A long supply chain, made transparent for all participants
- Please click on the graphic for details!
As you can see on the graphic and on our website, the supply chain for perishable and frozen cargo is long and contains many steps. The 360 Quality Code focusses on the work of seaport terminals and specialised reefer vessels. This is because this part of the supply chain is under direct control of the specialised reefer ships and their terminals. The Code lays down standards, that are essential to identify, prevent, measure and control potential damages to cargo.
Checkpoints for the 360 Quality Code are introduced at these steps:
- Entry checkpoint (terminal-in)
- Loading checkpoint (vessel-in)
- Discharge checkpoint (vessel-out)
- Exit checkpoint (terminal-out)
Procedures follow a standardised protocol: The Code lays down the conditions for inspection and recording of damages. It also determines measures taken and communication to everyone involved in a uniform way by using properly structured data. The results from analysis of the data collected at the checkpoints help the terminals and the shipping lines to find out variations and introduce measures that will prevent the variation or reduce its effect.
Necessary feedback is also provided to shippers and other participants of the supply chain thus expanding the coverage of the 360 Quality Code to the packinghouses. Since all cargo being loaded into a truck for carriage to a distribution facility on the consumer side is checked, a receiver of cargo can easily find out the source of damage if it occurred between the terminal and the arrival at the distribution centre.
This makes the process transparent and creates a learning environment for all parties involved – from the shipper's packinghouse to the receiver's distribution centre.