How Valor Victoria Eliminated Detention & Demurrage Fees with Terminal49 – Over 863 Days and Counting
Discover how Valor Victoria used Terminal49's real-time container tracking to save thousands daily, eliminate detention and demurrage fees for 863+ days, and streamline logistics with 90% less manual tracking.
Valor Victoria, a logistics provider offering comprehensive and proactive intermodal container management, faced the industry’s common challenges of managing detention and demurrage fees and maintaining accurate visibility into containers and shipments as they moved from port to locations inland. Since partnering with Terminal49, they’ve gone 863+ days – over 2 years – without incurring a single detention or demurrage fee, which is a testament to Terminal49’s ability to provide real-time, accurate, and reliable container tracking that empowers logistics teams.
The Complex Puzzle of Inland Logistics
Valor Victoria faced several key challenges in accessing accurate visibility transport data to help their customers manage their intermodal inland logistics. Besides the impact on customers, these visibility challenges directly impacted Valor Victoria’s operational efficiency and profitability. Coordinating the timing for container pick-up and filling TMS visibility gaps from port through rail were constant hurdles. The team was tasked with ensuring smooth transitions from port to intermodal rail, with no margin for error. Each delay in pick-up or misalignment between timing and rail availability added unnecessary costs.
Another significant challenge was confirming empty container returns. Without a reliable, real-time tracking system, it was difficult for Valor Victoria to ensure that empty containers were actually returned to the steamship line (SSL), leading to potential miscommunications and delayed returns. “We found that many containers we thought were back to the steamship line (SSL) hadn’t been received,” said Adam Canfield, Operations Coordinator. This issue added to operational complexity, as containers that weren’t returned on time led to costly delays, detention, and demurrage fees that racked up daily.
On top of those concerns, port congestion posed another challenge, causing delays that made it difficult to maintain timely pick-up and departure schedules. Valor Victoria’s success depends on route optimization for customers – which necessitates reliable, up-to-date data for decision-making from across multiple data sources. The team often scrambled to verify container status, leading to inefficiencies.
To meet these challenges, Valor Victoria focused on three key performance indicators (KPIs):
- Reducing the time from container availability to pick-up.
- Ensuring timely carrier pick-up and rail departure.
- Achieving $0 demurrage per container.
However, managing these key metrics manually or using outdated data sources was a massive drain on resources and time, with lots of manual effort. This prompted Valor Victoria to seek a more streamlined and accurate solution.
A Trusted Partnership with Terminal49
Valor Victoria found the support they needed in Terminal49’s container tracking and risk management platform, which elevated their logistics management process, making it more streamlined, automated, and reliable. With Terminal49, Valor Victoria’s Westport team gained access to consolidated, real-time data and actionable insights, reducing the time they spent on manual tracking by 90%, and minimizing the risk of delays. They were also able to eliminate port demurrage and rail storage fees.
Key features that made a difference:
- Real-Time Tracking: Terminal49 provides full visibility for containers from port arrival to inland intermodal destinations. Valor Victoria’s team can now make quick, informed decisions with trusted and accurate, real-time container and shipment tracking. “Terminal49’s tracking was excellent and gave us all the milestones we needed for both our company and our customers,” said Adam Canfield, Operations Coordinator.
- Proactive Alerts for Key Milestones: With automatic alerts for critical updates—like estimated times of arrival (ETAs), LFD, container availability, and potential holds & fees—Valor Victoria can proactively manage schedules and anticipate issues before they impact operations. These notifications allow the team to plan more effectively, reducing the rush to resolve last-minute bottlenecks.
- Automatic Empty Return Confirmations: One unexpected but invaluable benefit was the ability to confirm when empty containers were returned to the SSL. Terminal49 flags any discrepancies, allowing Valor Victoria to address them immediately and prevent unexpected detention and demurrage fees. “Terminal49 solved a very large and expensive problem of containers unknowingly not being returned to the SSL,” Canfield noted.
With all container data accessible in a single platform via dashboard or API, plus daily email digests of containers that need attention, Terminal49 has become mission-critical to Valor Victoria’s operations. Their Westport team uses the platform daily to track performance metrics, view historical timestamps, and confirm milestones without cross-referencing multiple sources. This newfound efficiency and transparency have helped Valor Victoria avoid fees and deliver on customer expectations with confidence and accuracy.
Delivering Real Results: Cost Savings, Efficiency, and Customer Trust
Since partnering with Terminal49, Valor Victoria has achieved impressive, transformative results that keep their operations running smoothly and their customers happy.
- Over 863 Days Detention and Demurrage-Free: Thanks to Terminal49’s reliable tracking, Valor Victoria has gone more than 863 days without incurring a single detention and demurrage fee—saving the company thousands of dollars per day. This has contributed to a 30% reduction in operational costs since implementation.
- Time Saved on Every Container: By bringing all container data into one platform, Terminal49 has saved Valor Victoria’s team an exponential number of hours of tracking time per week per container. They reduced manual tracking processes by 90%, which means they no longer need to cross-check data across different and often unreliable sources – streamlining the workflow and freeing up valuable resources for more strategic projects.
- Accurately routing and forecasting: Keeping track of routing reservations and lane availability for rail requires accurate ETAs. Equipped with accurate ETAs, Valor Victoria is better able to manage their route reservations and rail bookings. By leveraging Terminal49's data and their own internal algorithms, they know when they need to switch lanes and when to communicate changes with their clients.
- Enhanced Customer Trust and Satisfaction: With accurate and real-time status updates, Valor Victoria delivers on time, every time, improving on-time delivery rates by 20% since they started using Terminal49. Their ability to consistently meet deadlines has strengthened customer trust and boosted overall client satisfaction.
- Seamlessly Integrates Into Existing Workflows: Terminal49’s intuitive reports, dashboard, and seamless API integrations make it easy for Valor Victoria to integrate milestone and carrier performance data into their workflows for seamless daily performance tracking. This has saved their team hundreds of hours every month, and enabled them to stay on top of operations, to keep everything moving smoothly. “We also use downloaded reports daily to track carrier performance, milestone times through the port and how long each container takes to leave on rail," said Adam Canfield, Operations Coordinator.
Setting a New Standard in Logistics with Terminal49
Valor Victoria’s journey exemplifies how innovative technology and a trusted partner can transform logistics operations. Terminal49 is not just a tool but an integral part of Valor Victoria’s strategy, giving them the visibility they need in order to achieve operational excellence, consistent delivery, and substantial cost savings. As they look forward, Valor Victoria anticipates continuing growth with Terminal49’s enhancements on the horizon, such as customizable user views and expanded rail tracking.
To learn more about how Terminal49 can help you optimize your container tracking and eliminate costly detention and demurrage fees, start your free trial today.
Get your containers back on track
