How to Trace Your Containers Using End-to-End Supply Chain Management?
By: Munib Ali
Tags: Container Tracking, Containers, Shipping, Covid 19, Technology

Tracing Your Cargo Containers Amidst COVID-19 Chaos

With 2020 coming to an end, a year long of COVID-19 pandemic makes it evident that supply chains can no longer match the expectations of buyers and sellers when it comes to detailed tracking of their cargo. The problem goes beyond just tracking the cargo, as it also entails the current location and the condition of their goods. Due to the extreme shift in shipping sailings, reliable tracking information of containers has become almost impossible, which highlights the sudden need of an end-to-end supply chain management software.

The pandemic of 2020 didn’t just highlight the weaknesses of current supply chain networks, but also provided us with the path towards being future-proof. All answers point towards one goal- interconnectivity between supply chain links. It may appear as if the problem so far has been lack of technological integration, but that is far from the truth. The problem, as well as the solution, is simply business-sided. Without incentivizing a shared-economy and a collaborative eco-system, individual entities will always repel inclusion.

Now how does this relate to the topic of discussion- inability to track your containers- and how can we work around this challenge?

The solution is to normalize and standardize intermodal data communications between various stakeholders of a supply chain network, so traceability of a cargo container is no longer reliant on one source of data. Seanode consolidates container related event alerts from various sources to ensure 99.99% reliability, even during the period of crisis. Before we dive deeper into data consolidation or interconnected supply chain networks, it is imperative to cover what all this entails;

End-to-end supply chains typically entails several modes of transportation and a wide range of network stakeholders. The origin seller, as well as the end consumer of the goods have little visibility of the location and condition of the product during the transportation phase(s). Each set of phase has its own method of standardization, which makes it nearly impossible for the end nodes of a supply chain to have visibility into the movement of goods.

‍Identifying Common Data Points

Due to the usage of different global standards for identification and tracking between the various transportation modes, it is often difficult to transmit all the information to relevant stakeholders in an intermodal transaction. Visibility of the shipment may be lost to parties other than the current transport operator until arriving at the destination of that transport mode. Buyers and sellers may find this highly inconvenient as they prefer to track their shipments preferably using their own shipment identifiers end-to-end. At the same time, neither party has the power to standardize the data points required for global track and trace.

Cargo Container Tracking

While Seanode as a non-regulatory body cannot provide a global set of data standardization, it can however use its AI capabilities to integrate with other data, logistics and terminal providers. This can allow technical consolidation of data via various sources, and returning back all container related tracking events back to buyers and suppliers.

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Supply Chain Management — “Network of Networks”

As supply-chain links become more and more connected, the flow of information between relevant stakeholders become fluid. This is the essential building block towards gaining both transparency and traceability into your supply-chain. Using Seanode, you and your consumers can track the original source of the materials, how it was made, and how it was shipped to their country. This last element is not only important to maximize profitability but is a major step towards ethical sourcing of goods.

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Geofencing and Satellite Tracking

The key to building trust and protecting the reputation of an entity is knowing the source of all the parts that make up a product. Leveraging technology behind digital supply-chains, organizations can improve supply-chain visibility by tracking both the movement and condition of shipments. IoT sensors and AIS technology measure the temperature of frozen or perishable goods, shock levels as fragile goods are moved, and the location of expensive items via the global positioning system (GPS). In doing so, shippers can help to ensure against spoilage, damage and theft. Having a geofence around all major operational ports in the world means 24/7 visibility of each and every single vessel in the world.

Are you also struggling to track and trace your cargo containers? Let Seanode take care of it.

Learn how Seanode’s supply chain management platform is contributing towards Geofencing technology and tech-enablement, so sellers and buyers can be empowered to navigate through crisis.

You can reach our support team via accounts@sea-node.com