As large project cargo is sourced and shipped globally, companies that engineer, procure, construct, and manage (EPCM) turnkey infrastructure projects must master complex transportation variables. Transportation expertise can add value at every stage, from pre-planning before financing is obtained, to cargo design and sourcing, to the actual shipment of components.

By knowing how to reduce unnecessary costs up front, transportation expertise can also lower the financing that EPCM companies must obtain before proceeding with a project.

In addition, transportation expertise can offer advantages in these core areas of the pre-planning and budgeting process:

Customs compliance and regulations.A transportation expert can perform local market research to determine the financial implications of procuring particular components in various countries.

Cargo design.A transportation expert can obtain a physical route survey based on the size of the cargo and check for issues involved in getting the cargo from suppliers in various countries to a suitable port, and then overseas to a final construction site.

Optimization.A transportation specialist can advise on in-country length, width, height, and weight restrictions that may necessitate using one type of transportation versus another, and offer recommendations on getting the most economical form of transport for each move.

Beyond the initial planning process, a transportation expert can help mitigate costs and risks related to communication, whether it involves language differences, or poor or nonexistent cell phone reception, for example.

In addition to providing ease of communication, transportation expertise helps in other ways as the project progresses beyond the planning stage:

Change orders.Before any change orders are initiated, a transportation expert can analyze whether the costs of transportation, plus the penalties for executing a change order, will negate or confirm any potential savings.

Production and delivery timelines.In a global sourcing environment, changes or delays in production or delivery can quickly cause cost overruns. A transportation expert can help prevent some of these situations, or can develop innovative, flexible plans to surmount or work around obstacles.

Claims, damages, and safety. Transportation experts can help minimize insurance claims and damages by developing a timely response to weather disruptions, human error, and other natural and manmade risks. They can be onsite during the critical loading and unloading processes. They can provide knowledge of freight weights and loading priorities to optimize vessel loading, balance, and discharge sequence. They can also suggest safety measures for lifting, lashing, and securing; obtain security or escorts for the freight; and provide effective ways to address unexpected situations, as needed.