In today’s volatile global supply chain, stability has become paramount retailers. Every season seems to bring a new disruption—rate swings, capacity crunches, geopolitical tensions, network changes, regulatory shifts, and climate-related events. In this environment, the traditional, go-it-alone model of freight procurement simply doesn’t deliver the resiliency retailers need, and the steady stream of external pressures make long-term planning increasingly difficult. These conditions have renewed interest in procurement structures that can absorb volatility rather than amplify it.  One of which is the aggregated ocean freight procurement model the Gemini Shippers Association, offered by participating in the Shippers Association.

At its core, aggregation brings together the volumes of multiple importers to form a more stable cargo pool. By spreading risk and demand across a larger base, aggregated programs tend to experience less dramatic swings in demand, leading to improvements in pricing and capacity access versus what individual shippers often face when negotiating alone. This doesn’t eliminate disruptions, but it can reduce the severity of their impact.

Another advantage is consistency. Carrier allocation, forecasting, and equipment planning generally perform better when tied to predictable, diversified volume commitments. For retailers, who often have more seasonal supply chains, this can translate into fewer last-minute adjustments and more reliable planning cycles, especially during peak seasons or in markets experiencing imbalance and disruption.

Retailers today need procurement partners who understand both the macro pressures reshaping global trade and the day-to-day realities of moving freight. Gemini’s aggregated model creates a resilient foundation that helps importers navigate complexities with confidence, and position themselves to not just to withstand volatility, but to operate ahead of it.