Prioritize multimodal transfer experience (air-to-barge), cold-chain certification, real-time WMS integration, and proven seasonal capacity planning. Confirm SLA terms for order cutoffs, contingency plans for weather disruptions, and billing transparency for demurrage and transload activities.

Sea and barge services operate seasonally and can extend lead times; air service provides consistency but at higher cost. Plan inventory build windows ahead of seasonal sea access, use consolidation to reduce per-unit freight, and maintain buffer stock for peak demand periods.

Look for WMS with carrier API integrations, real-time inventory visibility, EDI or API order flows, lot and temperature-controlled tracking, and reporting for landed cost analysis. These reduce manual reconciliation and improve carrier selection based on cost vs. speed.

Use inventory consolidation, seasonal pre-positioning, mix of sea and air freight, and demand-driven safety stock. Negotiate volume-based carrier rates, leverage shared warehousing for lower storage fees, and audit dimensional weight practices to reduce parcel spend.