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Crazy, the paperwork around the shipping often is more costly than the shipping itself: > Maersk had found that a single container could require stamps and app
by Hermel 10y ago
Crazy, the paperwork around the shipping often is more costly than the shipping itself:
> Maersk had found that a single container could require stamps and approvals from as many as 30 people, including customs, tax officials and health authorities.
> While the containers themselves can be loaded on a ship in a matter of minutes, a container can be held up in port for days because a piece of paper goes missing, while the goods inside spoil. The cost of moving and keeping track of all this paperwork often equals the cost of physically moving the container around the world.
- blowski 10y agoI'm no expert, but I have friends who work in docks in the UK. I'm aware that when paperwork goes missing, it's often not an accident.
- zrth 10y agoWould you mind sharing some of the various reasons why the paper work goes missing?
- blowski 10y agoTwo typical scenarios - unions are holding things up until they get a bribe, or there is contraband on board and the holdup enables people to get it off.
- imglorp 10y agoSo that sounds like at least two parties who would be opposed to an unrevokable ledger. Govt officials awaiting their bribes to let a container pass would be a third party opposed. Friction as usual.
- telchar 10y agoIf you haven't seen it, season 2 of The Wire is mostly concerned with this. Although the show is fictional so I can't vouch for its accuracy on this, but it goes into a good deal of detail.