As 15,000 Instagram posts with the hashtag #OnlyonGuam suggest, there are plenty of things unique to the island. As our Tamuning-based team will tell you, this idea extends to many aspects of what we do at DeWitt Guam, including moving freight around the island.

To give you a few examples of how moving freight around Guam might be a little different than in other destinations, we’ve put together a quick list for you. Whether you’re interested in Guam trucking—or you simply want to deepen your understanding of how logistics on Guam work—we’ll walk you through a couple of the challenges we encounter, as well as how we solve for them.

Challenge #1: Access Issues in Certain Locations

There are plenty of areas on Guam where we can easily maneuver a truck pulling a 40′ container. However, as you probably know, there are other areas on the island that simply don’t allow for that kind of access.

We run into access issues with about 20-30% of our deliveries. When it comes to locations that can’t accommodate a full container, we usually bring the container to our warehouse, unpack the freight and repack it into lift vans. Then we deliver this freight on flat-bed trucks, which can maneuver more easily in tight areas.

If you have any concerns with access issues at your final destination, let us know. Our team will help you evaluate the right delivery solution for your freight shipment and your location.

Challenge #2: Congestion at the Port

Over 84,900 containers passed through the Jose D. Leon Guerrero Commercial Port during the 2019 fiscal year.i As Guam’s only deep-water port, it’s easy to see why the port stays busy—and often gets congested.

Although we work hard to keep all of our freight moving efficiently, occasionally, congestion at the port can cause delays in our ability to pick up freight. For example, if our driver arrives to discover that the container scheduled for pickup isn’t yet put on a chassis, the driver will have to sit and wait for it to get loaded. As you can imagine, when you’re trying to coordinate a series of freight pickups, including the equipment needed and the drivers required to operate that equipment, things can get complicated fast. When containers aren’t ready to move, it can add an additional layer of complexity.

However, managing these kinds of logistics is exactly what we do. When we encounter congestion or delays at the port, we make the necessary adjustments to keep operations moving as smoothly as possible. In the rare instances when congestion at the port may delay final delivery, we work closely with our customers to create a solution to minimize the impact on their business operations.

Challenge #3: Strict (and Critical!) Ocean Freight Deadlines

When you want to send freight off the island, there are a couple of critical deadlines that shippers need to understand, especially since they require precise timing around moving freight to the port.

The ocean freight carrier we work with at DeWitt Guam sails on Wednesdays. However, in order to make sure you get the sail date you’re looking for, you also need to realize the following:

  1. The booking cut-off is the previous Wednesday, one week before the sail date. So, for example, if you want to make the October 14 sail date, you need to complete your reservation by October 7.
  2. Your freight has to arrive at the port by the Friday before the sail date. In the case of our example, it has to be in port by October 9. If not, your freight won’t be loaded for the October 14 sailing, and, instead, will get pushed to the next sail date: October 21.

In order to hit these timelines, make sure that your freight is packed and ready for pickup so it can reach the port in time. You’ll also want to work closely with your trucking company to ensure that the freight is dropped off on time to make your sail date.

If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to one of our experts. Coordinating complex timelines to meet your business objectives is what we do, and we’d be happy to help make your logistics simpler.

Local Knowledge Makes All the Difference

After proudly serving Guam and its residents since 1983, our experts have a wealth of local knowledge at their disposal, including the best ways to get freight on and off the island—and move it where it needs to go. Every location presents its own unique set of challenges (just ask the team at our sister company, Royal Hawaiian Movers!). We’d be happy to help you solve any you might encounter on Guam.

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Looking for help with Guam freight? Just get in touch with one of our experts for a free consultation, and we’ll tailor a solution to your unique needs.

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