Inbound Logistics | June 2023

HAWAII LOGISTICS

can turn to Approved Freight Forwarders to help them manage the transport and delivery of materials and equipment, including those that are over-sized. “Managing projects and replenishing goods twice per week is part of the expertise we offer,” Tutor says. “We can provide the right product in the right place at the right time.” Each Approved Freight Forwarders client is matched with an employee who is dedicated to their account. “We call it the Customer Experience department,” Tutor says. “Rather than trying to connect with various departments to nd an answer, customers can call one person. “We work hard to understand our clients’ business, and to become trusted advisors and identify ways where we can add value,” he adds. DHX-Dependable Hawaiian Express: THE DEPENDABLE DIFFERENCE DHX-Dependable Hawaiian Express has operated in the Hawaii logistics sector for nearly 43 years, giving it one of the longest tenures among freight forwarders in Hawaii, says Kane McEwen, president. Among other services, DHX can book full container loads (FCL) and less- than-container loads (LCL). They can coordinate their customers’ shipments to travel throughout the continental United

States, to and from Hawaii, and to and from Guam. Along with shipping from four West Coast ports—Long Beach and Oakland, California; Portland, Oregon; and Seattle, Washington—DHX offers exible sailing cut-off times and consistent transit times tailored to customers’ expectations and particular shipping requirements. SEAMLESS COVERAGE With their asset-based operations on Oahu, Maui, and the Island of Hawaii, as well as their partnerships with delivery agents in Hilo and the island of Kauai, DHX can provide customers with seamless coverage to all major points throughout Hawaii. “We load containers directly to all ports, reducing handling and transit time,” McEwen says. DHX is committed to delivering within 48 hours of container availability. On the islands, DHX has supported many construction companies that operate in conned areas and lack the space to hold materials for any length of time. DHX provides warehousing at all its Hawaiian Island terminals, Guam, and in Southern California. “When timelines are critical, DHX excels in providing solutions,” McEwen says. “The value of being fully asset-based provides our customers transparency and visibility of their product from origin to destination.” DHX also provides specialized logistics services, like frozen or chilled transport, as well as project cargo management support. “We provide detailed solutions based on the customer’s needs,” McEwen says. The average tenure of DHX employees is 22 years. To retain this level of expertise, DHX aims to lead the industry in pay, and offers competitive retirement savings and healthcare benets. In providing all modes of services, DHX has maintained a focus on long- term sustainability. DHX has been a certied member of GreenWay Miles for more than a decade. During this time,

needs. Employees load freight with extra caution, keeping the company’s damage and claims rate to one of the lowest in the industry, Tutor says. LEVERAGING ITS LOCAL FOOTPRINT To handle freight once it arrives in Hawaii, Approved Freight Forwarders operates its own terminals and trucks on Oahu, Maui, and Kuai and in Hilo and Kona on The Big Island. Approved is the only freight forwarder in Hawaii with ve terminals on four islands. The company offers drayage and inter-island shipping, as an example, moving daily merchandise from Honolulu to Maui. “The process works like a hub and spoke system and is done via a set barge schedule,” Tutor says. Because Approved Freight Forwarders has its own eet of trucks and workforce on the islands, it has less need to engage third parties. This gives it more control over service and costs, Tutor says. Approved Freight Forwarders uses Wise Tech Global, a robust system for managing the many steps in its freight forwarding operations, including receiving, cross docking, loading, tendering, and delivering. “All the steps are managed in our system at a high level of efciency,” Tutor says. Shippers can access all shipment data through the company’s online portal. Clients engaging in major construction projects and complex distribution models

DHX-Dependable Hawaiian Express provides freight forwarding as well as warehousing and specialized logistics services, including project cargo management.

66 Inbound Logistics • June 2023