automation

Labor strife, tariffs to shadow ocean shipping in 2025

Ocean shippers can’t be blamed for feeling a little seasick. Port strikes, trade concerns, changing carrier alliances and geopolitics will continue to roil maritime transportation in 2025.

Red Sea

The attacks on Red Sea shipping by Yemen-based Houthi rebels that all but shut down the Suez Canal to major carriers and reshaped global supply chains have shown signs of abating. The attention of Iran, the Houthis’ main sponsor, has been distracted by serious domestic issues and Russia, which was...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/labor-strife-tariffs-to-shadow-ocean-shipping-in-2025

Integration will cure the bottleneck for AI in logistics

As generative AI rapidly transforms from a novelty into a necessary tool, it presents extraordinary opportunities for growth and improvement in logistics – but only if freight companies can feed their AI language models with relevant data, says Frank Kenney of Cleo.

In order for AI to be useful to the supply chain, it has to use data that’s specific to the goals the organization wants to achieve. The model used by an LTL firm based in Baton Rouge will differ from the model used by a freight...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/integration-will-cure-the-bottleneck-for-ai-in-logistics

Focus on relationships is the key to navigating market downturns

As a well-established 3PL in the transportation management and brokerage space, Chicago-based Echo Global Logistics has proved that focusing on customer relationships and strategy is the best way to navigate a freight market downturn.

Zach Jecklin, chief information officer at Echo, has been with the company 17 years and has experienced every part of the market cycle.

“We’re ready for a tailwind,” Jecklin said. “It’s been a long bottom part of the market, for longer than we’ve seen in the history...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/focus-on-relationships-is-the-key-to-navigating-market-downturns

Trump backs ILA position on automation

President-elect Donald J. Trump has come out firmly in support of the ILA union position as its negotiations with port employers association USMX continue to bog down over what the employers call “modernization” and the union calls automation — in particular the use of semi-automated rail-mounted gantry cranes (RMGs).

Here’s what President-elect Trump said in a social media post yesterday:

Just finished a meeting with the International Longshoremen’s Association and its President, Harold...

https://www.marinelog.com/inland-coastal/ports-terminals/trump-backs-ila-position-on-automation/

Vooma grabs $16.6M in funding as brokers prepare for market swing

Automation platform Vooma announced Monday it has closed a $16.6 million funding round, consisting of $13 million in Series A funding led by Craft Ventures and a $3.6 million seed round led by Index Ventures with participation from industry angel investors. This investment highlights a growing recognition of AI’s potential to redefine freight brokerage operations by automating repetitive tasks and enhancing productivity. With freight market conditions set for recovery, Vooma’s solutions are...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/vooma-grabs-16-6m-in-funding-as-brokers-prepare-for-market-swing

FreightTech could see boost from Trump’s second presidency

President-elect Donald Trump’s technology policies could boost tools used in the freight transportation industry such as AI, automation, cloud computing and more, experts say.

During his most recent campaign, Trump promoted the advancement of technology within the U.S. with the aim of reducing reliance on foreign tech imports. His upcoming administration could likely provide incentives for logistics and transportation firms to invest in AI, automation and other technologies.

From automated...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/freighttech-could-see-boost-from-trumps-second-presidency

FreightTech experts: 2024 is the year for laggards to catch up

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As the FreightTech industry continued its rapid evolution, 2023 presented unique challenges and...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/freighttech-experts-2024-is-the-year-for-laggards-to-catch-up

Keep the ‘do more with less’ mindset during a tough economic freight cycle

The freight market is inching toward recovery, and although everyone has a different prediction of when the turnaround will be felt, the industry’s boom-and-bust cycles indicate that recovery is inevitable.

In recent years, the trucking industry has embraced TMS technology due to its ability to provide complete visibility into operations through powerful data insights and streamline processes. This has enabled companies to operate with leaner staff by maximizing outcomes and minimizing effort,...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news-keep-the-do-more-with-less-mindset-during-a-tough-economic-freight-cycle

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