In this unprecedented year, the challenge of Covid-19 has served to test and strengthen the ways in which we keep supply chains safe and flexible for shippers.
At Crowley, safety is our highest priority. Yet the pandemic introduced new dimensions of risk and prompted us to add new layers of safety for our mariners, shoreside operations teams and people in our facilities.
After a year like no other, TradeWinds asked 40 shipping industry stakeholders what they see for 2021 after a year beset by the coronavirus, and how the pandemic will shape shipping's future.
Our company is disciplined in its best-practice protocols, with sustained Covid-19 testing, social distancing and mask wearing, as well as enhanced hygiene awareness and reduced potential points of contacts to limit exposure.
While we have had infections, our efforts have been successful. Our mariners have done a remarkable job adapting to Covid-19 prevention protocols.
Officers and crews have withstood the physical and mental fatigue associated with longer stints aboard vessels. Looking forward, continued vigilance and support is crucial, and it is essential that regulatory authorities designate mariners for priority access for testing and a future vaccination.
Once again, the pandemic has reinforced the importance of supply chain resiliency. We believe a significant factor in maintaining that resiliency is our ability to adapt and serve our customers in the face of challenges.
Many on the Crowley team have been able to work remotely while providing specialised support in critical supply chain sectors, such as food and consumer staples. Just a year ago, the idea that more than 90% of our administrative team members could work remotely with full productivity and effectiveness would have been hard to imagine.
One of the biggest determinants in successfully responding to Covid-19 has been our ability to adapt to and leverage technology. Our emphasis on speed in decision-making and digital transformation has improved collaboration, enabled more efficient processes and accelerated our machine learning and artificial-intelligence capabilities.
Crowley will continue to leverage technology. However, in an increasingly competitive and transparent supply-chain sector, we recognise that most innovative advances will come from the ingenuity of our people — and that will require unlocking the power of their diverse backgrounds, experiences and points of view. To leverage this diversity, Crowley will continue to foster inclusion as it continuously works to strengthen its culture.
