to Washington.
Media Availability:
Date: Friday, May 19
Time: 2:00 pm (ET)
Location: Embassy of Canada to the United States, Washington, D.C.
Accredited members of the media wishing to attend must register by sending an email to WSHDCMedia@international.gc.ca. Only those attending in person will be able to ask questions. Media are asked to arrive no later than 1:45 pm.
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View original content: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/May2023/19/c9082.html
From Fellowship for Performing Arts, the producers of The Screwtape Letters and The Most Reluctant Convert, and starring award-winning actor Max McLean, comes a dazzling, new theatrical experience that will take you Further Up & Further In the heart and mind of C.S. Lewis....
From Fellowship for Performing Arts, the producers of The Screwtape Letters and The Most Reluctant Convert, and starring award-winning actor Max McLean, comes a dazzling, new theatrical experience that will take you Further Up & Further In the heart and mind of C.S. Lewis.
C.S. Lewis On Stage: Further Up & Further In plays at the Klein Theatre June 7-18.
McLean's tour de force performance captures Lewis' magnetic personality, astonishing eloquence and self-deprecating wit to create an onstage experience venturing deep into the soul of one of the most influential thinkers of the past century.
"When Lewis moved from vigorous debunker to believer, it wasn't obvious he would become the most influential Christian writer of the past hundred years," said McLean, who also wrote the script.
So, using Lewis' own words, this multimedia, theatrical event explores what convinced Lewis of the divinity of Christ, why the BBC gave him a huge audience to deliver wartime talks that would become Mere Christianity, how Hitler influenced the writing of The Screwtape Letters, and ow his profound insights on prayer, heaven and the Second Coming of Christ influenced The Chronicles of Narnia.
The award-winning creative team includes Kelly Tighe, set design (National Tour, Cats), John Gromada, original score (Broadway, Tony Nomination, The Trip to Bountiful), Harry Feiner's visual imagery (Off Broadway, Paradise Lost) and Geoffrey Fishburn's lighting (Off Broadway, Martin Luther on Trial), all under the direction of Ken Denison (The Lion King, associate producer).
Visit FPAtheatre.com for additional stops in the C.S. Lewis On Stage: Further Up & Further In, Spring 2023.
Founded by Artistic Director Max McLean, Fellowship for Performing Arts is a New York City-based production company whose mission is to create theatre and film from a Christian worldview to engage a diverse audience. In addition to annual seasons at Theatre Row in New York City, it produces coast-to-coast tours in both major performing arts venues and university theatres. McLean is the 2022 recipient of the C.S. Lewis Foundation Award for Distinguished Lifetime Contributions in Faith and Dramatic Arts.
FPA also produced the hit film THE MOST RELUCTANT CONVERT: The Untold Story of C.S. Lewis, which is available to stream now on Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play, PureFlix and YouTube, as well as to purchase on DVD and Blu-ray. For more information visit FPAtheatre.com.
Review: BEETLEJUICE at National Theatre
Whether you are a fan of the movie, have seen the musical on Broadway, or even listened to the amazing cast recording, you'll lose your head over Beetlejuice.
National Philharmonic Reveals 2023-2024 Season
National Philharmonic (NatPhil) announced its 2023-2024 Season, which includes six classical programs conducted by Music Director Piotr Gajewski, one classical concert led by guest conductor Jeri Lynne Johnson, and two choral performances presented in partnership with The Washington Chorus (TWC) and conducted by TWC Artistic Director Eugene Rogers. All season concerts will be held at The Music Center at Strathmore, the Orchestra’s longstanding home in Montgomery County.
Review: MONTY PYTHON'S SPAMALOT at Eisenhower Theatre At The Kennedy Center
This riotously funny production takes the beloved, hilarious Monty Python musical comedy to a whole new level.
Review: LA BOHÈME at Kennedy Center
The glorious music of Puccini remains the principal reason to see the Washington National Opera’s (WNO)current production of the beloved classic opera La bohème. This oft-referenced opera that has influenced everything from the famous film Moonstruck to the hit Broadway musical Rent, must be a fairly faithful revival of the original opera that the WNO presented at the Kennedy Center in 2014 –the original director Peter Kazaras is one again at the helm. Additionally, the original costumes by Jennifer Moeller (which are appropriate to the updated period), the original choreography by Ben Wright and the original set design by Lee Savage have all been retained. From referencing the program, however, it seems that lighting design by A. J. Guban has been brought in for this production.
As the dark cloud of record-high office vacancy hovers over downtown D.C., a growing number of universities from across the country looking to establish a foothold in the nation's capital is starting to provide a glimmer of sunshine.“Even though people are really nervous [about downtown], this might be the greatest opportunity we’ve ever had to really shape the Washington we all would like to live in,” said Adam Glaser, a managing director at ...
As the dark cloud of record-high office vacancy hovers over downtown D.C., a growing number of universities from across the country looking to establish a foothold in the nation's capital is starting to provide a glimmer of sunshine.
“Even though people are really nervous [about downtown], this might be the greatest opportunity we’ve ever had to really shape the Washington we all would like to live in,” said Adam Glaser, a managing director at KPMG and an instructor for urban and regional planning at Georgetown University.