Citing the trend of European companies increasing exports due to decreasing demand at home, and as the value of the euro continues to decrease against the dollar, UPS announced the expansion of its Preferred Less-Than-Container Load (PLCL) expedited ocean freight service to include Western Europe. In making this announcement the carrier noted that additional port access will open in Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium and the United Kingdom, providing shippers up to 40 percent faster port-to-door delivery time to the U.S. than its standard LCL service.
“The expansion of our expedited ocean freight service comes at a time when many companies are considering other modes of transportation for their freight movements,” said Keith Andrey, vice president, UPS ocean freight services.
And, while many manufacturers in the U.S. are sourcing components closer to home, UPS believes certain industries will continue to rely on suppliers based in Europe for things like automotive parts, industrial equipment and high-end medical devices.
“The expansion of the expedited ocean freight service provides these customers with access to a transportation service that bridges the gap between the speed of air freight and the economy of ocean freight,” said Eric Souza, director of ocean freight products at UPS.
