Category: Technology

The companies responsible for life science products frequently have to have their goods transported throughout the world. This poses considerable shipping challenges. Often, stringent regulations apply to these types of shipments. The well-being and health of the population in general can be directly impacted by these products. Sometimes, mishandling products like this mean the difference between life and death. So, sensitive life sciences cargo needs precise, special attention when being shipped.

What Is Life Science?

The term “life sciences” is an all-encompassing term referring to companies involved in the following fields:

• Institutions
• Organizations
• Biomedical devices
• Environmental
• Food processing
• Cosmeceuticals
• Nutraceuticals
• Life system technologies
• Biomedical technologies
• Pharmaceuticals
• Biotechnology and more

These life science companies dedicate the bulk of their energy to differing stages of commercialization, technology transfer, development, and research.

Life Science Products

Now that you have an idea of what life sciences refers to, what are some of the products that could be involved?

Far too many to list here, a very small example of products that fall under the life sciences classification are as follows:

• Chemicals
• Cell cultureware
• Trays, containers, beakers, bottles, and other liquid handling products
• Razor blades, surgical blades
• X-ray accessories and films
• DNA kits
• Gloves, tape, stickers, labels, etc. for biotech and other scientific research
• Petri dishes and tissue culture products
• Isolation kits and more

Why Shipping Life Science Products Is Challenging

In addition to the initially mentioned challenges, the shipping of life science products can offer other issues that need to be dealt with. Frequently, products shipped under this classification can be regarded as hazardous and are temperature sensitive, time sensitive, and delicate.

If, for example, incorrect handling or improper shipping of pharmaceutical products takes place, the pharmaceuticals themselves may become harmful or ineffective. Clearly, this will not do.

So, shipments of life science goods must result in delivered goods that are in perfect condition when they arrive. Plus, they must arrive on time in order for the shippers and life science companies to be happy and make money.

Life Science Shipping – Six Steps

The following steps will help to ensure that life science shipments are taken care of on time and safely:

1. A compliance program must be established.
2. Manual paperwork should be eliminated.
3. The correct packaging must be chosen.
4. Instructions must be clear and succinct.
5. The appropriate transportation partnering must be present (a reliable, reputable 3PL or logistics company will go a long way here).
6. Goods must be tracked.

More Challenges on the Horizon

If you thought that there were already a lot of challenges involved in the life sciences shipping industry, hold on! The future of life sciences transport/shipping will involve the following:

• Coming changes to regulatory constraints and requirements
• Direct to-patient deliveries
• Patient-centric approaches
• Biologics and other new treatments
• Increasing importance of emerging markets

Are you, as a shipper, ready for the future of life science products?

If you answered “no”, “maybe”, or “I don’t know” to that question, or if you are having difficulties with warehousing, general shipping, or any other logistics related topics, STC Logistics can come to your rescue. We deal with all of the above and more on a daily basis and have been doing so since 1992. Contact us today for more information.

We live in a world where everybody wants what they want, when they want it. That usually ends up being now! This is a world in which near immediate delivery of goods and real-time visibility is of the utmost importance to consumers. Businesses are having to reevaluate their operations because supply chain disruptions are being experienced in abundance.

How can companies improve supply chain visibility? A more efficient supply chain must ultimately be ensured. But is that easier said than done?

Let’s take a look at some tips from the experts as to how to improve supply chain visibility and better your business in the process.

Visibility

Look at things from your customer’s or end user’s point of view. What does visibility mean to them? Define it and figure out what it will mean for you and your company. Specify what type of experience it is that you want your customers to have.

Pick a Connectivity Platform

Key players should be connected through your digital platform. That’s going to mean a platform that is easily accessed by all intended parties and one that is technologically agnostic.

Talent

Both new talent and new processes will be enabled by new technology. Recruit people that have high-quality data interpreting skills and who are analytically inclined.

Standardize and Manage Data

It is imperative to have a clear data strategy. Defining and cleansing consistent data models means that you will be able to translate and utilize data into information that is more meaningful.

Information Trustworthiness

Whatever your data is, you must be able to believe it. The entities with whom you exchange information, the security, and the information itself must be trustworthy. Particularly when discussing financial information exchange, you must find ways to ensure security and confirm confidentiality.

Figures – Interpretation and Leverage

You have to know what problems to solve before you can figure out ways to improve. So that, before they occur, you can proactively manage exceptions, you must have the right data. Only then will you be able to keep your customers happy and save your business money and time.

Decision-Making

Once improvement opportunities are identified, needs can be responded to. You can better execute solutions and make decisions sufficiently when you know where, across your supply chain, everything is located.

Real-Time Visibility

This can also be referred to as transparency. At an accelerated rate, the size and frequency of data exchange is increasing dramatically. It is imperative (in real time) to be able to leverage this data. Key enablers here are the following:

• For solving key business problems, what data is most critical?
• What does the data mean?
• When exceptions occur, what will you do?

An Integration Platform That Is Neutral

Incorporating a proven, reputable Integration Platform assures that you will have the capacity to accelerate new capability development, quickly adjust, and have the ability to flex down or up. Regardless of in-play execution systems, it also means that companies can easily integrate.

Extended Ecosystem Development

If you can accomplish all of the above, you’re going to feel pretty good about yourself and your business. Unfortunately, that can also provide you with a false sense of security. In order to manage your supply chain, you’re going to need a collaborative approach in today’s “new and improved” digital environment. In order to bring, into a single environment, the best of all your partner’s capabilities, you must develop an extended ecosystem. This is crucial!

One of the best partners you can have, as a business owner, is STC Logistics. Our capabilities include distributions, rollouts, packing, crating, installations, fulfillment, warehousing, shipping, and more. We are highly familiar with today’s high-tech procedures and capabilities. Contact us today to find out more.

Even though the North American coastline contains railway lines that connect numerous coastal cities, coastal maritime transportation remains the preferred method for many in the bulk freight transportation market. Oceanic tug-barges play one small but necessary part in the journey of a product from manufacturer all the way to the hands of the consumer.

One of the reasons that oceanic transportation might be favored over railway is cost. Loading railway cars with heavy, bulky loads and pushing them to the maximum means massive wear and tear on railway rolling stock and the infrastructure. But, while incurring the same cost of only a single train, a barge can carry the same bulk freight volume/payload. (The barge in question here would likely measure 65 feet by 105 feet.)

But big, bulky barges cannot operate well on their own from dock to dock. They require assistance. That’s where tug-barges come in.

Back in the Day

Long before the high-tech ships, barges, and boats of today, transportation of cargo was done by steam powered boats or wind powered vessels. It was simply a cost-saving venture to use a tugboat to navigate and push a river vessel. This was particularly applicable if a greater payload could be loaded aboard the transport vessel due to the tug doing the navigating. (In many cases, this meant that the vessel could be loaded with more cargo because less room was needed for coal and potable water to create steam.)

Business Is Booming

As the business of oceanic transport caught on, barges became deeper, longer, and wider. This, in addition to providing more space for cargo, also made them capable of carrying their freight over long distances because they could sail bigger waters. This of course, created a need for larger tug-barges that had a larger engine output, could maneuver larger barges, and could sail faster.

Technology Makes Its Mark

Azipod technology is a term that refers to ships that are steerable and include electronically driven propellers. It is now possible, thanks to modern technology, to generate the propulsive electric power needed for a companion vessel while also using a remote engine.

The barge includes the Azipod unit for steering and propulsion and is attached the tug-barge companion vessel, which also includes a level of self-propulsive capability. Between the technology carrying barge and the companion vessel are power cables.

Computer-controlled automated navigation has changed the waterway transportation industry forever. It is even possible now to steer and control independently a combination of several barges and tugs through the tightest of river waterways. This demonstration of technology will hopefully lead to the same capabilities being present in an adaptation conducive to ocean service.

More Than Just Freight Transport?

So impressive is this technology that it may soon be adopted by the cruise line industry! On occasion, cruise ships become stranded due to total engine failure. Until now, even with several tugs to move the stricken vessel, towing cables were destroyed. But, with this newest technology, stricken cruise ships may be able to find a rescue thanks to massive amounts of electric power through a power station-containing tugboat.

STC Logistics can assist you with your overseas shipping needs and so much more. We are experienced and reliable in the area of global transportation via ocean and air, and all things logistics.