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Transport Pro Integration Expedites Data-Driven Spot Quoting for Circle Logistics

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3pls, Archives, Global Logistics, Global Trade Daily, News

Transport Pro Integration Expedites Data-Driven Spot Quoting for Circle Logistics

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Transport Pro equips Circle with freight intelligence, providing carrier insights and a faster, more efficient quoting and bidding process.

Circle Logistics, one of the fastest-growing, privately held logistics providers, today announced its team is now tracking all spot quotes using Transport Pro’s quoting tools – empowering Circle to develop a faster, more efficient and data-driven spot quoting process that nearly guarantees shippers successful, on-time deliveries. Using Transport Pro’s quoting dashboard, Circle can record wins and losses over time, resulting in a market-to-market report on lanes the team is quoting and winning.

Transport Pro’s quoting tools have improved the Circle team’s overall strategy with the use of insights from collected data about specific lanes and corresponding carriers that have successfully delivered in the past. Instead of bidding on every lane, the team now bids on the loads that set up the carrier and shipper for success based on Circle’s carrier network lane density.

In addition to new tech usage, the Circle team uses the quoting and bidding process to understand how shippers analyze their rates and educate shippers about why Circle is bidding on specific lanes. Circle’s goal is providing an exceptional customer experience for shippers and carriers alike, so this strategy serves as an additional opportunity for communicating with shippers and carriers to inform them of the team’s data-backed process.

As market conditions waiver, Transport Pro allows the Circle team to enhance its quoting strategy. Using market and historical data, the Circle team is empowered with confidence to know when to lock in a rate or to keep negotiating. Therefore, Circle’s Transport Pro quoting tools are helping the team win business with capacity-based pricing tools.

dutch scale capital
Archives, Global Trade Daily, International Trade

Dutch Resist US Call to Ban more Chip Equipment Sales to China

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The Netherlands will defend its economic interests when it comes to the sales of chip equipment to China, a senior Dutch official said, further evidence of the country’s resistance to meekly following Washington’s attempts to cut off China from semiconductor technology.

The European country is home to ASML Holding NV, which dominates the market for one-of-a-kind, cutting-edge chipmaking equipment that has become a focus of the US government’s attempts to limit China. Dutch Foreign Trade Minister Liesje Schreinemacher told lawmakers on Tuesday that the Netherlands will make its own decision regarding ASML’s chip gear sales to China amid trade rule talks with the US and other allies.

Deep ultraviolet systems are the second-most-advanced chip production machines that Veldhoven, Netherlands-based ASML manufactures, and the equipment is required to make a wide range of semiconductors.

Schreinemacher’s comments appeared to indicate growing Dutch objections to the US call for the Netherlands to align with Washington on export controls to undermine Beijing’s ambition in building a chip industry at home and improve its military capabilities. The European country wants to maintain access to China as a major market.

Last week, the Dutch minister said the US shouldn’t expect the Netherlands to unquestionably adopt its approach to China export restrictions.

While ASML hasn’t sold any of its most advanced extreme ultraviolet lithography machines to China because the Dutch government has refused to grant it a license under US pressure, the company can still sell less sophisticated chipmaking systems to the Asian country.

However, US officials have been pressuring the Dutch government to ban the sales of immersion lithography machines, the most advanced kind of gear in ASML’s deep ultraviolet lineup, Bloomberg News has reported. The Biden administration has been working to get allies including the Netherlands and Japan to adopt the sweeping measures it unveiled in early October to ban more chip machines for China.

The Netherlands is key to the struggle because ASML is one of a handful of companies that dominate the market for semiconductor-manufacturing equipment. Its peers include Applied Materials Inc., Lam Research Corp. and KLA Corp. in the US, and Tokyo Electron Ltd. in Japan.

Senior US officials — including Alan Estevez, the undersecretary of commerce for industry and security — are traveling to the Netherlands this month to discuss export controls. But an immediate accord isn’t expected to come out of the talks, Bloomberg News has reported.

EU negotiators are working on a number of contentious trade issues with Washington. Countries, most vocally France, have said the measures could damage European economies and have raised the possibility of filing a complaint with the World Trade Organization.

These issues will be a topic of conversation early next month at the Trade and Technology Council, a high-level meeting between EU and US officials.

Meanwhile, China is working to ensure other countries don’t cave to US demands. In a Group of 20 summit meeting last Tuesday, Chinese President Xi Jinping urged Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte to avoid disrupting global trade.

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Archives, Education, Global Trade Daily

7 Marketing Strategies For Small Businesses Today

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How you market your small business can make or break its success. Creating and implementing the right marketing campaign gets the word out about your business. The more people who know your business exists, the easier it’ll be for you to haul in customers. 

There are many strategies to market a small business and most of these don’t require thousands of dollars or a team of experienced professionals. Don’t believe us? We’ve listed seven marketing strategies below that work wonders for small businesses today.   

Use SMS

Because it’s convenient and accessible to almost anyone in the globe, using SMS to market your small business is a must. SMS marketing is an effective way of communicating with your potential customers, as it works well with other marketing channels and boosts engagement. 

Invest in SMS marketing platforms to reach out to more people in less time with minimal effort. You can integrate these platforms into your CRM so you can deliver clear and customized messages to your prospects. Using these platforms also enables you to get feedback from prospects and increase brand awareness. 

Create a Website

Websites are needed in today’s ever-competitive world of business; they function as modern-day business cards. Your website is the first thing potential customers see once they search for your business online — and how it looks and functions leaves an impression. 

If you’re business still doesn’t have a website, create one with these tips in mind:

Make sure it’s responsive: Your website should be responsive regardless if someone accesses it thru a desktop computer or mobile device. The content of your website should adjust automatically to the size of the screen used. 

Place contact information above the fold: Your business’s contact information — physical address, email address, and phone number — should be placed on top of the homepage. This alleviates visitors from having to search for your contact details on the website. 

Keep pages clean: Avoid adding too many elements to your web pages, as this will make your site look cluttered and feel unprofessional. Determine the goal you want to achieve in each web page and only include elements aligned with those goals. For example, if you want web visitors to submit their email addresses, including a CTA button and a simple form is enough. 

Use personalized content: Showing content relevant to your visitors’ location, native language, etc. keeps them engaged and interested, therefore increasing your website conversions. If-So allows you to create dynamic content based on a set of conditions if your site runs on WordPress.

Work With Influencers

When marketing your small business, don’t overlook the power of influencers. As more and more people become reliant on social media, influencers have become essential. 

Influencers are individuals with a large following on social media. Influencers spend years gaining the trust of their followers and creating authority in a specific niche. Their followers trust (and buy) their recommendations. 

Reach out to an influencer who has already built a name in a niche similar to your business. Ask them to promote your product or service in exchange for a fee, freebies, or discounts. 

Publish a Blog

Blogging is one of the most effective marketing strategies for branding and exposure. Utilize blogs to demonstrate to potential customers that you’re an expert in your field and that your products and services can improve the quality of their lives. 

When writing a blog, make sure you understand your audience first (who they are, what are their common pain points, etc.), so you can easily write for them. Use simple words to make it easier for your readers to understand your blog, and avoid using jargon.

Champion One Social Media Platform

Simultaneously using different social media platforms for marketing your small business doesn’t guarantee results. Keep in mind that creating a strong presence on social media requires time and effort as you need to maintain your profile. Therefore, by using too many at a time, your profile might end up stale, hurting your branding.

It’s better if you aim to champion one social media platform only. For example, if your prospects are consistently tagging your location in their Instagram posts but never engage with you on Facebook, it’s obvious to invest more time in Instagram. 

Focusing on one platform at a time, you’ll have the resources to engage with your prospects, answer their queries, and post updates regularly. Over time, this will improve your branding and engage prospects to patronize your offerings. You can also manage your reputation and online brand mentions with the help of a media monitoring tool.

Share Your Knowledge

How can you position yourself as a leader in the industry? Simple — by sharing your knowledge with the general public. Taking this route will help you position your business as an expert in a specific niche while being able to engage with your prospects. 

You can share your knowledge through different channels. You can host webinars, make YouTube tutorials, or speak at local conferences. You can also answer questions on online communities. 

Try SEO

Search Engine Optimization, or SEO, is a cost-effective marketing strategy because it guarantees long-term results. It’s the process of getting more web traffic from free, editorial, organic, and natural search results to improve your site’s position in the search results pages. Remember that a higher SEO rank means better online visibility. 

To optimize your website for SEO, consider the following tips:

Publish high-quality content: Content is king in SEO, so prioritize posting high-quality, well-researched content on your website. Be sure to conduct keyword research to know what keywords your prospects use in searching for your website and include them in your content. 

Improve your website speed: Google has launched the mobile-first index, which means that your website will rank better if it loads fast. The ideal website load time is only 1-2 seconds. If your website takes longer to load, visitors will leave. 

Optimize images: You can optimize images by naming them in plain language, choosing the right file type, and using image sitemaps. Reducing the file size of your images also helps as it allows your site to load faster. 

Remain Consistent

The key to successfully marketing your small business is consistency. As long as you implement the right marketing strategies consistently, you’re sure to see results.

 

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Archives, Global Logistics, Global Trade Daily, News, Rail

US Railroad Strike Threatens to Inflict pain on Staggering Economy

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A potential rail strike from US railroad workers in December could have dire impacts on an already unstable economy during the peak season, experts have forecasted.

Earlier this week one of the US’s largest railroad labor unions, The Transport Division of the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail, and Transportation Workers (SMART-TD), voted against a tentative five-year collective bargaining agreement with the nation’s Class 1 railroads.

Voting concluded midnight Sunday 20 November for members of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) as well as the SMART-TD on the proposed agreements.

SMART-TD train and engine service members have voted to reject the proposed contract, while SMART-TD yardmaster members voted to accept.

BLET members voted to accept a tentative agreement reached on 15 September, however have agreed to join the picket line should strikes go ahead.

A status quo agreement between SMART TD and management is in effect until 8 December.

Beginning 9 December, SMART-TD would be allowed to go on strike or the rail carriers would be permitted to lock out workers — unless national Congress intervenes.

BLET and SMART-TD are the two largest rail unions, accounting for half of the unionized workforce on the nation’s largest freight railroads.

Glenn Koepke, General Manager of Network Collaboration at supply chain data firm FourKites, said that the timing of rail unions returning to the negotiation table could have significant impacts on US supply chains at the tail end of the year.

Agriculture, automotive, chemical, packaging and industrial parts would be most severely impacted.

Many of these products are the lifeblood of the American economy and are often critical components for products that are manufactured for consumers, whether food stuffs or hard goods.

“The timing of rail unions coming back to the table to negotiate has two major implications. The first is peak holiday season and what could significantly impact sales in the final month of the calendar year. Second would be a major blow to the economy, which remains in extreme uncertainty,” Koepke said.

Koepke noted that this is “a very opportunistic time” for the rail strike to occur for those looking for changes to happen.

“This would shake the US economy to its core and magnify the spotlight on the national supply chain. Unlike a port disruption or a terminal strike, there are only seven major, Class 1 railroads in the US that link all of North America — shifting this much volume to another mode of transport isn’t feasible even with unlimited capital.

“Could a rail strike happen? Absolutely. But the federal government has a very close eye on the negotiations.”

The US trucking capacity “could never fully cover the amount of rail cargo moved on a daily basis,” Koepke noted, sending the trucking market into a frenzy and put the upper hand back on the carrier and 3PL side.

“It’s difficult to predict the future, but if I were to take a guess I’d say this will get settled without a major disruption – though continued threats and noise will loom.”

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Archives, Education, Global Trade Daily

Europe Digital Transaction Management Market to Generate Revenue of US$ 27,066.1 Million by 2030

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Europe digital transaction management (DTM) market valuation was estimated at US$ 3,063.2 million in 2021 and is projected to reach US$ 27,066.1 million by 2030 at a CAGR of 29.1 % during the forecast period 2022–2030.

The demand for digital transaction management market is on the rise as businesses look to cut costs and improve efficiency. A recent study by Astute Analytica found that nearly 80% of businesses are planning to increase their use of digital channels by 2025.

Europe is home to some of the world’s most advanced digital economies. These economies are characterized by high levels of access to technology and an interactive digital ecosystem that supports fast, secure, and easy electronic transactions. As a result, there is growing demand for payment systems in the digital transaction management market that can handle large volumes of digital transactions reliably and quickly. The European Payments Council (EPC) recently released a report estimating that the global payments industry grew from $2 trillion in 2016 to $3.5 trillion in 2020. This growth is attributable, in part, to innovations in mobile banking and cloud-based services that make it easier for people to conduct financial transactions anytime and anywhere.

To meet this demand, incumbent players such as Visa and Mastercard have developed transaction management solutions that help merchants manage their payment processing from one central location. These solutions provide merchants with features such as real-time updates on account status, fraud alerts, remote over-the-phone customer service support, and more.

Since these solutions rely on traditional IT infrastructure (server software, back-office applications), they can be costly to implement and maintain. In addition, channel partners (third party providers who work with banks and other merchants) often have limited or no experience with these types of technologies in the Europe digital transaction management market. As a result, they are not always able to bring the best value proposition to the table when it comes to offering merchant services.

Here are some ways that businesses in Europe Digital Transaction Management Market Using Digital Transaction to improve their efficiency:

1. Increasing Use of Mobile Technology. The use of mobile technology has grown rapidly in recent years, and is now used by a majority of businesses. This is because mobile devices allow customers to conduct transactions quickly and easily from where they are.

2. Implementing Digital Payment Platforms. Businesses can reduce costs by partnering with a payment platform provider, such as PayPal or Square, which offers merchant account and payment processing services. These platforms take care of the financial processing so that merchants can focus on selling products or services.

3. Utilizing Cloud-Based Solutions for Transactions. Many companies in the Europe digital transaction management market are turning to cloud-based solutions for their digital transaction needs, as these platforms offer flexibility and cost savings when it comes to implementation (as well as scalability). Some notable providers of cloud-based transaction management solutions include Intuit (the maker of TurboTax) and Salesforce (a provider of customer relationship management software).

As the demand for digital transaction management grows, so too does the number of providers in the Europe digital transaction management offer these solutions. With so many options available, it’s important for businesses to find the right solution for them.

What does Astute Analytica Analysis Suggest About Digital Transaction Management Market?

The primary drivers of this growth are the increasing number of agile and innovative companies, fueled by the accelerating migration of enterprise applications to the cloud; improved security, compliance, and privacy capabilities; and increased consumer demand for seamless experiences across devices.

This rapid growth of the digital transaction management market will be balanced by challenges such as rising data volumes and the growing importance of mobile DTM. Despite these challenges, we expect that most organizations will deploy some form of DTM in the next few years.

Organizations need to adopt innovative architectures that can scale as their businesses grow. Innovations such as artificial intelligence (AI), cognitive computing, Internet of Things (IoT), blockchain, and digital twins are helping organizations rethink how they delivery business value.

The increase in digitization and growth of e-commerce are leading factors for the growth of the Europe digital transaction management market. Cross-channel transactions include payments, banking services, insurance claims, and other interactions between such enterprises as consumers and businesses.

One of the challenges faced by financial institutions is managing multiple channels simultaneously—this is particularly true when customers are making payments through different channels, like online and mobile banking. To deal with this challenge in the Europe digital transaction management, financial institutions can use a single platform that supports multiple channels or they can use individual platforms to support different channels. In addition, banks must also consider how their customers are using marketing automation capabilities such as chatbots or voice recognition products.

Top 4 Generates over 64% revenue of Europe Digital Transaction Management Market

There is no doubt that the Europe digital transaction management (DTM) market is booming, as both incumbents and newcomers alike eye the opportunity to capture a share of this growing market.

According to a study by Astute Analytica, four companies collectively generate over 64% revenue of the DTM industry in Europe. These are Adobe, DocuSign Inc, Wolters Kluwer N.V, Entrust Corp. All four companies are leaders in their respective markets and have built strong customer bases that support their continued dominance. This growth can be attributed to a number of factors, including the increasing popularity of electronic transactions and the continued adoption of electronic signatures.

Adobe and DocuSign in the Europe digital transaction management market both offer robust solutions for managing digital transactions. Adobe’s products include document production and signing tools, while DocuSign provides a platform for issuing and tracking electronic signatures. Together, these companies provide an ample suite of features for businesses of all levels of complexity.

Wolters Kluwer N.V.’s strength lies in its wide range of offerings across multiple industries. This includes digital transaction management solutions that help businesses encode, sign, email, print, archive, track access privileges, link PDFs securely to content trees within SharePoint environments etc., as well as offering collaboration software such as Lync Server 2010/2013/2016 (on-premises) / Skype for Business (Online) etc. Entrust Corp., meanwhile offers a hosted solution that helps organizations manage their user identities and authentication needs across multiple channels including on-premises systems.

Electronic Signature Generates over 32% Revenue of Europe Digital Transaction Management Market

According to a study by research firm Astute Analytica, electronic signatures generate over 32% revenue of digital transaction management solutions. E-signatures are still the gold standard for authenticating documents, mainly because they are tamper-proof and can be used to confirm the authenticity of an electronic document without human interaction. Electronic signatures can be used to sign contracts, certify documents, authorize payments, and more in the digital transaction management market. They’re especially useful for businesses that need to send large numbers of documents online or transmit confidential information between different parts of an organization. Moreover, e-signature technology is being adopted more and more by businesses as a way to reduce paper usage and lower costs. What’s more, e-signatures help protect businesses against fraud; users cannot forge or alter an electronic signature.

In digital transaction management market, electronic signatures play a vital role in online transactions. Electronic signatures are created by signing a document using digital signature technology. This technology creates an electronic signature that can be verified and is also immune to forgery. According to our study, over 32% of all revenue generated from digital transaction management comes from electronic signatures. This Shows the importance of this form of authentication in the modern world. Transactions that use electronic signatures are more secure and therefore save both parties time and money. Thanks to the growing popularity of online transactions, electronic signatures will continue to play a major role in the future of commerce.

Top Players in the Europe Digital Transaction Management Market

  • Adobe
  • Ascertia
  • DocuFirst
  • DocuSign Inc.
  • eDOC Innovations
  • Entrust Corp.
  • Kofax Inc
  • Nintex UK Ltd
  • OneSpan
  • Wolters Kluwer N.V.
  • Conga
  • HelloSign
  • Namirial
  • Other Prominent Players

About Astute Analytica

Astute Analytica is a global analytics and advisory company which has built a solid reputation in a short period, thanks to the tangible outcomes we have delivered to our clients. We pride ourselves in generating unparalleled, in depth and uncannily accurate estimates and projections for our very demanding clients spread across different verticals. We have a long list of satisfied and repeat clients from a wide spectrum including technology, healthcare, chemicals, semiconductors, FMCG, and many more. These happy customers come to us from all across the Globe. They are able to make well calibrated decisions and leverage highly lucrative opportunities while surmounting the fierce challenges all because we analyze for them the complex business environment, segment wise existing and emerging possibilities, technology formations, growth estimates, and even the strategic choices available. In short, a complete package. All this is possible because we have a highly qualified, competent, and experienced team of professionals comprising of business analysts, economists, consultants, and technology experts. In our list of priorities, you-our patron-come at the top. You can be sure of best cost-effective, value-added package from us, should you decide to engage with us.

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Archives, Global Logistics, Global Trade Daily, Ocean Ports

SC Ports Remains Fluid while Handling record Volumes in October

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South Carolina Ports handled a record number of containers in October, marking its third busiest month in port history.

SC Ports reported 9% container growth year-over-year as 256,879 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) moved through Wando Welch Terminal, North Charleston Terminal and Hugh K. Leatherman Terminal in October. When accounting for boxes of any size, SC Ports handled 142,276 pier containers last month.

Imports remain strong, with 121,305 loaded import TEUs coming through the Port of Charleston last month, up nearly 13% from last October. This sustained growth is driven by strong consumer demand and a growing Southeast population.

SC Ports recently handled three 1,200-foot ships simultaneously at Wando Welch Terminal — a first for the 40-year-old container terminal that has been enhanced with big ship capabilities and more cargo capacity.

SC Ports also handled 14,365 rail moves at Inland Ports Greer and Dillon, 17,996 vehicles at Columbus Street Terminal and 24,406 cruise passengers at Union Pier Terminal last month.

About South Carolina Ports Authority
South Carolina Ports Authority, established by the state’s General Assembly in 1942, owns and operates public seaport and intermodal facilities in Charleston, Dillon, Georgetown and Greer. As an economic development engine for the state, Port operations facilitate 225,000 statewide jobs and generate nearly $63.4 billion in annual economic activity. SC Ports is soon to be home to the deepest harbor on the U.S. East Coast at 52 feet. SC Ports is an industry leader in delivering speed-to-market, seamless processes and flexibility to ensure reliable operations, big ship handling, efficient market reach and environmental responsibility. Please visit www.scspa.com to learn more about SC Ports.
DHL
Air Cargo, Archives, Global Logistics, Global Trade Daily

DHL Global Forwarding and Air France KLM Martinair Cargo further expand Sustainability Cooperation

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At the Netherland-America Foundation’s (NAF) prestigious annual ball on Friday, 18 November in New York, Air France KLM Martinair Cargo (AFKLMP Cargo) presented its Sustainability Award to DHL Global Forwarding. This award, received by DHL Global Forwarding’s Americas CEO, Tim Robertson, is not only a clear sign of appreciation for the partnership between AFKLMP Cargo and DHL, but also important recognition of DHL Global Forwarding’s sustainability leadership in the logistics sector.

Earlier this year, DHL Global Forwarding and Air France KLM Martinair Cargo announced a groundbreaking agreement under which DHL purchased 33 million liters of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) from AFKLMP Cargo for the period 2022-2024.

Both parties have now agreed to further intensify this partnership by expanding their focus on SAF to include the collaborative development of other sustainability initiatives. Both parties possess valuable knowledge and expertise. Joining forces in this way allows them to create synergies that will enable decisive action to be taken to increase the sustainability of air-freight chain logistics.

In 2020, Air France KLM Martinair Cargo was the first air cargo carrier to launch a fully customer-oriented Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) program. More than 40 companies from all over the world have now joined this program.

In October, AFKLMP Cargo introduced another novelty with the goSAF option, which allows customers to reduce their carbon emissions per booked shipment by making a direct investment in SAF. This new feature in AFKLMP’s myCargo booking portal, seems to be being widely embraced. In the first week alone, after the feature was introduced, an SAF contribution was added to more than 1000 bookings.

Air France-KLM sustainability commitment

In October 2021, the Air France-KLM Group committed to having its decarbonization trajectory validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), ensuring that its targets are in line with the 2015 Paris Agreement to achieve net zero emissions by 2050.

Air France-KLM’s decarbonization trajectory includes an ambitious plan to renew the Group’s airline fleet with next generation aircraft emitting 20%-25% less CO₂.

Searching for greater efficiency in its operations, favoring more direct routes and applying procedures that limit fuel consumption (lighter aircraft, single-engine taxiing, continuous descent) are all part of AFKL’s sustainability efforts. Air France and KLM have set themselves the target of making their ground operations carbon neutral by 2030.

In addition, Air France-KLM is mobilizing the entire sector and is committed to developing innovative solutions for aircraft design, maintenance, engines and synthetic fuels, which will gradually lead to carbon-free aviation.

Deutsche Post DHL Group sustainability commitment

As a division of Deutsche Post DHL Group, DHL Global Forwarding has committed to achieving net zero transport-related emissions by 2050. To achieve this mission DHL recently introduced the GoGreen Plus service. Following the insetting approach, emissions are reduced by replacing the amount of conventional fossil fuel needed with sustainable fuel. Customers can easily pick and choose which parts of their supply chain they want to truly decarbonize. The GoGreen Plus Service can be easily added while booking online, e.g., an air freight shipment via the myDHLi customer platform. The launch of Deutsche Post DHL Group’s decarbonized range of GoGreen Plus services is a crucial milestone in making the global logistics industry greener and more sustainable.

In addition, DHL assesses the sustainability efforts of its partners through the GoGreen carrier evaluation program, which gives preference to carriers with strong environmental performance. Air France KLM Martinair is one of DHL Global Forwarding’s key carriers and has been one of the top three GoGreen carriers for many years.

Hutchison
Archives, Global Trade Daily, Technology

Hutchison Ports BEST Installs Solar Panels

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Hutchison Ports BEST terminal has installed 1,832 solar panels on almost half a hectare of its buildings.

This is an auto-supply installation capable of generating 1.18 Gigawatts/hour of electricity, equivalent to the annual electricity consumption of about 200 homes.

The installed power is almost 1 Megawatt/hour (833.56 Kilowatt hours).

Solar Profit will oversee the installation process.

READ: Hutchison Ports, TIL to develop 7 million TEU mega-terminal at Rotterdam

“These efforts contribute to further reducing the terminal’s carbon footprint, with BEST’s emissions being 65 per cent lower than conventional manual terminals,” said Estefanía Soler, Head of Sustainability at BEST.

BEST is one of the most sustainable terminals in the Mediterranean, with an operation model based on semi-automation and the use of mostly electric cranes.

The terminal is working with the Barcelona Port Authority to electrify its quay and allow ships to connect to electricity.

This solar panel initiative is part of BEST’s sustainability strategy and reinforces its commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 7 of the 2030 Agenda on “Affordable and Clean Energy”.

BEST was inaugurated 10 years ago and is a benchmark in terms of sustainability within the terminals of the Hutchison Ports group, which operates 52 terminals in 26 countries.

In September, Hutchison Ports inaugurated the Port of Jazan City for Primary and Downstream Industries (JCPDI) in cooperation with Prince Mohammed bin Nasser bin Abdulaziz, the Governor of Jazan Region.

The total existing investments at JCPDI sum to about SAR88 billion ($23 billion), although the city still under construction.

learning seegrid
Archives, Education, Global Trade Daily, Technology

How Machine Learning Has Improved Production Factories’ Robotics

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Machine learning, robotics, and manufacturing automation have the potential to disrupt and transform our global economy in the upcoming years. The increased use of robots that are powered by machine learning and artificial intelligence in manufacturing and warehousing means there is a massive rise in efficiency and productivity. Machine learning is quickly improving the capability and competency of robots in production and automated manufacturing. Flexible and large training datasets have led to a marked improvement in several areas. Let’s take a close look at some of them.

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  1. Safety: The use of machine learning in robotics is gradually improving the safety standards of automated workspaces. 2D and 3D image datasets are being used for enhancing the environmental perceptions of all industrial robots. You can get reliable and fast object detection for making sure that powerful machines can avoid human beings and obstacles.
  2. Quality: Better image labeling in the field of robotics, is improving the capability of machines to identify faults and other defects in products that are coming fresh out of assembly lines. Computer vision-enabled cameras in robotics are capable of spotting defects that are not visible to the human eyes. Apart from that, AI-powered inspections may be carried out frequently without dropping the fault detection rates.
  3. Longevity: Machine learning-enabled systems are also being deployed that can be used to carry out the maintenance of other structures and machines. There is a regular use of visual datasets featuring pictures that are properly labeled with examples of wear for training models. These training models are used to spot possible defects in machinery or mechanical problems before there is a catastrophic failure. This type of preventive ML surveillance can improve the lifespan of several vital pieces of equipment.
  4. Product development: One of the more common uses of machine learning is product development. Both things viz. design of new products and the improvement of existing ones require the use of extensive data analysis to achieve the best results. ML solutions help collect and analyze a large amount of product data for understanding consumer demand and uncover hidden flaws to identify newer business opportunities. 

This not only helps in identifying existing product designs but can also develop superior quality products that can develop newer revenue streams for your business. Software developing has played a great deal of a role when it comes to product development, many companies have reached the top through analyzing and fitting software usage to their needs, there are many companies that can do a software business plan and help you achieve the things that your firm is striving for product wise.

  1. Cybersecurity: The solutions using machine learning depend on data, network, and tech platforms for both cloud and on-premise functions effectively. Security of these kinds of data and systems is crucial and machine learning plays a vital role in better regulation of important digital platforms and other info. Machine learning is capable of streamlining the way users will access sensitive data and the type of application they can use. It can also streamline the way you can connect with it. It is extremely useful for businesses to protect their digital assets by detecting anomalies fast and immediately triggering corrective action.

Use of machine learning for robotics in production factories

The various advancements made possible by artificial intelligence and machine learning for robotics have been used in several industries. There are many production factories out there that use AI-driven machinery for production. Some robotics arms that are trained with visual datasets can act as pickers for distribution warehouses. This raises the speed at which items can get moved away from a place. ML-powered robots are being used in automobile factories while using bounding boxes, for identifying vehicles, while they are moving in an assembly line. It allows the cars to avoid possible collisions in a crowded production environment.

Conclusion

The use of machine learning in production and other related processes can provide a significant rise in the efficiency of your manufacturing. This also leads to the development of newer business opportunities. Nowadays manufacturers wish to know how machine learning is useful for resolving specific business issues such as tracing production defects back to some specific steps taken undertaken in the production process. You can also achieve lesser waste with better identification of the presence of faulty components in the earlier stages of the production process. However, newer generations of machine learning must have access to a better quality of training data at a scale desired.

 

fraud panama chain.io depot
Archives, Global Logistics, Global Trade Daily

Depots to Face the Brunt of Container Surplus well into 2023

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The industry is witnessing a major slump in the order-to-inventory ratio with high inventories but slower demands. According to the November edition of the Container xChange Forecaster, this leaves a rippling effect across different stages of container logistics.

One of the glaring issues which will impact container repositioning and container movement well into the year 2023 is insufficient depot space.

“There is just not enough depot space to accommodate all the containers.  With the further release of container inventory into the market (e.g., from the disposal of leasing fleets), there will be added pressure on depots in the coming months.  This will be a key challenge for some and a competitive advantage for others in the business, especially in China because of the empty container repositioning there”, inferred Christian Roeloffs, cofounder and CEO, of Container xChange, the online container logistics platform. 

Talking about the impact of hinterland disruptions and de-fleeting of shipping lines in the coming times, Andrea Monti, CEO at Sogese who also owns container depots in different locations in Europe commented during the Digital Container Summit in October, “Whatever was coming in and out of, for instance, our Milan depot is quite stuck. And the container volume at the depots is increasing to an extent that we are returning some requests for depot service agreements. We are in a situation where we are not able to accept new clients for some locations.”

This peak season, which has technically not happened this year, retailers and companies are more cautious in their stock management strategy as they adjust to the shorter cargo delivery cycle. 

“There is enough inventory with retailers. Once these inventories exhaust in North America and Europe, companies will order again, and demand for shipping capacity will pop back up. This won’t go back to max pandemic levels but certainly be back to the long-term average upward trend. What has happened now is that the cargo is “on time” again and hence you’ll see a slowdown in new ordering as companies adjust to this more efficient turnaround times in ocean freight delivery.” 

“For container owners, this could potentially mean a rise in container storage fee by depots as more containers pile up to disincentivize longer staying containers at the depots.” said Dr. Johannes Schlingmeier, cofounder and CEO, Container xChange

The latest monthly logistics report by Container xChange ‘Where are all the containers’ echoed interesting testimonies on the market situation. 

The average container prices (for trading) and one-way pickup charges (for leasing) for standard containers declined to their lowest in two years in China. These were at $3711 in October in China, declining further (so far) in November.

depot

CAx (Container availability Index) * values are much higher than pre-pandemic – meaning that the inbound containers are significantly higher at the Chinese ports than the imported boxes this year as compared to 2019 (pre-pandemic) and since then. 

One-way pickup charges for standard containers from China to North America are declining month on month since May 2022 from $1773, to $344 in October. (One-fifth of what it was in May)

depot

One-way pickup charges from China to Europe declined from $2845 in January 2022 to $1726 in May 2022 and further to $910 in October

depot 

One-way pickup charges declined by 80% from $1773 in May to $344 in October over the past 6 months at the China-North America stretch, and a 47% decline on the China-to-Europe stretch

“The declining rates and container prices indicate a weakening demand and surplus of containers. The wider this gap, the lower the container rates and prices. The logistic companies have already moved onto the planning for Chinese New Year because of the weak peak season this year”, further added Roeloffs. 

Average container prices fell by 9% from $3609 in September to $3286 in October in the US

Average prices declining in Europe

 Average prices freefall in Asia 

Rising imbalances in supply and demand for containers, rising empty container repositioning to Asia and tighter depot space will be topics for attention well into the year 2023. 

A majority of those polled by Container xChange in the month of October echo that the freefall of container prices is NOT an indicator of global economic normalization well into 2023. Clearly, the industry is not upbeat about the supply chain getting back on track.

About Container xChange  

Container logistics is plagued by intransparency and mistrust. And contrary to the standardized container itself, most processes in container logistics have not been standardized nor innovated — and are still frustratingly complex, manual and error-prone. Combined with thin margins, this makes it difficult for logistics businesses to survive and thrive. 

Container xChange is the leading online platform for container logistics that brings together all relevant companies to book and manage shipping containers as well as to settle all related invoices and payments. 

The neutral online platform…  

  1. connects supply and demand of shipping containers and transportation services with full transparency on availability, pricing and reputation,  
  2. simplifies operations from pickup to drop-off of containers, 
  3. and auto-settles payments in real-time for all your transactions to reduce invoice reconciliation efforts and payment costs. 

Currently, more than 1500+ vetted container logistics companies trust xChange with their business—and enjoy transparency through performance ratings and partner reviews. Unlike limited personal networks, excel sheets and emails you rely on, Container xChange gives its users countless options to book and manage containers, move faster with confidence, and increase profit margins.