Con-way, Tropical team up to simplify Caribbean service

Con-way, Tropical team up to simplify Caribbean service    Riviera Beach-based Tropical Shipping said Monday it has selected Ann Arbor, Mich.-based regional trucking and intermodal transportation company Con-way Freight to deliver less-than-containerload exports destined for the Bahamas and the Caribbean to Tropical’s outbound consolidation centers.
   The companies have started a new service, called TropicalDirect, to provide shippers the convenience of a single point of contact to arrange their inland and ocean transport, rather than having to separately engage a trucking company and ocean carrier. Under the new through-routing, Tropical will book cargo pickup with Con-way, a large multiregional piece shipment carrier, and provide all-inclusive pricing and a single invoice. Customers can track and trace shipments on either company’s Web site.
   Although Tropical is a vessel-operating common carrier, it also has a well-established LCL operation, and is among the leaders in LCL volumes to the Caribbean.
   Con-way will deliver export shipments to Tropical’s receiving warehouses in New Jersey and South Florida.
   “We are always looking for new ways to meet the shipping needs of our customers, and this collaboration provides an excellent way to do just that,’ said president Rick Murrell, Tropical president.    Working with Con-way Freight, we will continue to provide a superior customer experience that has been the foundation of our service for more than 40 years.’
   The collaboration also expands Con-way’s service area to the Caribbean. Spokesman Joe DeLuca said the companies would combine their sales forces, meaning Con-way can also sell the service and originate transactions with Tropical.
   “Con-way Freight and Tropical Shipping have recognized the significant need to help U.S. shippers in the Bahamas and the Caribbean manage conflicting land and sea schedules, and move freight more efficiently and on time,’ said David S. McClimon, president, Con-way Freight. “TropicalDirect puts an end to the frustration of dealing with multiple carriers, pricing structures and freight bills ‘ delivering a more effective service and single-provider convenience.’
   Tropical will also work with Con-way to provide receiving and overland service from more than 440 service centers in the Con-way network. Tropical customers can call (800) 874-3848.
   TropicalDirect differs from the Con-way partnership launched eight months ago with container line APL, which provides time-definite, guaranteed LCL service for imports from seven Asian ports. But it marks another effort by Con-way to expand its service area to take advantage of growth in ocean trade rather than simply handle domestic and cross-border moves.