In December 2024, the Partnership for Supply Chain Management (PFSCM) team successfully navigated a complex logistics challenge in the Dominican Republic (DR), ensuring the timely delivery of HIV test kits and male condoms despite a sudden and unprecedented warehouse closure.
Originally scheduled to arrive in late November, two critical ocean shipments encountered delays due to global vessel disruptions—a ripple effect of mounting geopolitical tensions, labor strikes, and volatile freight conditions that characterized Q4 2024.
When the warehouse announced a rare closure from 4 December through 8 January, PFSCM sprang into action. The team coordinated closely with the client in-country, warehouse managers, customs clearing agents, and logistics provider Logenix to avoid service interruption and cost penalties.
“The success of this operation was rooted in strong communication and agile coordination,” said Lucas Aguiar, Senior Logistics Specialist at PFSCM. “We engaged early with stakeholders and remained transparent about the challenges facing our shipments.”
One shipment included two containers of ambient male condoms, while the other contained temperature-controlled HIV test kits. With one shipment arriving on 7 December and the other on 12 December, the team had to ensure that both were cleared and released in sync—on the same day, the warehouse had agreed to open for just a single window of delivery.
“In this business, precise dates are rarely guaranteed,” Aguiar noted. “But by predicting the impact window accurately, we were able to deliver both shipments to the warehouse on 18 December, exactly as planned. This avoided demurrage charges and ensured uninterrupted access to critical health products.”
This achievement highlights the importance of flexibility and local stakeholder engagement in the face of unforeseen disruptions. The DR warehouse had never closed during this period before, and PFSCM’s proactive inquiries into national ‘Red Zone’ shutdown periods made the difference in response time.
“We’re grateful for the collaboration shown by the recipient, warehouse team, and our clearing partners,” Aguiar added. “Everyone recognized the urgency and public health impact of these products reaching their destination on time.”
Despite wider global pressures, PFSCM’s strategic approach reinforced the importance of resilient supply networks built on trust, adaptability, and foresight.