An international food retailer rung up Leader Mutual Freight (LMF) in July 2022 with an urgent plea for help — boxes full of canned products sat on a sea freighter just outside Singapore, halfway between China and Russia, unable to move forward when the cargo ship’s proprietor suddenly suspended all shipping to Russia in heed of intensifying trade sanctions to defend Ukraine’s democracy and sovereignty. Without the usual support-and-supply network that guides Russia-bound boats, the food retailer was unable to carry forth nor backpedal on its pre-determined delivery path, given the high time, labor, and financial costs associated with returning cargo and re-doing customs. Undaunted, LMF devised a way to complete the shipment.

LMF chartered a new path forward by utilizing the northeastern Chinese port city of Dalian, where we established an overseas bureau in 1993, meaning the sea freighter could now travel from Singapore to Dalian, the closest port to Sino-Russo borders, where the cargo then passes through bonded warehouses without additional payments of duty. The canned goods reached their original destination via the railroad grid shared by China and Russia. This expedient, cost-friendly solution was wholly embraced by our client, and the food shipment arrived without expiration concerns.

In life, the only constant is change. As a worldwide logistics network available 365/24/7, we look forward to unlocking more challenges in the future.