FreighTech24: Highlights and Themes | Freightos

Freightos was delighted to host its seventh annual FreighTech conference recently, bringing together leaders in freight technology and digitalization across carriers, forwarders, BCOs and tech providers once again to discuss progress achieved, explore opportunities for collaboration and imagine the future.

Thinking back on the many presentations, panel discussions and conversations over the course of the conference, a few unifying themes come to mind. 

As the logistics technology sector continues to mature, the number of tools, solutions and platforms that supply chain stakeholders are using (juggling?) are growing too. This proliferation has made the need for – and lack of – industry data standards all the more acute. Likewise, the use of multiple tools and systems (for now) means effective integration is becoming more and more crucial. 

And one of the main objectives of all this digitized data and integration in one source of truth is supply chain visibility, that will not only let logistics experts optimize operations, but also detect and react to disruptions. This last goal became more important as a result of the volatility of the last few years, with supply chain leaders looking more and more to technology to help plan for and manage the inevitable next disruption. 

Though digital efforts generally aim at making logistics more low-touch, reducing the need for direct interaction between shippers and logistics service providers, BCOs and LSPs also emphasized that logistics is still – and will always be – a relationship based industry. The trick is to apply digitalization to improve efficiency while also maintaining relationships where only the human touch can solve problems and add value.

Finally, there was also the discussion of – what’s taking so long??? 

Many in the room expected that the last 15+ years of investment in and innovation focused on freight tech development would have yielded higher levels of adoption by now, especially when compared to similar industries like air travel.  On this front, experts shared thoughts on what’s necessary to speed the rate of progress, adoption and innovation in logistics, alongside a healthy dose of optimism for what the (near?) future may hold. 

We’ll be sharing more detailed explorations and highlights for each of these themes soon, so stay tuned for more posts on:

• Data Standards and Integration as Keys to Effective Logistics Digitalization
• Supply Chain Visibility Now that Volatility is the New Normal 
• The Place for Low Touch Solutions in a Relationship-based Industry
• Is Logistics Digitalization Lagging?