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.
