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Mastering Complex Supply Chains: The Role of Trusted Routes in Mercure International’s Strategy
In today’s fast-moving logistics world, disruptions can be costly. That’s why Mercure International of Monaco (MIM), a leader in retail and distribution, manages a vast network of 250 stores across 3 continents with tools and strategies that ensure smooth operations. From Asia to Africa and French overseas territories, their approach emphasizes efficiency, reliability, and adaptability.
One Platform for Smarter Decisions
Before using Trusted Routes, finding and selecting reliable services was a challenge for MIM. The logistics team had to navigate multiple carrier websites to gather critical information, from transit times to potential disruptions.
This time-consuming process made it easy to overlook important details while searching for the right service and schedule. There is often a discrepancy between announced and actual transit times. Announced transit times may reflect ideal conditions, while actual times frequently exceed these estimates due to variations in shipping schedules, operational delays, and processing times at ports. This inconsistency made it challenging for the team to accurately predict arrival dates and ensure smooth operations.
Now, Trusted Routes helps the team to make informed and data-backed decisions. By analyzing factors such as transit times, reliability scoring, CO2 emission, and the number of transshipments, the tool supports more informed decision-making.
Register to the Trusted Routes Nearby Alternatives launch webinar to learn more!
Solving Challenges in Congo Shipments
One area where Trusted Routes has made a significant impact is MIM’s shipments to the Republic of the Congo.
These often involve transshipment through Lomé, a critical but historically challenging hub. Delays or disruptions in Lomé have led to losses in the past. On one occasion, delays caused a container of fresh food with a short shelf life to arrive too late, rendering the goods unsellable and leading to substantial financial losses estimated at several tens of thousands of euros.
In the case of the Congo shipments,Trusted Routes helped to reassess the reliability of all the available shipping lines from Le Havre to Pointe Noire and identify the best available option ensuring the timely delivery of fresh goods. This option was reintegrated into the company’s regular operations, successfully resolving past challenges and streamlining their logistics flows. By analyzing the relevant key factors, Trusted Routes equips the team with the insights needed to adapt swiftly in changing circumstances. This ability to stay informed and reactive has become a crucial advantage in maintaining smooth logistics flows.
Unlocking New Opportunities with the Nearby Alternatives
Trusted Routes’ Nearby Alternatives feature, a recent enhancement to the Wakeo solution, has been a valuable tool for MIM. This feature suggests alternative Port of Loading (POL) and Port of Discharge (POD) combinations that offer shorter transit time, shorter estimated transit time, lower emissions and fewer on-going disruptions.
For instance, while planning shipments from Shekou to Pointe-Noire, the tool identified Nansha as a more efficient alternative to Shekou, which was originally used by the company. The shorter transit time and advanced infrastructure from Nansha allowed the team to adapt quickly and ensure efficient delivery.
"One of the goals of using Trusted Routes is to explore alternatives, particularly for less familiar ports or in cases of disruptions at frequently used ones, by identifying nearby options that can ensure continuity and efficiency." said Oriane Crenn, Logistics Operations Manager at Mercure International of Monaco.
This feature has proven particularly useful for less common flows or when disruptions require immediate alternatives, enabling shippers to identify and select the best options proactively before making a booking. The Nearby functionality will likely play a bigger role in optimizing routes and uncovering new opportunities.
Making Trusted Routes Part of Everyday Logistics
Trusted Routes is now fully integrated into MIM’s daily operations. From the moment a shipment file is opened, the tool is used to identify the best options according to their needs. This proactive approach ensures that adjustments can be made swiftly in response to disruptions.
Wakeo’s Trusted Routes solution provides a consolidated list of services and schedules for a given date and provides comprehensive insights for each service. By offering detailed insights into transit times, reliability, CO2 emissions, Trusted Routes allows teams to tailor their decision-making based on the criteria that matter most to their operations.
The MIM-team consistently selects solutions with higher reliability scoring to maintain smooth logistics operations. Therefore, by providing tailored insights, Trusted Routes has become an essential tool for optimizing decision-making and achieving consistent results across MIM's supply chain.