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Santa's Delivering Christmas Gifts – And it's not coming on a Sleigh! Rudolph and his brethren can rest now. Christmas is coming not in sacks or sleighs, but on board the biggest ships afloat. Right from toys and games, to decorations, calendars, wrapping paper, food and every imaginable gift is now carried aboard enormous container Ships that often travel half-way around the world before they are in your hands. So this Christmas when you are giving gifts or receiving gifts – spare a thought to the enormous industry that has worked tirelessly to bring a smile to your loved ones. This Christmas let’s take a trip around the world and take a look at the behind the scenes action of the Global Supply Chain a.k.a Santa’s Helpers Making It Let's say that you've coveted a pair of those drool-worthy sneakers for Christmas. Whether you picked it up in the store or placed an order on the trendiest eCommerce site – it links you all the way back to the manufacturer in far away China. Technology has made it possible to manage real-time inventory, plan lean re-order levels and ensure that your sneakers are ready just in time to ship out. Packing Up Once ready, the manufacturer usually hands over your sneakers to a Freight Forwarder. With many other such pairs, and many times with many other goods, usually all loaded into a Container and put onto a truck or train for its onward journey. Off to the Port The Forwarder will then select the closest Port from which the container is to be loaded and contract a Shipping Line to carry your sneaker from that Port to a Port close to you. Of course, this also involves many many documents like the VGM and the Port Gate-In Pass that are submitted to Truckers, Ports, Customs and Shipping Line. Which, of course, today is submitted on ODeX. On Board Once the documentation and payment for the freight are completed, the container, with your sneakers in it, is loaded on to the Ship for it’s onward journey to you. The Final Run Once your sneakers reach the Port closest you – a similar set of documentation is exchanged amongst the Ports, Customs, Shipping Lines, Forwarder, Importer – so that the container with your shoes in it can be loaded on to a truck and sent to the nearest distribution centre or store. At the distribution centre, the Container is finally opened up and your sneakers packed up only for you – with your address and a gift wrap. Once again, today ODeX has ensured that all documentation and payments are a simple, online process – thus ensuring that your sneakers reach you on time, ready to be worn for Christmas. So this Christmas, as you gaze lovingly at that much-coveted pair of sneakers, think of how far they have travelled even before you've taken a step. And do spare a grateful thought for the Global Supply Chain that ensures that Santa reaches your chimneys – on time, always. Here’s wishing you a Merry Christmas with Lot’s of gifts !!!