“The updated process is very user-friendly and we have found that Portbase are happy to help, respond very quickly and assist us with any questions or problems”

One of the companies that has joined the Secure Chain via Portbase is GoReefers. The Secure Chain is the partnership between business and government for a more secure and reliable release and collection process for import containers.

GoReefers specialises in fresh, perishable products such as fruit and vegetables and, in a short interview, they recount their experience of the pilot phase.

GoReefers’ challenge

“Right now, our biggest challenge with regard to import containers is the time between picking the produce and in-store delivery, says Joel Green, Office Manager at Goglobal Group.

The number of days which is acceptable depends on the type of fruit. The hundreds of containers we collect when the vessel arrives put enormous pressure on transport and freezer storage. Monitoring the correct vessel planning and ETA changes at short notice is therefore crucial.”

For GoReefers, a number of aspects are extremely important:

⚡ The visibility of container status to share relevant information with customers.

⚡ Operational efficiency to transport perishables as quickly as possible, plus confidence in the new process to deliver the cargo safely to the correct verified company.

Embrace the change of the Secure Chain and experience the benefits

Finally, Joel says they have found the pilot phase of the Secure Chain to be a positive experience and would encourage other companies to embrace the change. “The process is very user-friendly and we have found that Portbase are happy to help, respond very quickly and assist us with any questions or problems.

We have also found that the new way of working saves time. For example, we can set up alerts to receive much-needed information, and troubleshooting is easier and more efficient. This way of working allows us to effectively manage our volumes and outstanding releases in Portbase and gives us more insight into the status of shipments, whilst taking advantage of the other benefits that Portbase offers.”