iContainers, the 100% online freight forwarder, has unveiled its latest digital extension to its online platform. The new enhanced feature, Track & Trace, enables shippers to pinpoint the exact location of their cargo 24/7 in real-time and injects a new level of efficiency and transparency to the ocean freight industry.

Functions of ​Track & Trace

Track & Trace, as its name suggests, provides shippers with their latest cargo status. The service provides real-time container tracking, status updates via push notifications, hence providing customers with a more accurate overview of their logistical timeline. From inland pick-up to arrival at destination, shippers can keep up with their shipment’s status changes at any time, granting them a greater control of their logistics chain from start to end.

Track & Trace works with any shipping carrier. Shippers no longer have to contact corresponding carriers to locate their cargo. That way, they are able to see which carriers can better fulfill their needs as they will have the capacity to review potential delays. Additionally, via their iContainers account, they can access information such as shipment documentation, contracting rates, booking history, and obtain personalized shipping statistics. With this, shippers can save time when making future reservations.

The technology behind the scenes

Track & Trace combines extracted data from iContainers’ own massive data and integrates them with data from other third-party information providers. This data is then consolidated, sorted and displayed on a user-friendly interface and fed to shippers via Track & Trace.

Track & Trace is just the beginning.

Over the coming weeks, iContainers will be rolling out additional tools such inland tracking, one-click reservations, price alerts and more detailed customs information. The enhanced Track & Trace feature is the perfect complement to iContainers’ existing online platform. “Our commitment is to give as much transparency as we can to help shippers make the best decisions for their logistics,” says iContainers co-founder Carlos Hernández. “With this enhanced version of Track & Trace, we expect to obtain an improved understanding of the shipping status which will help us comprehend which carriers provide better services. We’re pursuing the dream to have an index of punctuality like the airlines industry.”

Making informed choices

Delays are not uncommon in the ocean freight market. With Track & Trace, shippers will be able to make better decisions. The real-time shipment status updates allow shippers to make better estimations, hence providing them the flexibility to adjust their logistics chain accordingly. According to an iContainers study, around 20% of containers fail to load on time and 70% of shipments arrive late. Such incidents affect the competitiveness and reputation of companies to whom maritime goods are entrusted.

Technological commitment

iContainers has intensified its investments in technology over the past year. Track & Trace is just one many technological initiativesthe company has made since itslaunch in 2007. Already, with their platform, iContainers allows customers to compare from over 500,000 shipping routes and offers personalized ocean freight quotes in a matter of seconds.

Source: IContainers