Dear Customer,

The coronavirus outbreak is first and foremost a human tragedy, affecting the health and well-being of hundreds of thousands of people. The spread of the virus is also having a measurable impact on businesses around the world, as governments and healthcare agencies issue guidance or restrictions on how best to mitigate the spread and impact of the disease. Vanguard is providing this update to give you the current status and outlook on our operations, specifically regarding countries and regions that have been most affected by the outbreak.

Vanguard's global management team continues to support a special task force focused on ensuring that our rapid response, as well as our preventive and proactive measures to address unfolding events are appropriate and effective. The safety of our employees and our ability to serve our customers remain our highest priority. We are very happy to report that none of our staff have reported becoming infected by the virus.

Vanguard Operations

China:

• The Wuhan office in Hubei Province remains closed.
• Vanguard’s 15 other offices in Mainland China are fully open for business with staff onsite.
• Our China offices are listed in the table below (also available on the vanguard website)

• Hong Kong is fully staffed and has been operational since February 3.
• Blank sailings are no longer an issue and operations are fully restored.

Europe

• Italy has reported over 12,000 active cases of coronavirus, with widespread transmission across the country. The Italian Prime Minister has issued decrees to limit activities that could increase the spread of disease.  Vanguard has responded by staggering work shifts and facilitating "smart work"/remote working to comply with official guidance and protect our staff.
• There are reports of coronavirus in all European countries, and Vanguard is committed and prepared to comply with any regulatory requirements and policies aimed at curbing the spread of the coronavirus.

Shipment Status

• Shipment status is available on our website: vanguardlogistics.com

Carriers & Schedules

Vessel Schedules:

• We have full sailing offerings for this coming week, and welcome your bookings!
• Schedules are updated consistently as they change. For the most up-to-date offering please check our website.  You also may have a daily updated schedule sent to you by using our web tools.

Ports, CFS & Trucking

• All major ports in China and Italy are open and operational.
• Warehouses have opened (most with limited staffing) and are operational. We have had no disruptions in our containers being released or accepted. 
• We have had no problems with our dray carriers or any transport in Italy at this time. Shippers are reporting some extended wait times but cargo is moving.
• In China, most truckers do still require advanced bookings and have reported extended transit times due to driver shortages.

What’s Next?

We are actively monitoring the evolution of events around the world, and will continue to review and implement procedures and action plans to protect our people and maintain stable operations. We will continue to keep you informed of any changes. 

We thank you for your business and continued support. Please contact your local sales executive to discuss any shipment challenges or special requests. We have a variety of products available to expedite handling. These vary by country and region, and we look forward to discussing the best solutions for you.  

Kind regards,

Vanguard Logistics Services