Anthony A Shipp, President and CEO of M. Dyer Global in Hawaii, explains how the US Global Household Goods Contract (GHC) could reshape Hawaii’s moving industry and impact local companies.
As the president and CEO of a large moving company in Hawaii that has serviced military household moves since 1968, I’ve seen first-hand the challenges of managing military relocations. Hawaii’s unique position - where every move is considered international because it crosses the Pacific Ocean - makes it especially vulnerable to the sweeping changes proposed by the Department of Defense’s USTRANSCOM. While the goal of the new GHC is to streamline military moves, it could have devastating consequences for local businesses and military families alike.
Hawaii plays a critical role in the military’s global footprint, particularly in servicing the Indo-Pacific Command. In fact, about one out of every eight international household goods shipments flow in and out of Hawaii, making it the largest shipping lane in the entire international military programme. The significance of this volume cannot be overstated. Unlike many other areas, we don’t service just one base or branch - our work spans all military branches, creating a highly competitive and complex environment.
Under the GHC, a single private entity will oversee all military relocations. While the intent is to reduce costs and improve efficiency, this top-down approach fails to consider the specific needs of Hawaii and the unique role we play in efficient military operations. The GHC does not factor in the intricate nature of moves outside the continental United States, particularly in places like Hawaii where even domestic moves have to go onto a ship and cross an ocean.
USTRANSCOM’s roll-out of the new domestic move programme has been slow and riddled with delays. Now, it’s planning to take over international moves without a clear plan. This leaves businesses like mine in limbo amid mounting questions.
With no established strategy for handling Hawaii’s international shipments, I fear we’re essentially being set up to fail. Worse, USTRANSCOM has publicly acknowledged that larger companies will likely be tapped to manage all international work, creating an extra layer of complexity and potentially sidelining local businesses like ours that have spent years servicing military families with care and dedication.
What’s most troubling is the lack of transparency and alignment between the industry and USTRANSCOM ...
Photo: Anthony Shipp, President/CEO, M. Dyer Global.