EVEN IF we want to pretend that Christmas is a long way off, the radio stations and the shopping plazas are not going to let us fool ourselves for much longer. The 'silly season' is upon us and there's nothing we can do about it. Well, not exactly nothing Kingston Wharves Limited (KWL) is making sure that everything runs smoothly on the port and is leaving nothing to chances.
Customer Service Manager at Kingston Wharves, Angela Jackson explains that in order to make the KW experience more pleasant during the holiday season, warehouse cargo locating systems have been placed in all sheds to speed up processing 10 fold. The company has also placed additional staff in all departments, shown instructional videos and erected new signs to assist customers.
"In the Jamaican shipping industry, Christmas season is synonymous with 'barrel season'. To date Kingston Wharves has experienced an increase of more than 17 per cent in the amount of cargo it handles. Therefore we expect this increase to be reflected throughout the Christmas season", Mrs. Jackson pointed out. The company has implemented a number of measures to improve the situation.
Ship early
Giving advice to customers, the Customer Service Manager, said it was important that barrels were shipped early. " We inform our consolidators overseas to tell their customers to ship before the end of November...", she noted.
She also advised that customers consign their goods to a trusted person, who can clear them and keep them safe for a few weeks.
To accommodate customers clearing goods at this timed, Kingston Wharves will be opening on two Saturdays before Christmas December 16 and December 23 from 8:00 a.m. to 2.00 p.m..
"As long as a customer arrives before 2:00 p.m. when they close the doors, his transaction will be processed that day. Customers will not be allowed on to the wharf after 2:00 p.m.," Mrs Jackson pointed out.
Crowd control
To assist with crowd control, there are now separate entrances and exits at each berth to help with the flow of customers. For the added comfort of customers, large fans are to be installed at each inspection area, which should make the wait seem a little less tedious.
KW also reminds customers that only one person will be allowed on the wharf to clear each consignment, so there is no need to bring extra muscle because special cargo handlers will be on hand to assist customers. They will be easily recognisable by their overalls, and identification number.
"We are encouraging customers to call in anonymously to give feedback on whether the cargo handlers system meets their needs, the customer service representative pointed out.
Tips
Customers should avoid shipping liquid items like cooking oil. If you must, make sure to seal the bottle with tape and wrap it in plastic.
Avoid shipping tins of paint but if it is unavoidable, make sure they are properly sealed, reinforce them with tape and then wrap them securely in several layers of plastic.
Do not pack detergent in the same barrel as food items as the taste of the soap will get into the food. Pack heavy items at bottom of your barrel and remember that one barrel cannot carry too many heavy items without getting damaged.
Make a list of what is in barrel so you know exactly what should be there when it arrives. Label each barrel clearly with your name and address as the shipper and the name and address of the consignee (the person it is going to). Make sure persons names are spelt the same as it appears on the identification document used to clear the barrel.
Carefully seal the barrel with a padlock or a special seal. Arrange to have the barrel collected within one week of arrival to avoid paying storage.
