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As global economies continue to open, here’s our latest international logistics update. Transit times have remained stable since our last update in late June, which coincided with freight carriers dropping restrictions and opening capacity, and exporters being able to ship more cargo each day.

Latest International Logistics Updates

Carriers have expanded their shipping capacity, and shippers are sending more freight, but China and Hong Kong are still limiting the number of commercial airline flights that can be used for shipping cargo. Freight carriers had hoped to return to normal this summer, but transit time for shipments from China to the U.S. is still 6 days on average, whether you’re shipping cargo with FedEx or with any other major freight carriers. 

Fictiv is partnering closely with FedEx, with the expectation that we can cut shipment transit times by 1-2 days. We’re in close communication with their regional and international sales teams in the U.S. and China, and they’re helping us expedite shipments as much as they can. We’re measuring transit times on a daily basis.

For more details, visit the “See Service Impact Information” link on FedEx’s coronavirus page.

Transit times from carriers aren’t the only thing that affect your door-to-door delivery time, though. There are still export delays from Chinese Customs, which is still experiencing capacity issues. That being said, we’re being proactive and tracking 100% of our international shipments. Our logistics department is working closely with FedEx Trade Networks, the Customs Broker branch of FedEx, to process shipments and clear any Customs issues, so you can receive your shipments as  quickly as possible. 

The great news is that transit times for our local orders in the U.S. are back to normal this week, after a few weeks of delays. This week, almost all of Fictiv’s domestic orders were delivered on time, compared to our carrier’s promised shipping lead time. 

Guidance for Fictiv Customers

We have noticed a significant increase in the number of shipments held by U.S. Customs, due to missing Importer Identity forms. To prevent delivery delays, please submit CBP form 5106 to the freight carriers, to ensure your company is already registered and able to act as the importer of record by the time the cargo comes to the U.S. Here’s Fictiv’s guide to international shipping requirements

If you’d like us to connect you with a customs broker from our network, let us know! Reach out to a Fictiv customer support representative at help@fictiv.com.

Main Takeaways

We’ll be keeping an eye on improvements to transit times, as additional services are reinstated and added throughout the month of July. Stay tuned for our next update on international logistics, as major carriers continue to stabilize their operations in the midst of the pandemic.