Still waters: Make every day a calm day with the new Seakeeper

Still waters: Make every day a calm day with the new Seakeeper 2 

They say the best things come in small packages, and thanks to the all-new Seakeeper 2, you can now enjoy a fully stabilized ride on boats as small as 27ft.

Video on : Seakeeper 2 will make every day a calm day!

Visit : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OCl0cekMZPk

The Seakeeper units were initially built for mega yachts with mega budgets, but Seakeeper had a vision of bringing this boat-changing, life-changing technology to smaller and smaller vessels.  The Seakeeper engineers have realized this goal and continue to shrink the Seakeeper units to fit in and revolutionize the stability of smaller boats.  The Seakeeper 2 is the latest release and the smallest to date.  It performs well in boats from 27’to 32-feet. Another crucial breakthrough was to create a Seakeeper that could be DC powered from a dedicated battery system and no longer require the use of a generator to realize Seakeeper’s benefits.

The Seakeeper 2 uses exactly the same active gyroscopic stabilising technology as the larger Seakeeper models but at a fraction of the size and price. That means you and your guests can experience all the same benefits enjoyed by dozens of Princess, Sunseeker and Riva owners the world over but in a smaller, more affordable boat.

The Seakeeper 2 is specifically designed to fit craft in the 27-32ft bracket, reducing boat roll by as much as 95%. And thanks to its compact dimensions, ease of installation and lack of any external appendages, it will work just as well on a high-speed sportsboat as it will on a single-engined displacement cruiser or outboard-powered pilothouse craft.

Measuring just 2ft 1in by 2ft 2in and 1ft 8in high, the Seakeeper 2 is small enough to fit under the seats or inside the centre console of most open-cockpit craft, while those with higher freeboards can usually fit it in the bilges. Nor is there any need for a generator, as the system is designed to run off the boat’s existing 12V domestic battery power source.

You and your guests will immediately appreciate the extra comfort, stability and feeling of security that a Seakeeper 2 offers. And because it helps prevent the rolling motion that induces seasickness, you can invite whoever you want whenever you want, safe in the knowledge that every day is a calm day on a Seakeeper-equipped boat.

The incredible stabilizing ability of the Seakeeper gyro is permeating the sportfishing and boating in general.  Those that have experienced it themselves on a Seakeeper demo ride either offshore or dockside are the true believers.  If you have not taken the opportunity to feel the roll eliminated right out of the boat, then you need to track down the nearest demo boat and try it for yourself.  In the meantime, you’ve got to check out the videos of people as they feel the Seakeeper engage for the first time. To find out more about how the new Seakeeper 2 works and to see how it could dramatically improve your boating experience, visit www.seakeeper.com

The Empty Container Challenge! Technology could solve re positioning challenges

Technology startups are focusing on reducing the empty container problem, a challenge that costs the container shipping industry about $20 billion per year.

FACT : At any point of time, about one-third of the ocean containers in circulation are empty, and the average container spends nearly half its life idle, according to recent research.

Most major shipping lanes suffer from systemic trade imbalances — more loads flow from producing areas such as Southeast Asia into consuming regions like North America and Europe.

Historically there have been fewer loads going back from the West Coast of the United States to China, to reposition containers for the next round of eastbound shipments. Containers pile up in ports such as Hamburg, waiting to be moved back to Karachi, for example.

The majority of costs come from relocating empty containers thousands of miles back to an origin point.

Is the empty container a major challenge?

For major U.S. ports, more than half of outbound TEUs moves are empty. At the Port of Los Angeles, the busiest North American port, 57.7% of outbound TEUs in 2017 were empty, according to Port Tracker data from the Pacific Merchant Shipping Association's July West Coast Trade Report. From 2010 through 2017, empties through Los Angeles increased by 35.2%, while loaded TEUs increased 13.8%. The story was similar at Long Beach, where container volumes grew 13.7% from 2010 to 2017, but empty containers grew by 40.6%.

Disruptions to traffic flow can exacerbate the issue. 

When South Korean carrier Hanjin Shipping declared bankruptcy in 2016, containers piled up at ports in Southern California. Terminal operator Total Terminals International brought in a container ship to move 4,300 empty containers back to Asia, out of an estimated 6,000 Hanjin-leased boxes in the region.

In July, the Nigerian Port Authority blocked access for Maersk Line and Cosco Shipping to terminals in Lagos for ten days due to the buildup of empty containers, The Maritime Executive reported. Lack of space for empties led to truck backups at the port, upsetting local residents. During the ban, 19 vessels were likely delayed.

The xChange officially launched in November 2015 and a number of the largest container carriers in the world are already active on the service.

Technology to the rescue 

Launched in 2017 as a spin-off of Boston Consulting Group, xChange created a neutral online market of empty containers that members can use to match loads and third-party equipment for one-way container moves.

"The benefit of the platform is that you are not limited to your personal network, you can engage with more than 200 companies right now," Roeloffs said. Users sign a multi-party interchange agreement that speeds up the contracting process by days or weeks.

xChange has more than 200 users on its platform, including ocean carriers, container leasing companies, container traders, non-vessel-operating common carriers and some shippers. The service covers 2,500 locations worldwide and plans to add more hinterland locations.

Users set their own rates and terms and conditions such as the container value and damage protection plans. Users search the listing for containers in locations where they are needed and with a destination close to where the container owner would like the boxes to end up. Over time the system learns an individual's search patterns.

Other technology companies tackling the Empty container challenge

The Port of Rotterdam has developed InlandLinks, an online depot tool. The tool shows empty containers available for use from where their current location rather than moving the container back to a hub or depot before being sent out for a new load.

Antwerp, Belgium-based Avantida developed reUse, a triangulation service that CMA CGM and Hapag-Lloyd recently signed up to use the program in Mexico, the first outpost in North America. A triangulation system manages containers within a transport company. For instance, if a carrier sends loaded containers to Hamburg, the triangulation service identifies a need for empty containers in Wolfsburg rather than them repositioning the container to Hamburg.

With the program, container users can request the liner shipping company directly move an unloaded import container for another load.

"Using an import container to go straight to your export customer without having to go back to the terminal is an advancement for planners and dispatchers," Kapil Garg, head of Inland Operations Latin America at CMA CGM, said in the announcement.

The direct move avoids waiting times at depots and terminals and eliminates unnecessary truck mileage, reducing transportation costs and the environmental impact of trucking. Avantida has expanded the platform to 12 countries, with almost 4,000 registered companies and an average of 1,600 transactions each day.

China's ban on waste imports for recycling

China banned importation of many common waste products for recycling. In 2016, China imported some 45 million metric tons of scrap metal waste paper and plastic, according to The Economist.

That trade essentially stopped when Beijing banned imports of 24 types of solid waste, and with bans on additional products going into effect in 2018 and 2019. The current prohibitions include paper and plastic waste steel and used auto parts. Pulp and waste paper were the single largest category of exports from the U.S. to Asia. Losing that trade has made it even more challenging to fill Asia-bound containers, particularly from the U.S.

While technology can make a dent in the empty container problem, completely overcoming trade imbalances is beyond its capability to solve!

India: IWAI 's initiatives for methanol as maritime fuel

To make shipping on national waterways more lucrative, Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) has taken up a pilot project to demonstrate methanol as maritime fuel, a top official said.

The nodal agency for inland waterways has decided to place an order to retrofit work boats and new cargo vessels with engines that can run on methanol.

“We are placing order for 3 work boats to retrofit engines and 6 low draft cargo vessels of 1,000-2,000 tonnes capacity to Cochin Shipyard that will use methanol as fuel with technology from Sweden after a go-ahead from NITI Aayog,” IWAI vice-chairman Pravir Pandey said.

Pandey was speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a shipping conclave organised by the Bengal Chamber of Commerce & Industry here.

Methanol can be a game changer as the cost of the fuel is just Rs 26 a litre and the roadmap was shown by Union transport minister Nitin Gadkari, Pandey said.

IWAI is also working on fuel bunkering facilities in intervals of about 500 km on the entire 1,600 km Haldia-Varanasi stretch for ships on methanol.

Methanol’s volume is higher than diesel.

The design of the cargo vessels have been offered by DST of Germany that requires just 1.5 meters draft — a crucial factor for inland waterways’ success at least in the NW-I that stretches from Haldia to Varanasi.

IWAI has assured draft of 2.8-3 metres till Patna but further upstream there is draft issues which can be as low as 2 meters.

IWAI is also working on freight villages at Sahebgunj and Varanasi for which it has already taken land between 100 and 300 acres that will provide infrastructure to support volumes.

Freight village is an area where all activities relating to transport, logistics and distribution of goods are carried out by various operators. The concept is popular in Europe but new in India.

Four ways Shipping & Logistics will change

The broader business world, looks to 2019, it’s time to explore what the next year will bring to logistics. 

We share the four predictions that the logistics industry will experience over the next year.

1. The Truck Driver Shortage  

Truck driver shortage raises shipping cost: This is why Americans are paying more for shipping. America needs 50,000 truck drivers ( as per reports in Q3 2018 ) across the country to avoid shipping squeeze. 

Over the past year, the U.S. has experienced a shortage in truckers as a result of exploding demand and an aging workforce. As of now, it appears unlikely that this truck driver shortage will end soon.

World Bank data shows that U.S. import and export traffic nearly doubled between 2000 and 2016. During that time period, twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEU) traffic increased from 28.3 million TEUs in 2000 to over 50 million TEUs in 2016. Despite a huge rise in demand for truckers to transport these imports and exports, the number of qualified drivers is not growing.

The No. 1 reason for the shortage in qualified drivers is demographics. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (via NPR), the average age of a trucker in the U.S. is 55. These truckers want to retire and exit the workforce within 20 years. Without drastic change, such as the widespread deployment of driverless trucks, this shortage will grow.

Driverless trucks probably won’t be here for a few years, mostly due to legal concerns. The good news is once this transition happens, driverless trucks will reduce trucking costs and minimize demand-related trucking shortages.

2. Big Data And Blockchain Technology Will Revolutionize Logistics

According to a 2017 Census Bureau report, there are around 408,000 small and midsize U.S. importers and exporters trading internationally. Ninety-eight percent of exporters and 97% of importers are small or midsize. Despite these statistics, larger companies account for around two-thirds of all trade, while small and midsize companies are responsible for just one-third.

Demand for information technology (IT) services in the logistics industry appears to have increased in recent years as more companies begin to deploy IT resources in their logistics/supply chain operations. That trend will likely continue in 2019 as small and midsize importers and exporters even the playing field against larger counterparts by leveraging big data and blockchain technology.

The implementation of big data will lead to safer supply chains globally. Small to midsize importers and exporters stand to gain the most from new technology since they do not have the resources to create a safe supply chain but will be able to rely on freight companies that provide big data capabilities to customers. The supply chain will be safer, as importers and exporters will have the ability to communicate quickly with global suppliers and automate tasks to minimize human error and eliminate paper.

In 2019, many small to midsize importers and exporters that are working with freight companies will choose to use big data when shipping goods globally. With the touch of a button, they will approve shipment specifications, see their cargo be loaded/unloaded, view the condition of their cargo, read the temperature inside a container, and track important milestones like customs clearance, arrival dates and delivery receipts. The mass adoption of big data will be a game-changer in logistics.

Blockchain technology will increase transparency for importers and exporters in 2019. It will replace needing extra time and personnel to record transactions within the supply chain. When shipping globally, there are many parties involved, so it will benefit shippers to minimize information disruption, reduce paperwork needed, and maintain access to original information without worrying about tampering during and after shipment. Additionally, blockchain will eliminate intermediaries, as it enables direct communication between participants.

3. Payments Will Be Safer, And Cross-Border Transactions Will Be Easier

In 2019, new payment technology will reach the logistics industry on a widespread scale, leading to secure transactions globally.

Cryptocurrencies Positively Impacting the Supply Chain (WTC, VEN, AMB, TRAC, ARY

The global trend of the last decade toward widespread credit and debit card use, as well as the introduction of cryptocurrency as an alternative form of payment, will accelerate in logistics. In 2019, most shippers will choose to pay for the shipment of goods with major credit or debit cards, as freight companies and other intermediaries are pressured to offer this payment convenience. This will help everyone, as small to midsize importers and exporters will have payment flexibility, while freight companies can get paid faster.

Globally, the introduction of cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin will become widely accepted, leading to safer payments with an eye toward maintaining customer privacy. Whether a major financial institution introduces its own cryptocurrency remains to be seen, but logistics will be ready. For the logistics industry, cryptocurrency will make it easier for cross-border, international payments to be done safely and privately.

4. The Logistics Industry Will Consolidate: there will be just a Few Major Players

Between 2016 and 2018, major developments in logistics led to the consolidation of major shipping companies. The result is fewer shipping carrier options for shippers.

In 2019, this consolidation will continue, with major players in the shipping industry already numbering less than 10. It has become difficult to survive as an independent shipper with a fleet of cargo ships. To compete, shipping companies have joined forces to form shipping alliances.

Today, the top three shipping alliances are 2M, Ocean Alliance and THE Alliance. Together, they are composed of 11 shipping lines, including most major shipping players. In 2019, more alliances may be formed, shipping lines may move to start new alliances or two alliances may merge.

By the end of 2019, further consolidation may mean higher rates due to less competition. However, through consolidation, shipping companies will offer top-tier customer service and increased capacity. In 2019, consolidation will continue to be a double-edged sword.

No matter what happens in 2019, it’s clear that change is coming to logistics... in a big way! Be prepared.  

Presentation on New Mangalore Port, India

Presentation on New An interesting presentation and short documentary on New Mangalore Port

New Mangaluru Port is a deep-water, all-weather port at Panambur, Mangaluru in Karnataka state in India, which is the deepest inner harbour on the west coast.^[3] It is the only major port of Karnataka and is the seventh largest port in India.^[4] This port is operated by New Mangaluru Port Trust (NMPT).

Presentation on New Mangalore Port, India

Presentation on New An interesting presentation and short documentary on New Mangalore Port

All About the All rounder of shipping container : The Side opening shipping containers

If your cargo is long and challenging to load or you simply want fast and easy access to the load then a side door container is exactly what you need. There are 20ft & 40ft options with side doors on one or both sides and the option for an internal deck if the load needs to be divided along the length of the container. For any long or awkward load that does not require additional high the solution will be found in a side door shipping container



20'ft Side opening shipping containers

The  20'ft side opening shipping containers are very popular with customers wanting quick and easy access to items stored. Often used for pallets, or for the storage of large and bulky items that won’t fit through the end doors of a shipping container.

20'ft Side opening shipping containers

There is a lot more interest in conversions, turning 20ft side opening shipping containers into self contained mobile exhibition stands, cafes and snack stands and retail outlets. We also find these very popular for generator housings, biomass boilers and for a number of specialised engineering applications.


For export use these 20ft side opening shipping containers are very popular for vehicles or oversize items – anything that you can’t easily load through the end doors of a container. Only some of the ranges of side opening containers we have available have floor mounted lashing points – so if you need these for securing your cargo please make clear to us early on.

For storage use these offer excellent easy access secure storage units. If you need to store pallets but don’t want to spend your time digging out a pallet from the wrong end of a standard shipping container then this solution can be ideal. Also if you have any rapid response storage requirements, or if you’re storing any stock that is simply too big to fit through the end doors in a shipping container.


Watch Video on Side Door Container
Video on Side Door Container

40ft high cube side opening shipping containers 
These new (one trip) 40ft high cube side opening shipping containers offer excellent capacity, easy flexible access and a superb level of security. They are ideal if you need to store pallets, large oversize items or for emergency response setups where you may need access to a variety of kit at very short notice.

40ft high cube side opening shipping containers 

This is a relatively new design and the shipping lines do not use them in their own fleets, 

These shipping containers are fitted with 1 huge set of side doors and a single set of end opening doors. This configuration is ideal to ensure that you can access to your goods quickly and easily, especially if you have a large turnover of goods and want to rotate them frequently without the need for expensive warehouse space. Some ranges offered do come with 2x sets of side doors and a central pillar also.


Side Door Container : Applications 

• Application as container home : This type of container is also used in the private domain. It is insulated at the walls, doors, roof, and floor to provide an attractive living area with an interior paneling of your choice. The movable side wall can be fitted with a glass front to provide a maximum of natural light. If the container home is not in use, the glass front can be closed and secured with a foldable door. The functionality of the doors is preserved.
• Application as freight container : This type of container shows its advantages when used to transport bulky goods by truck or train. Thanks to the option of loading from the side, unwieldy machine parts, wire boxes, pallets, and many other items are easily loadable.
• Application as bulker container :  When loading individually packaged goods, the Side Door Container can be loaded or unloaded by at least two workers at the same time, which speeds up the whole process. Smaller companies that don’t have the luxury of their own loading ramp also profit from the convenient functionality of the container since it allows forklifts to handle pallet goods easily and fuss-free.
• Application as storage and assembly container : The Side Door Container is a perfect storage container for storing large machinery, parts or other goods that would not fit through the doors of a standard container. Side Door Containers are also used as assembly containers – installations customized to your individual needs.
• Application as container with permanent installations :  The Side Door Container can be converted to a container with a grid installed at the movable side. This way aggregates, generators, power switching stations, heating systems, pumping plants, or storage tanks can be used effectively.
• Other possible applications :  The advantages of the Side Door Container are obvious. It is versatile, offers more flexibility and guarantees a faster and more cost-effective work process. Anything that won’t fit through the double door on the front-end of a “normal” container wfill find its place in a Side Door Box. It is low-priced, convenient and reliable. Once you have experienced the advantages of this container – in the industry, for transportation, as storage space – you surely won’t want to miss them in the future.
•  

What’s in your cloud?

What’s in your cloud?

Of all the Next Gen supply chain technologies, the cloud could be the most important today. Not only is it already widely used and growing rapidly, but cloud is central to optimizing supply chain performance on a broad scale. Experts state that Cloud will be the most impactful NextGen technology in the supply chain for the foreseeable future based entirely on its use as a backbone of data interchanges.

“The use of the cloud has exploded,” explains Tom Ward, cognitive project leader at IBM (see NextGen Supply Chain interview).

“Most information technology growth is on the cloud. Today, we are using artificial intelligence technologies on the cloud to understand, reason, learn and interact with our supply chain data.”

We’ve all heard of extremely high growth rates in cloud revenue at companies such as Amazon, Google, Microsoft and others. Many go so far as to attribute Amazon’s newfound profitability to the profitability of its cloud services.  No matter the angle considered, the cloud is proliferating rather quickly. 

Interest in cloud is increasing

A recent Goldman Sachs study projects large public firms will increase their cloud use from 18% this year to 34% next year. That Goldman survey also shows cloud as the fourth highest priority for IT departments this year.

Interest in cloud is showing up elsewhere, too. In fact, cloud is the NextGen technology generating the second highest level of interest across multiple departments in a range of companies. That’s according to a survey by Nick Vyas, assistant professor at the Marshall School of Business at the University of Southern California. 

Clearly, there’s something going on here. And from all indications, supply chain applications from the Internet of Things (IoT) to 3-D printing are just as tuned into the cloud as any finance application. 

“Real cloud applications are laying the foundation for innovative solutions from IoT to Blockchain,” says Diego Pantaoja-Navajas, vice president of WMS, Fusion SCM development at Oracle.

What’s the power of the cloud in the supply chain?

To begin, the cloud centralizes data and offers multiple entities access to that data, decreasing costs and speeding supply chain velocity while adding data security. As reported in the Wall Street Journal, Walmart announced a five-year deal with Microsoft to use its cloud services. Why? Walmart wants to share sales and purchasing data with its vendors.

“If you look back three to five years, there was a very limited adoption of technology in procurement,” says Balaji Abbabatulla, research director at Gartner. “But the adoption of technology has accelerated since then. The cloud makes it so easy for procurement people to adopt new technology software applications,“ he adds.

There is another fundamental shift in the supply chain, and elsewhere for that matter, fueling cloud adoption. Quite simply, companies are starting to treat data as an asset. Furthermore, the value of data only increases as it is accessible across enterprises. While most will agree that we aren’t there yet, the direction is clear. All of this only bodes well for adoption of cloud, especially in the supply chain.

Quite simply, cloud is becoming a supply chain utility. It is a core capability that enables collaboration both internally and externally. The Walmart story is one example. So is the introduction of artificial intelligence and Internet of Things to supply chain applications. In most cases, it would be impossible for any other network technology to enable the flow of data and necessary sharing of data to make either NextGen technology live up to its potential across the supply chain. 

IBM, in particular, talks about running Blockchain on its cloud platform. It even has a name – Project Bletchley. Running blockchain in the cloud, says the company, enables it to run new functions and services not previously possible.

Elsewhere, consider the importance of cloud to something as established as ERP. Companies advocating cloud use here range from Oracle and IFS to Infor and others.

“To begin, hundreds of installations have made it clear that you can run WMS (warehouse management systems) in the cloud,” says Pantoja-Navajas of Oracle.

IFS’s senior advisor Jakob Bjorklund explains that his company’s software-as-a-service WMS runs completely in the cloud. But rather than running at Amazon or its competitors, this software runs in the IFS managed cloud.

Both the IBM and IFS efforts demonstrate the development of still another approach to cloud for supply chain applications. It doesn’t have to involve the big boys of cloud. Instead, companies deep into supply chain applications are developing their own hybrid cloud platforms, still another avenue to put this NextGen technology to work right now. 

Which raises the question - what’s in your cloud?

How to calculate package dimensions

How to calculate package dimensions

Working out the dimensions and weight of your package is important, as both factors can influence the cost of transportation, no matter which method is being used to deliver them.

For those that are sending packages via air freight, in the majority of cases, you will be charged according to the weight of your package.

Occasionally however, there will be some instances when you might be charged for the size of the package.

Items such as televisions and fridge freezers can be classed as volumetric cargo, which means that you’ll need to know the volumetric weight of the package.

HOW DO I CALCULATE THE DIMENSIONS OF MY PACKAGE?

In order to get the dimensions of the package, you need to measure its length, width, and height in centimetres.

HOW DO I CALCULATE THE VOLUMETRIC WEIGHT 

Each shipment will be charged according to its volumetric weight, as soon as the dimensional weight exceeds the actual weight. The dimensional weight is calculated using the formula ( for international ).

Length (cm) x width (cm) x height (cm)

------------------------------------------------------  =   volumetric weight of the shipment

                 5,000

HOW DO I ENSURE THE BEST POSSIBLE PRICE FOR MY PACKAGE?

For those that are looking to package their own items, and want the best price, you should look to pack your items into the smallest possible space.

While not making the package too heavy (or endangering the contents), by packing items into the smallest possible box, you can look to avoid paying for volume rather than weight.

It’s worth noting however, that you will always be charged according to the higher figure.

If you happen to be sending multiple packages, then the combined actual weight of the items should be compared to the combined volumetric weight to determine which figure the shipment is going to be charged by.

IBM, Maersk launch blockchain-based shipping platform TRADELENS

After launching a proof of concept earlier this year, IBM and Maersk have unveiled TradeLens, the production version of an electronic ledger for tracking global shipments; the companies say they have 94 participants piloting the system, including more than 20 port and terminal operators.

The jointly developed electronic shipping ledger records details of cargo shipments as they leave their origin, arrive in ports, are shipped overseas and eventually received.

During the transportation process, all of the involved parties in the supply chain can view tracking information such as shipment arrival times and documents such as customs releases, commercial invoices and bills of lading in near real time via the permissioned blockchain ledger.

More than 160 million such shipping events have been captured on the platform, according to IBM and Maersk. "This data is growing at a rate of close to one million events per day," the companies said.

Traditionally, the international shipping industry's information systems have used paper legal documents, and electronic data was transmitted via electronic data interchange (EDI) - a 60-year-old technology that doesn't represent real-time data information.

Shipping participants have also shared documents via email, fax and courier.

When information is entered or scanned in manually, TradeLens can track critical data about every shipment in a supply chain, and it offers an immutable record among all parties involved, the companies said.

Some shipping manifests can also be moved via an API to the TradeLens platform, so that manufacturers and others in the supply chain have more timely information and improved visibility to the process.

Along with freight forwarders, transportation companies and logistics firms, more than 20 port and terminal operators are using or have agreed to pilot TradeLens, including PSA Singapore, International Container Terminal Services Inc., Patrick Terminals and Modern Terminals Ltd. in Hong Kong. Customs authorities in the Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Australia and Peru are also participating.

"This accounts for approximately 234 marine gateways worldwide that have or will be actively participating on TradeLens," IBM said.

Hong Kong-based Modern Terminals became a beta partner of the TradeLens blockchain earlier this year.

"Digitized documentation that can at the same time be authenticated will drive down costs and increase supply chain security," Modern Terminals CEO Peter Levesque said via email.

As a port operator, Modern Terminals doesn't have a need to track shipments outside of its operating environment, but it keeps the status of containers coming in and out of its terminals via a Terminal Operating System (TOS), many of which utilize EDI and wireless LANs and Radio-frequency identification (RFID) to monitor cargo movements. The company handles about 5.5 million shipping containers per year at its Hong Kong business unit.

The documentation that accompanies a container of cargo from the factory floor to store shelf is cumbersome and open, Levesque said. A blockchain-based electronic ledger will provide a platform where all the documentation along the way can be viewed and updated in near real time and in a secure environment by authorized supply chain participants.

It will also give customs, commerce, and border patrol agents around the world "a higher degree of certainty about what's in the box, and who loaded it," Levesque added.

"Modern Terminals plans to be a regular user of the solution once full development and testing are complete," Levesque said. "We've only begun to scratch the surface on what we can use blockchain technology for in the transportation and logistics industry. Tackling the opportunity for improving the transmission of documents around the world is a great beginning. The next decade of development will be exciting to watch."

The Forces shaping Shipping

Retailers in America & Western Europe held their breath in September 2016 when container ships bringing goods from Asia due to fill their shelves at the peak Christmas shopping season were suddenly left stuck in ports halfway. Some ships were even stranded at sea

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Image for representation purpose only  : Hanjin, the South Korean shipping line, had filed for bankruptcy

Hanjin, the South Korean shipping line, had filed for bankruptcy, weighed down by a global economic downturn that had led to overcapacity, lower freight rates and rising debt levels in the shipping industry. The company was eventually wound up and its assets liquidated in the shipping industry's costliest and most notorious collapse.

To avoid this fate, shipping companies have for many years increasingly merged or bought each other in a classic process of consolidation that is having profound effects on the efforts of developing countries to better engage with global trade.

On the one hand, global trade benefits from low freight costs and improved shipping connectivity that result from economies of scale and technological advances, yet on the other hand the mergers among shipping lines and their investments in ever larger ships also pose serious challenges to smaller trading nations and their seaports.

The challenge for policymakers - the focus of a session at the Intergovernmental Group of Experts on Competition Law and Policy convened by UNCTAD on 13 July - is to ensure that the benefits of lower costs and improved connectivity will be passed on to the smaller shippers and ports, while also responding to concentrated markets so that players are discouraged from abusing dominant positions.

The massive challenge for competition authorities

Competition authorities must analyse alliances, mergers and acquisitions in shipping and consider not only horizontal competition between carriers but also vertical integration between carriers and terminals.

For example, when shipping giant Maersk acquired competitor Hamburg Süd, the latter's services may switch from their previous terminal in Buenos Aires to the one operated by APM Terminals - which belongs to the same group as Maersk.

But there are several other phenomena shaping shipping in the 21st century that the national watchdogs must also monitor to ensure that trade continues to boost economic progress in developing countries.

Need for Bigger & bigger seaports

Ports are under pressure to dredge, expand yards and invest in ever larger ship-to-shore container cranes, often without any additional cargo throughput. Trucking, train and barge operators will incur additional expenses as vessel sizes and thus peak demand go up.

Port authorities and local governments need to carefully consider if the additional dredging and investment in berth, yard and hinterland transport capacity that shipping lines demand is worthwhile.

Domestic shipping markets

Many countries impose restrictions on international operators transporting goods domestically. In container shipping, this leads to situations in which a ship may call at two ports within the same country but is not allowed to transport cargo between these two ports.

Countries find themselves in the scenario where ports in neighbouring countries become the hub ports for their own cabotage or feedering services.

Montevideo, Uruguay, for example, acts as a relay port for services that connect two ports in Argentina. Sri Lanka benefits from cabotage restrictions in India as ships call at the port of Colombo, and from there international feedering services connect to seaports in India.

In response, policymakers should analyse the potential of opening up selected shipping services to international service providers to ensure competitive markets.

Hinterland connections

Closer distances usually involve lower transport costs and thus fewer negative externalities. However, in view of the need to fill ever larger ships, and the desire to keep alternative options open for shippers, policymakers may also want to expand each port's hinterland.

The resulting competitive pressures will encourage port operators to maximize their efficiency and pass on those efficiency gains to their clients, shippers and shipping lines.

Inter-port competition should not be limited to domestic seaports, but to neighbouring countries' ports as well, while effective instruments for enhancing inter-port competition are efficient trucking markets, rail and road infrastructure, and transit regimes.

Trade and transit

Under the World Trade Organization's Agreement on Trade Facilitation, in force since 2017, as well as the International Maritime Organization's Convention on Facilitation of International Maritime Traffic, members should establish committees in which stakeholders coordinate and cooperate in the implementation of trade and transport facilitation reforms.

Ideally, such collaborative platforms should go beyond compliance issues, aiming instead at all necessary reforms to facilitate international trade and its transport. Transit should be facilitated in line with international standards and recommendations, including those of the United Nations, the World Customs Organization and the World Trade Organization.

Monitoring and strengthening

Container shipping is a cornerstone of globalization. Thanks to the container shipping network, maritime transport connectivity has improved, and real freight costs have gone down. The operational efficiency gains achieved thanks to alliances have helped increase load factors and added further downward pressures on freight rates.

However, we have reached a situation where the reduced number of companies on some trade routes can result in oligopolistic market structures. This poses challenges to importers and exporters, who have less choice with whom to transport their goods. Larger ships and the combined bargaining power of lines in alliances also pose challenges to seaports which will have to invest ever more heavily in port infra- and superstructure.

National competition watchdogs will need to carefully monitor market developments and strengthen competition law enforcement against possible anti-competitive practices to ensure that limited competition does not lead to detrimental effects on costs, connectivity and economic growth in developing countries.

Logistics Technologies that are going to change the Industry

Globalization has revolutionized trading in so many ways, from bigger and faster vessels to robot-operated ports and vast computer databases tracking cargos, global trading has come a long way. But it all still relies on millions and millions of paper documents.

With the ongoing digital revolution, the freight Industry will surely look very different in the upcoming years.

Unlike the previous revolutions, such as “The Containerization” that took place in the 1960s, where it was all about big vessels and equipment worth millions of dollars with the big players having an unfair financial advantage, this time around there are no such unfair advantages, it’s a technical revolution, it’s about the ability to catch up with the rapidly evolving technology.

Here are Logistics Technologies that are going to change the Industry:

BLOCKCHAIN

With hundreds of pages that need to be physically delivered to dozens of different agencies, banks, customs bureaus and other entities for a single shipment, the whole trading process becomes very tedious and expensive. According to a recent survey, the processing and administration costs go up to 20-25% of the overall transportation cost.

These major inefficiencies that have plagued the world of logistics for decades, and Blockchain, the electronic ledger system, has emerged as a solution. With the help of Blockchain, the involvement of physical paperwork can be minimized if not completely abolished. Moreover, Blockchain can also help in reducing processing times for goods at customs checkpoints, thus making custom clearance quicker.

INTERNET OF THINGS (IoT)

As there are numerous parties involved in any transportation, the major issues faced by organizations are the lack of transparency and connectivity between all parties involved. With the Internet of Things (IoT), a centralized cloud-based network can be set up, allowing all the devices to capture and share critical data, thus increasing real-time visibility, connectivity it enables the organization to effectively track their shipments, and the conditions of these shipments, thus making the process faster and efficient.

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

It has been of great interest for many organizations in the past, but the high costs of integrating high-end industrial robots for complex logistics operations acted a barrier for many years. Now, with technology getting cheaper, more accessible and easier to integrate, many manufacturers are looking forward to capitalizing on it.

In recent years, it has proved to be very effective in crucial port-operations, such as Fleet management – Warehouse management, Self-driven vehicles and more.

Many big players have successfully adopted Artificial Intelligence to mitigate costly repairs and downtime, thus decreasing maintenance and insurance charges making the productivity levels reach previously unimaginable levels of optimization.

PREDICTIVE ANALYSIS

Predictive analysis, the new buzzword, is a practice that is being used by many companies, which allows them to anticipate the status of the market, by identifying emerging patterns in the marketplace and give a strong piece of information, enabling them to create customer specific strategies to act upon. 

By continuously monitoring and analyzing the shipping data, the performance of the carriers and liner rates, one can build strategies to optimize the supply chain.

ROBOTICS

Robotics has been a part of logistics, for a very long time. In Freight Industry, where it is mandatory to be very consistent and precise in the day to day tasks that are repetitive in nature, the adoption of robotics and automation is not very surprising.

DHL's new robot picker

With the incorporation of the Internet of Things, Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, many shipping companies have successfully cut down labor and maintenance cost and also have increased quality and performance of the process.