Bernard Cohen, Author at Global Trade Magazine

Breakbulk shippers transport cargo or goods that typically don’t fit in standard-size shipping containers or cargo bins. Instead, cargo is transported in bags, boxes, crates, drums, barrels, or other handling equipment or is rolled, lifted, or pushed onto a ship or barge. These shippers’ goods require special equipment and handling, which means the shippers need to overcome several unique challenges in their supply chain operations.

Transporting Challenges

Breakbulk shipments are often oversized, heavy, or irregularly shaped. This means that breakbulk shippers must find suitable vessels or carriers to accommodate these unique cargo characteristics, which can be challenging and time-consuming. Extensive documentation, including permits, customs declarations, bills of lading, and compliance with various regulations and trade policies must accompany breakbulk shipments. Managing accurate and timely documentation across multiple jurisdictions and ensuring compliance with local laws can be complex and time-sensitive.

Plus, many ports and terminals are designed to only handle containerized cargo, so breakbulk cargo may either reduce a shippers’ options or incur additional time and cost to move. Breakbulk shipments usually involve multiple parties, including shippers, freight forwarders, carriers, port operators, and customs authorities. Coordinating and managing these various stakeholders with different requirements and processes can result in coordination delays, increased administrative burden, and even higher costs.

Since breakbulk cargo is not containerized, tracking and monitoring the movement of breakbulk shipments is more challenging due to limited visibility into the status and location of individual items within a shipment. Without accurate visibility, shippers find it more challenging to provide accurate delivery estimates to their customers and ensure efficient supply chain management. With supply chain visibility technologies, breakbulk shippers know how their carriers are performing, what problems they are having, and receive actionable insights on how to improve performance across their supply chain. Together, these data and more support robust KPI analyses that have lowered total shipment costs for breakbulk shippers by 3-10 percentage points.

Transporting Tips

When it comes to shipping breakbulk cargo, shippers need to keep these important transportation tips in mind:

Properly plan and coordinate shipments by identifying the cargo’s dimensions, weight, material requirements and special handling needs.
Select a carrier experienced in handling breakbulk cargo. These carriers have specialized equipment, such as heavy-lift cranes, flat racks, or open-top containers.
Breakbulk cargo requires specialized packaging and securing methods to withstand the rigors of transportation. Packaging materials should be steel frames, strong containers, or shrink-wrapped to protect the cargo.
Riggers and lashing teams are often needed to secure the cargo. Professional teams use chains, steel cables, and turnbuckles to secure the cargo to the vessel or transport vehicle.
Consider the transportation route and infrastructure capabilities. Check for height, width, or weight restrictions along the planned route, such as bridges, tunnels, or road conditions. Ensure the destination port or terminal has the right equipment to handle breakbulk cargo.
Ensure all necessary permits, licenses, and documentation are to prevent delays, fines, or other complications.
Maintain clear and consistent communication with all parties involved, including the carrier, freight forwarder, and consignee by regularly tracking and monitoring the cargo’s progress throughout the transportation process with a visibility system that is designed for breakbulk shipments.
Minimize disruptions by conducting a comprehensive risk assessment and developing contingency plans to address potential challenges, such as adverse weather conditions, port congestion, or equipment failures.
Ensure all parties adhere to international codes, such as the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) guidelines for cargo securing.

Innovative Technologies (AI, ML, Cloud) with TMS Improves Efficiencies

Innovative technologies combined with a Transportation Management System (TMS) streamline operations and improve efficiencies when shipping breakbulk cargo. These technologies include cloud-based solutions that use machine learning and artificial intelligence. The TMS should combine planning, execution, and visibility functionality on the same platform so that logistics operations are streamlined, helping to lower costs, decrease risks, and increase customer satisfaction.

Machine Learning (ML) algorithms provide valuable insights and predictive analytics that support decision-making within transportation management. Adding ML to a TMS will improve operational efficiencies as these algorithms analyze vast amounts of data and identify patterns, trends, and optimization opportunities across numerous variables that may not be readily discernible to human operators. By analyzing historical and real-time data, machine learning algorithms assist in forecasting demand, identifying bottlenecks, predicting transportation delays, and recommending mitigation strategies. This enables transportation managers to make data-driven decisions, respond proactively to disruptions, and optimize operations for improved efficiency.

ML can optimize routing and load allocation based on various factors such as delivery schedules, vehicle capacities, traffic conditions, and customer preferences. By considering multiple variables and constraints, machine learning can identify the most efficient routes, load distributions, and consolidation opportunities, resulting in reduced fuel consumption, minimized travel time, and improved resource utilization, leading to cost savings and increased efficiency.

Artificial intelligence integrated within a TMS, transportation providers can forecast demand for specific routes, periods, or products. This enables better capacity planning, optimal allocation of resources, and improved inventory management, reducing unnecessary transportation costs and ensuring timely deliveries. AI-powered TMS systems continuously monitor real-time data, such as traffic conditions, weather, accidents, or closures, and alert shippers to predicted delays or likely issues before they occur. They may also dynamically adjust transportation routes accordingly. This proactivity minimizes disruptions and improves delivery schedules leading to happier customers.

AI combined with a TMS analyzes large volumes of transportation data, such as delivery times, vehicle performance, driver behavior, previous cost performance, and customer feedback, to provide valuable insights and support decision-making. By identifying patterns, trends, and areas for improvement, AI helps transportation managers make data-driven decisions that optimize processes, reduce risk, and enhance overall operational efficiency.

By leveraging the power of AI, transportation providers can streamline operations, reduce costs, enhance customer satisfaction, and make more informed decisions. Combining AI with a TMS enables greater automation, optimization, and intelligence in managing transportation logistics, significantly improving efficiency and effectiveness.

Cloud technology is critical for a TMS because it offers scalability, flexibility, and anytime, anywhere access to the system through internet connectivity. Accessibility allows logistics professionals, carriers, suppliers, and customers to access the same real-time information to collaborate and make data-driven decisions from different locations and devices. It also enables seamless information sharing, document exchange, and communication among all stakeholders involved in the transportation process.

A modern TMS platform is cloud-based and centralizes all transportation-related data in a single location, eliminating data silos. By integrating various data sources, companies gain a holistic view of their transportation operations, allowing for more accurate analysis, reporting, and optimization of logistics processes.

Like other enterprise software, cloud-based TMS solutions eliminate the need for companies to invest in and maintain their hardware infrastructure. Instead, they leverage the cloud provider’s infrastructure, paying only for the required resources and services. This reduces upfront capital expenditures, lowers IT maintenance costs, and allows transportation companies to focus their financial resources on core business activities rather than infrastructure management.

By leveraging the power of machine learning, artificial intelligence, and cloud computing, breakbulk shippers gain a competitive edge, reduce costs, enhance customer service, and optimize their transportation management processes.

About the Author

IntelliTrans optimizes bulk and breakbulk shipments for chemical, oil/gas, forestry/logging, and agricultural businesses. IntelliTrans offers the only cloud-based TMS that provides holistic and seamless shipment execution and visibility across rail, truck, intermodal, barge, and ocean shipments.

In today’s globalized economy, efficient transportation of goods across oceans is vital for businesses worldwide.

However, the industry faces challenges like lost containers, port congestion, shipping container shortages, rising freight rates, lack of carrier capacity, and crew shortages. Many ocean carriers that ship through the Red Sea are still struggling with attacks from Houthi rebels, causing carriers to increase delivery times by ten days or more as they are diverted to travel around the Cape of Good Hope in Africa. On the other side of the globe, a severe drought at the Panama Canal is slowing maritime trade due to increased restrictions on ships that travel through the canal. Tracking ocean shipments has traditionally been a complex task using manual methods.

With globalization and the rise of containerization, the need for more sophisticated tracking systems has become evident. Thanks to technological advancements, ocean shipping and the tracking of shipments are more streamlined and transparent. Following is a list of technologies that can revolutionize ocean shipment tracking:

GPS and Satellite Tracking: Global Positioning System (GPS) and satellite tracking have become indispensable tools in ocean shipment tracking. GPS-enabled devices installed on vessels provide accurate location data, allowing stakeholders to monitor the progress of shipments in real time. Satellite communication ensures seamless connectivity even in remote maritime regions, enabling continuous monitoring and communication with vessels regardless of location. This level of connectivity enhances operational efficiency and reduces the risk of lost or delayed shipments.
Artificial Intelligence and Predictive Analytics: Artificial Intelligence (AI) and predictive analytics are reshaping ocean shipment tracking by leveraging vast data to forecast trends and anticipate disruptions. Machine learning algorithms analyze historical shipping data, weather patterns, port congestion, and other factors to predict potential delays or inefficiencies in the supply chain. This foresight enables stakeholders to take proactive measures, such as rerouting shipments or adjusting inventory levels, to mitigate risks and optimize operations. AI-powered solutions also enhance decision-making by providing actionable insights and recommendations based on real-time data.
Mobile Applications: Mobile applications have democratized access to shipment tracking information, empowering stakeholders to monitor their cargo from anywhere, at any time. These apps provide intuitive interfaces for tracking shipments, receiving notifications on status updates, and communicating with logistics partners. Mobile applications improve transparency and responsiveness by putting real-time information at users’ fingertips, enabling faster decision-making and problem-solving.
Cloud-based Platforms: Cloud-based platforms have revolutionized how stakeholders access and analyze shipment data. These platforms provide a holistic view of the supply chain by centralizing information from various sources, including GPS trackers, IoT devices, and customs documentation. Real-time updates and analytics empower decision-makers to identify bottlenecks, optimize routes, and mitigate risks proactively. Moreover, cloud-based platforms facilitate stakeholder collaboration, fostering transparency and accountability across the supply chain ecosystem.

What is Needed in Cloud-Based TMSs

A cloud-based TMS is the top platform of choice for ocean shippers, especially if the TMS can integrate different data sources from tracking devices, along with tracking, booking, and execution, to become the integrated command center for a shipper’s transportation logistics needs. This all-in-one platform should provide visibility for more modes besides just ocean, as some shippers use a combination of modes—truck, barge, and rail.

Features needed within a TMS for ocean tracking:

Connections to hundreds of ocean carriers, NVOCCs, and freight forwarders, eliminating the need for shippers to reach out to each carrier by email, phone, or carrier website. Knowing the schedules of these carriers allows shippers to pick the exact time needed to cover the load.
The ability to submit booking requests and receive booking confirmations electronically would make bookings faster, easier to track, and more automated. Orders should be able to be shipped via a full container or less than full container load, with the tracking data and shipment execution exchanged between carriers and shippers all in the same portal.
Electronic bill of lading (BOL) and online shipment instructions comply with industry-standard data points. Shippers can view historical shipping instructions and compare them to current ones to generate insightful dashboards with KPIs.
Booking and shipping instruction templates with pre-populated forms make it quicker and easier to execute a shipment, enabling staff to focus on more value-added tasks.
Seamless in-transit shipment tracking for ocean vessels and inland moves ensures shippers always know where their shipments are. Shipments should be viewed on maps, regardless of mode, so ocean, rail, and truck appear on the same map for a holistic view of transport operations. Maps may be used internally or securely shared with customers for a better experience by a shipper’s customers.
The platform should provide a dynamic ETA calculated using multiple data points, providing shippers with a more accurate estimated time of arrival for improved operational planning.
Offers industry-standard value codes, UN location codes, and HS codes for approximately 38,000 products, avoiding transmission failures to ocean carriers. The benefit of this would be that when a user enters a transaction into the system, the location and product fields have pre-established values, which avoids bad data entry.
This includes ocean schedules that enable planners to determine the best route option, with available transit dates, estimated arrival times, voyage information, and terminal information so that planners can confidently pick the best lane.
Container tracking captures future critical events when importing containers, allowing shippers to tender a truck quickly and pick up the shipment on time.
Should be able to virtually connect with any TMS, ERP, and third-party providers’ systems, enabling shippers to have visibility from a purchase order number and other essential reference numbers or information.

Technology integration has transformed ocean shipment tracking from a cumbersome process into a streamlined and transparent operation. From RFID and IoT to AI, innovative solutions are revolutionizing how businesses manage their supply chains. By leveraging these technologies, stakeholders can gain unprecedented visibility and control over their shipments, enhancing efficiency, reducing costs, and mitigating risks. As the pace of technological innovation accelerates, the future of ocean shipment tracking promises even greater connectivity, efficiency, and resilience in global trade.

Author: Bernard Cohen, Group Product Manager, IntelliTrans

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