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Superior managed the transportation of over 1,000 tonnes of rail maintenance rolling stock to the UK on behalf of a US-based manufacture


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Fulfilling niche requirements


Project forwarding calls for a flexible approach to delivering solutions and managing challenging shipments whilst under pressure of time. Superior Freight Services UK demonstrated just such qualities for an overseas railway rolling stock client, and won the 2017 BIFA Project Forwarding Award as a result


Superior Freight Services UK provides air, sea and overland freight forwarding as well as warehousing and other logistics services. Its project forwarding division specialises in geared heavy-lift and breakbulk vessel chartering – and its expertise in this field came to the fore when a US-based manufacturer needed to send rail maintenance rolling stock to a UK customer. The 15 units, which weighed just over


1,000 tonnes in total with a combined volume of 4,642 cu m, were split over three phased shipments with Superior handling “the whole kit and caboodle”.


Range of skills Superior drew on a range of skills including vessel chartering, Customs clearance, translation of 2,000 tariff codes and management of the entire move – even in the face of an Atlantic storm increasing the transit time. In response to that unavoidable event,


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Superior rearranged the arrival port, reorganised cranage and heavy lift transport, and adjusted the delivery schedule, all to the customer’s relief and delight. The company’s owner, Clive Parsons-Smith,


remembered: “The last part of the project comprised seven rail cars arriving at Immingham Port, where there is no rail alongside the quay – which made timing even more critical. We monitored the shipments constantly and adjusted our plans accordingly to make sure everything went smoothly. “On top of that, the rolling stock had to be


discharged directly to specialist transport equipment in the correct order and facing the right way, to ensure that on delivery it could be delivered direct to rail in the correct position, to allow the configuration of the train.” Superior also provided some additional


follow-up transportation for this project. Furthermore, it won a fulfilment contract with the client to manage distribution of spares and


rail grinding stones on a just-in-time basis. That work is still ongoing, Parsons-Smith confirmed. “Our customers trust us with their spares and


it means they do not have the additional worry of inventory management,” he considered. “We have developed a ‘virtual warehouse’, allowing our customers to view, manage and pick their inventory, in real time, no matter what time zone they are in.” Plus: “We have just received provisional


approval for our fulfilment services from UK Customs & Excise under the Fulfilment House Due Diligence scheme [which comes into force in April and applies to UK fulfilment houses handling goods imported from outside the EU].”


Sources of work Parsons-Smith noted that most of Superior’s project forwarding work comes from the US, although the company has also had business from Brazil, China and Hong Kong. “What we handle at the moment on the


projects side is predominantly rolling stock but there are other types of cargo,” he said. “For instance, we are currently looking at transporting an earth mover from the UK to Ho Chi Minh City. As there is no ro-ro service on that route, we will again use our expertise in the part-charter market. “Winning the prestigious BIFA Award has


given us exposure and kudos,” Parsons-Smith added. “It has generated confidence among our clients through the recognition of our peers within the industry, and has already generated further enquiries for our project team.” Superior Freight is very conscious of the uncertainties of Brexit and has made appropriate preparations including the formal registration of its offices within the EU, he added.


November 2018


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