that it was a lot of manual, “in the trenches” work. Even with all of today’s advanced technologies, sometimes, he says, “the human factor is still the secret sauce.”
A WINNING FORMULA As the of cial logistics partner
for Formula 1 since 2004, DHL has mastered the art of making sure that everything needed for each race arrives on time, safely, effectively—and as sustainably as possible—all season long. How does DHL do it? “Teamwork and communication is ultimately the key,” says Paul Fowler, vice president, DHL Global Motorsports. He credits “our hands-on team with decades of motorsports logistics experience” for making it all happen. Over the course of the 22-race season, DHL transports thousands of tons of highly sensitive freight, including cars, engines, fuel, broadcasting equipment, and marketing and hospitality material. “Planning and preparation typically begins one year in advance, and we pay extra attention to newer venues and events,” says Fowler. “We consider a number of factors such as security (selecting minimal-risk routes), sustainability, practicability, and costs.” DHL also uses detailed planning of global routing to ensure on-time delivery for each race.
DHL ensures the smooth delivery of up to 2,000 metric tons of race cars, fuel, and equipment to Formula 1 venues around the world.
Coordination is a huge aspect of handling these moves. “It is always a delicate operation when handling cargo of this size and weight, so we work diligently with our International Longshoremen’s Association partners, the vessel’s crew, and the trucking company,” Cruise explains. The port also worked closely with the Delaware Department of Transportation and Highway Patrol to meet all the requirements of getting the blades safely on the road. Similarly, the Port of Long Beach, California, identi es close coordination and planning with all parties as the key to its successful project logistics work. Recently, when a delayed shipment of critical supplies stalled work on a $750 million solar installation project and threatened the jobs of 500 unionized construction workers, the port was able to locate, expedite, and prioritize the shipment of solar supplies. “We did it by leveraging our existing relationships and working diligently with our terminals, the shipping lines, and the suppliers,” says Noel Hacegaba, the port’s deputy executive director. The supplies were stuck inside cargo containers dwelling up to two weeks on marine terminals and aboard shipping vessels waiting to enter the Port of Long Beach. “We quickly activated the team and put our playbook to use to locate those boxes and prioritize them through to the terminal,” Hacegaba notes, adding
always throw a wrench into the best-laid project logistics plans. Despite the odds, by working together, shippers, transportation providers, 3PLs, and port authorities do an amazing job of overcoming obstacles and getting the job done. The following case studies show just what goes into these incredible moves. PORT SUPPORT While project logistics is largely about shippers and carriers, the ports that take delivery of bulk cargo play an important role as well: carefully planning and orchestrating the loading/ unloading process and overseeing the cargo’s exit from the port en route to its nal destination. It takes a lot of expertise to pull off. Delaware’s Port of Wilmington, for example, has handled shipments of wind blades from GE for renewable energy projects for several years. “We have the experience and the space to discharge these blades safely,” says Joe Cruise, the port’s CEO. The port has received two shipments to date in 2022, both coming from Canada; one in April with 78 sets of blades (there are three blades in each set)—each of which are more than 200 feet long and weigh more than 13.5 tons each—and in May, a shipment of 75 sets.
As part of its efforts, DHL uses multi-modal transport solutions,
including overland and ocean freight, to reduce the environmental impact of Formula 1 logistics. The company has also invested in a new packaging method for all F1 shipments: “Specialized containers that are contoured to more sustainable 777 aircraft, made from lighter-than-aluminum honeycomb panels for improved weight-to-volume ratio,” Fowler says. “This helps us speed the pack up, transit, and loading from circuit to airport to circuit,” he adds. n
158 Inbound Logistics • July 2022
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