Developing a great website is the first step of creating an amazing online presence. Once the website is up and running it needs traffic, and the only way to achieve it is to have a top-notch Search Engine Optimization (SEO) in place. SEO is a perfect blend of art and technology to boost the organic traffic of the website so that it is visible on the Search Engine Result Page (SERP). A company’s website is the only visual representation of the company, which helps in gaining traction from consumers who are in need of its services- the only way to achieve this is to increase traffic by deploying various methods to make sure that the website is user-friendly while maintaining good response time.<a href="https://api.whatsapp.com/message/N4CI7UNDFE2ZM1?autoload=1&amp;app_absent=0&amp;utm_source=web&amp;utm_medium=blog&amp;utm_campaign=general" target="_blank"><img src="https://cdn.cogoport.io/cms-prod/cogo_public/vault/original/Blog Banner WA 1.png" width="auto" style="width: auto; height: auto;"></a>We, at Cogoport, know the importance of having a good SEO score, and use a plethora of methods to make sure, a user who searches for certain keywords, lands on our website. How are we able to achieve the perfect blend of website traffic and user-experience? We have incorporated industry-leading strategies to make www.cogoport.com a best-in-class marketplace for freight.<h3>Proper HTML Structure</h3>Every web developer dreads a website which lacks basic HTML structure and has innumerable errors. An improper structure opens countless pathways for page load errors and broken links. Also, Google’s crawlers pay no heed to a website which lacks structure. Therefore, the entire Cogoport website is written using semantic markup, meaning all the pages have a proper ‘header’, ‘main’, ‘nav’, ‘article’, ‘section’, ‘aside’, ‘address’ and ‘footer’. This has enabled us to score a high page rank score.<a href="https://cogoport.com/signup/en-IN/?utm_source=web&amp;utm_medium=blog&amp;utm_campaign=general" target="_blank"><img src="https://cdn.cogoport.io/cms-prod/cogo_public/vault/original/Blog-Banner-Portal-3.png" width="auto" style="width: auto; height: auto;"></a><h3>Crisp Content</h3>Without a crisp and tailored content, any website is a mere template, and in no way serves the purpose of a platform that a user understands. Our team has created an ironclad SEO-friendly content guideline, which enables us to ease the process for our customers through our high-quality content. A user, who lands on our website easily finds the desired service- this improves our bounce rate and results in a 100% conversion. A high-quality SEO-friendly website contains quality keywords, optimized article length, and a good Page Load Speed.<h3>Meta Tags</h3>Meta Tags are snippets of the text available on the website, they don’t appear on the page itself, but are displayed when the webpage is shown on the search engine page. They provide information to the user about the website’s description. <h3>Canonical Tags</h3>A canonical tag specifies the source URL of a page to a search engine (such as Google). The idea is to declare a single page as its own source or for duplicate pages to reference their source or originating page in order to attain proper indexing. Suppose a single company owns multiple domains, all of them having the same content, Google’s crawlers may mark it as plagiarised- to avoid this we add a canonical tag in the code, letting Google’s crawlers know that all domains belong to a single website.<a href="https://api.whatsapp.com/message/N4CI7UNDFE2ZM1?autoload=1&amp;app_absent=0&amp;utm_source=web&amp;utm_medium=blog&amp;utm_campaign=general" target="_blank"><img src="https://cdn.cogoport.io/cms-prod/cogo_public/vault/original/Blog Banner WA 2.png" width="auto" style="width: auto; height: auto;"></a><h3>Server-side Rendering</h3>Cogoport developers have successfully implemented Server-Side Rendering (SSR) on the website. SSR is a popular technique for rendering a client-side only Single Page App (SPA) on the server and sending a fully rendered page to the client. SSR helps in performing well on devices which have minimum processing power, as the server sends a fully loaded app to the device. SSR allows faster page load speed for our website, which is essential for improving user experience.

Cogoport and SEO - A Perfect Blend

How to Achieve a Perfect SEO Score for Your Website: Tips & Strategies

Shipping is an important and critical part of the global supply chain. How it is managed impacts the marketability of the product, brand image, relations with buyers, and the profit margin of the exporter.
Ocean freight rate, ancillary logistics costs, and end-to-end management of the shipment from pick up to delivery at the final destination become deciding factors in successfully delivering a shipment to its final destination.
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<h3>Why is the Ocean Freight Rate Important?</h3>
Transportation costs are a vital component of the complete cost of taking the product to market. Ocean freight rate is an integral part of the aggregate transport cost.
Although an estimated ocean freight rate is built into the product manufacturing costs, given its volatile nature and impact of currency exchange rates, it keeps changing frequently. When the actual shipment is delivered at a rate higher than estimates taken into account, it reduces the profit margin of the exporter.
This is why procuring freight rate at the right time and from the right service provider is an important part of the entire global supply chain.
Till recently, to ensure that they get the best possible freight rate, exporters would initiate the freight rate enquiry, negotiations, and procurement at least a month prior to the shipping date. The more conservative shippers would start the process as soon as their sales order was approved by the buyer.
Shippers with large annual volumes have the scope to negotiate a volume rate with their freight forwarders or shipping lines, thus they can, to an extent, safeguard their business against unforeseen changes in freight and currency exchange rates.
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Unfortunately, the low volume exporters or new exporters cannot avail of contracted ocean freight rates.
<h3>What&rsquo;s Wrong with the Traditional Way of Booking Freight and Managing Shipments?</h3>
The archaic way of buying freight involved interaction and follow up with least 3 &ndash; 4 shipping lines and freight forwarders for rates. To successfully manage shipment delivery till its final destination, an exporter also had to invest time and effort coordinating with his inland transport provider (trucker), customs house agent, bank, and insurance agent.
Not only was this process tedious but it also required a dedicated resource (sometimes an entire team) to manage the complete logistics of transporting cargo from one point to another. Human errors and communication gaps between various process - service stakeholders further slowed down the process.&nbsp;
<img class="center" style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.439216); font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 25px; letter-spacing: -0.02em;" src="https://prod-cogoport.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/fd6324a8675d27be6a05d8a309256687/Blog%20creative_Tech%20savy_R3-01.png" alt="Traditional Freight Booking Process" width="">
<h3>How is the Age-old Process Changing?</h3>
With technology taking over the traditional way of obtaining freight rates, getting a competitive ocean freight rate from different service providers has become easier, cost and time effective.
Advancements in technology has made it possible for exporters and importers to obtain rates within a matter of minutes from the comfort of their offices. Technology has also facilitated the current industry drive on integrating the different touch points of the global shipping process. Today, it has become possible for all the participants in the long drawn process of global shipping to connect on a single platform and perform their role in the business.
Apart from speed and process integration, the technological revolution in the freight industry has added efficiency and transparency to the entire freight booking and management process.
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<h3>How is Cogoport Simplifying Freight Booking and Shipment Management?</h3>
Being the frontrunner of the technological revolution in the Indian freight industry, Cogoport is working on eliminating the many redundancies and inefficiencies plaguing the freight booking and shipment management ecosystem.
By integrating all the stakeholders involved in the end-to-end shipping process, Cogoport is simplifying freight management and creating an industry environment that is based on trust, transparency,&nbsp;and reliability&nbsp;with speed&nbsp;enabling informed&nbsp;and faster&nbsp;decision making.
It has brought together all the touch points of an international shipping transaction. On the platform, shippers can connect with shipping lines, freight forwarders, truckers, insurance agents, and CHAs. They can obtain rate quotes, place bookings, and track the shipment till its final delivery in real time.
Knowing how time consuming follow up with the multiple stakeholders is, the platform has, to an extent, automated most of the freight management process and empowered the user to search, select vendors, place the booking and track it real time.
<img class="center" src="https://prod-cogoport.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/4ff7b2dd335da693a1cbd19415ffc8da/Blog%20creative_Tech%20savy_R3-02.png" alt="Cogoport Process" width="">
<h3>Salient Features of Booking and Managing Freight on Cogoport</h3>
1. Personalised Dashboard:&nbsp;Create&nbsp;your own integrated global logistics management dashboard to connect all the touch points in your global supply chain.
2. Instant Rates:&nbsp;Get freight rate quotes from multiple shipping lines in a few simple steps.
3. Vessel Schedules:&nbsp;Access the sailing schedules of more than 30 shipping lines in one easy click.
4. Container Tracking:&nbsp;Track your container in real time till it reaches its final destination.
5. Document Wallet:&nbsp;Get&nbsp;your personal digital space to maintain all your shipping documents.
6. Digital Invoicing:&nbsp;Receive, manage, and pay your shipping invoices digitally.
7. Analytics:&nbsp;Get access to market driven freight rate trends and your shipment stats all at one place.
8. RFQs:&nbsp;If you don&rsquo;t find spot rate for your port pair, you can raise a request for a rate quote. Cogoport will do the rest!
To better understand how Cogoport can optimise your international shipping process,&nbsp;<a href="https://cogoport.com/signup">register</a>&nbsp;on the platform and explore the features yourself. Or connect with our customer success team to get an overview of Cogoport&rsquo;s services and products. Go Digital, Go Cogoport!

Manage Exports and Get Rates easily: Cogoport

Cogoport Shipment Process: How to Book, Track & Manage Your Cargo Online

What a week. There were two big logistics events in the Netherlands and I spoke at both. At Mulitmodal Europe in Rotterdam I spoke about container optimization and the repositioning of empties. For those that weren&rsquo;t there I will write a blog post about it and share it here.
The other event was the ICT &amp; Logistics event in Utrecht where I spoke about how booking a container should be just as fast an easy as booking a hotel. A big thank you to the many people that came to the sessions.
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It&rsquo;s too bad both events were at the same time. I still got to meet a lot of new and interesting people, was interviewed about data and freight in the digital era and got a lot of inspiration from what other companies are doing.
Our new President of Supplier Relations &amp; International Growth Flemming Frost accompanied me to all events. Read more about Flemming in the post from our Founder Shekhar <a href="https://www.cogoport.com/blogs/welcome-on-board" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.
I didn&rsquo;t have much time this week, so there are less highlights then usual when it comes to news and interesting reading material that I came across this week. Anyway, here goes:
<h3>The Chinese Economy</h3>
&ldquo;Given that Chinese imports account for nearly half of all container imports moving over U.S. ports, one would be excused for prematurely jumping to the conclusion that U.S. port volumes are at great risk&mdash;as are the logistics and transportation jobs associated with moving Chinese imports from the port of entry to distribution centers and on to final demand markets. But let&rsquo;s not hit the panic button just yet.&rdquo;
&rarr; <a href="https://www.supplychain247.com/article/how_will_the_tariff_war_with_china_affect_u.s._container_ports" target="_blank" rel="noopener">How will the tariff war with China affect U.S. container ports?</a>
&ldquo;China&rsquo;s exports climbed 15.6% in October, versus the same month a year ago, in US dollar terms&mdash;way higher than what analysts expected. The real surprise, though, was the eye-popping 21.4% year-over-year leap in Chinese imports. That&rsquo;s odd given that China&rsquo;s economy is slowing abruptly again, which should translate to sluggish demand for goods from consumers and businesses.&rdquo;
<img src="https://cdn.cogoport.io/cms-prod/cogo_public/vault/original/Blog-Banner-Portal-1.png" alt="" width="300px">
&rarr; <a href="https://qz.com/1456033/despite-us-tariffs-chinas-trade-soared-in-october-it-may-not-last" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Despite US tariffs, China&rsquo;s trade soared in October. It may not last.</a>
<h3>Scrubbers</h3>
&ldquo;The decision on whether to invest in scrubber technology on containerships, ahead of the IMO&rsquo;s 0.5% sulphur cap on 1 January 2020, has resulted in ocean carriers adopting a &ldquo;polarised&rdquo; approach, according to an Alphaliner survey.&rdquo;
&rarr; Carriers still weighing up pros and cons of scrubbers vs switch to low-sulphur fuel
<h3>Logistics Tech</h3>
Gartner has published their predictions on strategic tech trends for 2019 again.
&ldquo;While most shippers, brokers, carriers, vendors, and warehouse operators will agree that the logistics industry is awash in emerging technologies, Gartner said its study focuses only on those trends that have substantial disruptive potential that is beginning to break out of an emerging state into broader impact and could reach a tipping point over the next five years.&rdquo;
&rarr; <a href="https://www.dcvelocity.com/articles/30215-gartner-flags-10-strategic-tech-trends-for-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Gartner flags 10 strategic tech trends for 2019</a>
I couldn&rsquo;t agree more with the quote below, although I think that for the forseeable future there is more to be gained from automating processes, then automating vehicles. Automating processes is one of the reasons our platform increases efficiency.
&ldquo;Most transport companies say innovation and automation will help transform the industry by helping to boost productivity and reduce costs, according to the survey.&rdquo;
&rarr; <a href="https://www.dcvelocity.com/articles/30205-geopolitics-technological-innovation-top-global-transport-industry-concerns" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Geopolitics, technological innovation top global transport industry concerns</a>
One of the barriers blocking the adoption of new technology is one that we made sure is not applicable to our platform: investment. No need to invest. Joining the platform is free and the cost per shipment you pay for using Cogoport are a small percentage of the total cost you save using it.
&ldquo;Barriers to adopting technology persist &ndash; with transport companies citing the major challenges to adopting technology-driven innovation as cost and investment (71%)&rdquo;
&rarr; Automation to Define Future of Transport But There are Obstacles
And two infographics from the people over at FreightWaves on the rise of Transportation Tech.
&rarr; <a href="https://www.freightwaves.com/news/infographics/venture-capital-trends-part-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Transport Tech Rising: Venture Capital Trends (Part 2)</a>
&rarr; <a href="https://www.freightwaves.com/news/infographics/transpor-tech-rising-part-3" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Transport Tech Rising: Venture Capital Trends (Part 3)</a>
Photo by <a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/uUXB3EPgVp4?utm_source=unsplash&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_content=creditCopyText" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mikkel J&ouml;nck Schmidt</a> on <a href="https://unsplash.com/s/photos/container-cranes-rotterdam" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Unsplash</a>

The Chinese Economy and Logistics Tech

This Week in Ocean Freight (09/11/18): Key Market Insights & Shipping News

Technology has revolutionized the way business is performed all around the world. With the introduction of better and more advanced technology, operating business has become much easier and efficient. Technology has affected not only one, but all types of business dealing in different products and services.The Freight industry is one which has seen a significant change in their business operations due to the integration of advance technologies in their systems. Supply chain productivity has risen notably due to these advances and has helped in minimizing cost and error in the industry.Technology has an impact on all operations of the logistics industry, from transportation either by air or ocean, to supply chain management and even shipment tracking.Let’s take a look at the 3 major technological advancements that are changing the freight industry for the better: <img src="https://prod-cogoport.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/1e26e62537de38f6a575358754382542/download%20%283%29.jpeg" alt="download%20%283%29.jpeg" style="width: 981px; height: 654px;"> 1) Internet of Things (IoT):In the freight industry, having access to real time data is very important. The IoT technology is an efficient way of managing supply chain and logistics and making them more organized and error free.&nbsp;Companies have started adopting this technology in order to increase their productivity and optimize their operations. From creating ‘smart warehouses’ which are operated by robots who store, arrange and retrieve inventory with efficient ease, to using IoT sensors for detecting goods, companies have transferred all their logistic operations to be handled by IoT. All IoT compatible devices can communicate, coordinate and connect with each other to perform supply chain management tasks in a synchronized manner. <img src="https://prod-cogoport.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/9ca57f3817a4c3e8ef5a68b0a9787a75/download%20%284%29.jpeg" alt="download%20%284%29.jpeg" style="width: 981px; height: 736px;"> 2) Artificial Intelligence (AI):AI/machine learning is a technology which is being widely adopted by supply chain companies to facilitate better management and growth. AI is the future of supply chain management market. Here’s how AI/machine learning helps the supply chain market:<ul><li>AI helps in better negotiations to get you the lowest price for hardware and software. It also helps you analyse the supply, quality and demands as well as the services, warranties and Mean Time Failure of a product.</li><li>With all the useful data at your disposal, AI helps you analyse it and provides real time advice on how the inventory management can be made more effective.</li><li>Order management can be done in a more accurate and efficient way with the help off AI tools.</li></ul> <img src="https://prod-cogoport.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/c6a229ba5e529e2774e97ac22dd89cda/download%20%282%29.png" alt="download%20%282%29.png"> 3) Cloud Computing:Cloud computing is another technology which has improved the operations in freight industry by providing exceptional data handling solutions. Data is readily available on the internet and can be accessed from anywhere around the world.These are the ways in which cloud computing helps the supply chain market:<ul><li>It allows real-time evaluation of prices associated with each logistics and supply chain element.</li><li>You have access to real-time inventory and thus inventory management becomes simple.</li><li>Your data gets stored in matrices and divisions which helps you find out similar shipping and procurement patterns.</li><li>It allows real-time monitoring and helps in creating accurate models of merge in transit.</li><li>Your entire team can access data regardless of the time and place they are stationed at. This gives way to faster and efficient operation.</li></ul> <h2>Conclusion</h2>Managing supply chain and logistics has become less challenging with the introduction of these technological advancements. There are limitless possibilities for the development of freight industry when it is integrated with technology.

Freight Industry Tech: IoT, AI, Cloud Computing

Technologies Changing the Freight Industry: Innovations in Shipping & Logistics

India has
managed to break into the top 100 countries in World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business ranking. In the
latest rankings published by the World Bank, India was ranked 100. This is a
major progress from the previous year’s rank of 130. 



While this
is an important achievement for the country, India is still lagging behind in
certain important parameters like Trading across Borders, where it is ranked
146 among 190 countries. 



What is Trading across Borders ranking



The
Trading across Borders parameter is important as it measures the efficiency
with which certain compliances associated with the import-export procedure are
carried out. 



For rating performance on Trading across Borders, the World Bank looks at the time and
the cost attached with the logistical process involved in export-import trade of a
country.&nbsp;To arrive at a ranking, World Bank studies the time and the cost
(excluding tariff) attached with 3 sets of procedures namely - documentary
compliance, border compliance, and domestic transport involved in the entire
export-import procedure. 



The digitialisation drive by Ministry
of Shipping



To
improve upon this facet of international trade, the Ministry of Shipping has
made&nbsp;it mandatory to exchange/transfer trade documents - e-invoice, e-payment, and e-Delivery Order - in digital form via the
Port Community System (PCS). Earlier this facility was available only for DPD
container clearance at JNPT Port, but now with the latest notification (link
given below), the PCS facility has been extended to all stakeholders like
terminals, CFSs, ICDs, and other Major Ports where the Port Community System is
available.&nbsp;The Port
Community System (PCS) is the integrated web-based message exchange platform for the entire maritime community
operated by Indian Ports Association (IPA).



The PCS is
directly linked to ICEGate, a portal operated by the Customs to digitalise trade processes
such as filing of import and export documentation, payment, and document status
tracking. This will help in easy transfer of information from one system to
another. (Source: Ministry
of Shipping Notification)



Is it enough?



While digitizing
these processes will definitely help in improving the turnaround time of the
listed processes, at the same time, it is also important to note that these are
not the only issues at Indian Ports that affect the turnaround time of the
shipments. 



According
to the <a href="https://www.livemint.com/Politics/Ss11a6xyvpnhWRTXcaoRnM/Better-port-ecosystem-to-help-boost-Indias-ease-of-doing-bu.html">report</a>,
Port Logistics: Issues and Challenges in
India, authorized by the Niti Aayog, published by Dun &amp;
Bradstreet (DNB) in February 2018, port
congestion, shipping line issues and charges, regulatory clearances, customs
clearances, documentation and paperwork are the major issues that result in
detention and demurrage charges incurred by importers. In other words, these
issues are responsible for causing a delay in processing shipments. 



Among the
points listed in the DNB report, port congestion is the main pain point. If our
ports can work on improving infrastructure issues, it would be easier to implement
and execute the new initiatives. 



Instead of
looking at these parameters separately, it would probably be better if the policy
framers looked at the entire trade activity holistically – which includes documentation,
shipping lines, port operations, traders, policies and laws of trade, and
service providers like CFS, stevedores, rail and road transporters, and terminal
operators. 



A
holistic approach would ensure that in an attempt to fix one problem, we would
not give rise to or disrupt another sector of the trade. The loss
of business and employment suffered by CFS operators providing service when
the DPD model was extended to all importers at JNPT is a case in point. 







To
know more about Direct Port Delivery, click <a href="https://www.cogoport.com/en-IN/blogs/direct-port-delivery">here</a>.Sources:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.worldbank.org/en/businessready">Ease of Doing Business Ranking,
World Bank</a>

<a href="https://www.worldbank.org/en/businessready">Trading
across Borders, World Bank</a>

Ministry of Shipping
Notification

Digitalizing Shipping: Boosting India's Business

Digitalisation Drive by Ministry of Shipping: Transforming Indian Maritime Industry

e-Way Bill Update: CGST Amendment Rules 2018

Amendments to Eway Bill: Latest Updates for Indian Exporters & Importers

Dwell time
is an important metric for both the ports and the trade. For ports, it
helps measure operational efficiency. It aids exporters and importers to arrive
at the container dwell time charges levied by the port. In addition to this, it
also provides them with an estimated time lag for the next container movement –
loading on rail/road for import containers and loading on the vessel for export
containers. 



Given the
impact that dwell time charges have on the total logistics costs of a shipment
and the overall delivery timelines, how it is calculated is of importance to
exporters and importers. 



Hence, in
the last quarterly meeting of all the stakeholders of JNPT Port, CSLA and
MANSA presented this point for discussion. They put forth the suggestion to
take into consideration the actual time of loading/unloading of containers from the vessel and exact time of gate in and gate out respectively. 



Upon due
consideration, JNPT Port has announced revision in the computation method for dwell
time charges and reefer charges. Additionally, it has also decided to offer lashing
rebate to transshipment containers. This rebate was earlier only provided for
normal containers. The new computation method has been made applicable from 1st
April, 2018. 



The table
given below provides a comparison between the existing dwell time charges
computation method and the revised methodology.<img src="https://prod-cogoport.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/e66459dbc74d07720ca9831d91772541/Cogoport_Article_-30th-April%20%282%29.jpg" alt="JNPT Dwell Time Revised Computation" class="center" width=""> <pclass="msonormal" style="text-align:justify">&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Source: JNPT
Port </pclass="msonormal">According
to data shared in an <a href="https://www.joc.com/article/container-dwell-times-indian-major-ports-increase_20180115.html">article</a>
in JOC.com, dwell time at major Indian
ports is a matter of concern. A comparison of dwell time data of some of the
major ports for the April-November period in 2016 and 2017 shows an increasing
trend. During this period, the average container dwell time increased to 2.91
days from 2.57 days at JNPT. It went up to 2.79 days from 2.57 days at Chennai
port and Tuticorin recorded 2.01 days as against 1.96 days. Kolkata Port’s
dwell time went up to 5.6 days from 5.5 days. Taking
into consideration the dwell time trend of the previous year, this move by JNPT Port
should, to some extent, help provide relief to the exporters and importers in
terms of reducing logistics costs.&nbsp;

JNPT Revises Dwell Time and Reefer Charges

Revision in Dwell Time Charges at JNPT: What It Means for Shippers

Given the influence of Information Technology on businesses in the tech-savvy century that we live in today, it cannot be denied that the use of right system software can either make or break the company. If you want your company to not just survive the technology wave, but thrive and grow, it is time to pay a little more attention to the software that your business is using.&nbsp;<img src="https://cdn.cogoport.io/cms-prod/cogo_public/vault/original/Blog Banner WA 1.png" alt="" width="300px">The software that will profit your business the most and ensure smooth business operations depends on a number of factors like your business model, requirements, scale, budget, etc. Broadly speaking, there are two options available– Third Party Tools and In-Built Solutions. We, at&nbsp;Cogoport,provide the best ocean shipping solutions including Third party Tools and In-Built Solutions.&nbsp;Let’s understand briefly what each of these entail.&nbsp;What are Third Party Tools?Also known as Off-the-shelf solutions, these refer to the software that is created by a company to be used on an existing program on a particular system developed by another company.&nbsp;Let’s understand this with an example of a restaurant business- A regular restaurant would require a software that would allow it to keep track of its grocery purchases, orders received and served, etc. So, they can resort to purchasing a Third-party tool, from our company, which allows them to record all these comprehensively on their system.&nbsp;What are In-Built Solutions?An In-built solution is a software that a business gets developed through a software service provider or a software developer on their own terms, in accordance with the particular requirements of their business. Also known as Customized Software Application, it is a way for the business to ensure that they are using a software that has been specifically tailored for them. If you need efficient In-Built solutions at your disposal,&nbsp;Cogoportis the right digital shipping platform for you.In the previous example of the restaurant, if the restaurant also provides online order booking and delivery, then they will need a software system that allows them to record those in addition to other things. If they cannot find a third-party tool that provides this service, they can have their own software developed that allows them to do this.&nbsp;How to figure out which of these is the right solution for your business?The first step to making any decision is gathering as much information as possible. The same goes for choosing between Third-Party tools and In-Built solutions. You begin with figuring out what you need done with that software and then you move on to the next part where you find the software that gets it all done in a cost-effective manner. To make your job easier, we help you choose the right solution and make efficient business decisions.Here are some guidelines to we follow to decide which kind of software is more beneficial under which circumstances:&nbsp;Situations in which you should go for a Third-Party Tool –·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Budget Constraint– It is no surprise that getting an off-the-shelf software costs way less than developing your own software. So, if you are on a limited budget, a financially prudent choice would be to find an in-built software that solves most of your needs.&nbsp;·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Limited Time– Even if you have the financial resources to build your own software, it will still take a considerable period of time, ranging from a couple of months to a couple of years. If you do not have that kind of time to invest, you can go for an In-built Software temporarily while you work on your customized software.·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Technology does not translate to competitive advantage– The kind of software you require and how sophisticated it needs to be, depends on your business model. It makes no sense for a retail furniture store, for instance, to have state-of-the-art system software, as it won’t necessarily convert to more sales or reduced costs, or in any other way give you a competitive edge in the market. Also, customers couldn’t care less about the kind of software you use, unless it means better quality services for them. So, if you are not in the kind of business where advanced technology directly translates into revenue for the business, getting your own software built is an extravaganza you should steer clear of. Get an in-built software and invest the remaining resources (time and money) in something that profits you directly. Withus, you will never face the problem of misguided business decisions and always get the most profitable services.Situations in which you should go for an In-Built Software Solution –·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Yours is a unique business model –If your business is modelled on an out-of-the-box idea, then it is unlikely that you will find any Third-party tool that meets a lot of your needs. This is because the third-party tools are made on a rather general note and they mostly only serve the very basic needs which are common to a majority of the businesses in the sector. And since, your business model is unique, it necessitates the use of an equally unique and customized in-built software.&nbsp;·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Available third-party tools are not compatible with your other programs– Chances are you are using a number of programs to run your business. And therefore, for smooth functioning you need them all to be compatible with each other. But certain third-party tools are not compatible to external programs. So, instead of changing all other programs to suit your third-party tool, it makes more sense for you to get your own software customized that is perfectly in sync with your all other programs.&nbsp;·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Targeting specificities– With an in-built solution, you get absolute control over the software you are using. So, if you are willing to be pro-active about managing your business in, an in-built software would allow you to work on specific targets and request quick updates concerning the areas you would like to focus more on. This is something which is not an option with the Third-party tools.&nbsp;Here, at Cogoport, we incorporate ground breaking technology which helps us in being a leader in our industry.&nbsp;

Third Party Tools or In-Built Solutions

The Right Business Solution: Choosing the Best Logistics Platform

It&rsquo;s been an eventful week for me. In a literal sense actually. I&rsquo;m speaking at several events in 2 weeks time and I&rsquo;m visiting the Smart Mobility Conference in Tel Aviv at the end of this month. Let me know if you are going to any of these and I&rsquo;d be happy to meet up and have a coffee.
Registration for the Tel Aviv event is already closed, but there are still tickets available for the other events:
On November 6 I will be speaking at the Intermodal Europe event in Rotterdam. At 16h10 I will talk about the critical role of container optimization in the era of digital freight. I will focus on the importance of managing empties and how visibility, transparency, and analytics can improve the flow of goods through any supply chain.
On November 7 and 8 I will be speaking at the ICT and Logistics (ICT en Logistiek) event in Utrecht. At 14h45, both days, I will talk about why booking a container should be as easy as booking a hotel, and I will show everybody how this can be done as well.
Be sure to also register for one of my speaking sessions, as the number of seats is limited.
And now quickly on to my highlights of this week&rsquo;s freight and tech news.
IMO
&ldquo;Amendments to Marpol Annex VI were approved in April, during the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC 72), and would prohibit the carriage of&nbsp;fuels that don&rsquo;t comply with the IMO&rsquo;s 2020 low-sulphur regulations.
The amendments are expected to be formally implemented at this week&rsquo;s MEPC 73.
In effect, this means any vessel carrying high-sulphur fuel oil (HSFO), such as the heavy fuel oil (HFO) containerships commonly burn, in special environmental zones would be considered to have breached the 2020 regulations.&rdquo;
&rarr; IMO looks set to introduce ban on ships carrying high-sulphur fuel
&ldquo;Meanwhile, a Norwegian energy consulting firm, DNV GL, recently held a webinar to discuss IMO2020 and the scrubber option, where a ship adds scrubbers to remove sulfur from its exhaust, allowing the continued use of higher sulfur fuel, which is significantly cheaper than ULSD.
One fact in the webinar was sobering: DNV said earlier predictions by the International Maritime Organization, the international organization that is implementing IMO2020, called for 4,000 scrubbers to be installed by 2020.&rdquo;
&rarr; <a href="https://www.freightwaves.com/news/maritime/imo2020-merrill-lynch-report-refineries" target="_blank" rel="noopener">IMO2020 watch: looking to refineries and shipowners to respond to economic incentives</a>
&ldquo;The Trump administration wants pollution limits on ship fuels that a United Nations maritime agency will implement in 2020 to be phased in to protect consumers from any price spikes in heating and trucking fuels, a White House spokesman said on Friday&rdquo;.
&rarr; <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-diesel-trump/trump-administration-wants-phase-in-of-u-n-rules-on-maritime-fuel-idUSKCN1MT2ZP" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Trump administration wants phase-in of U.N. rules on maritime fuel</a>
Global Trade and the Ocean Freight Market
&ldquo;This year, President Donald Trump broke with thirty years of unquestioned orthodoxy on trade policy, attacking trading partners and allies, calling them to account, and erecting new barriers to cheap imports flooding American marketplaces. If Trump broke Washington&rsquo;s conventional wisdom on international trade, his administration&rsquo;s actions also broke long-standing trade flow patterns that shippers, carriers, and intermediaries have used to model supply and demand for years.&rdquo;
&rarr; <a href="https://www.freightwaves.com/news/maritime/freight-forwarders-tariffs-broke-peak-season-in-two" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Freight forwarders: tariffs broke peak season in two</a>
&ldquo;DP World has reported a 2.6% increase in container volumes for the nine months to September&rdquo;
&ldquo;Such is the size of its Dubai operations, that plummeting UAE volumes impacted three-month numbers for the wide Europe, Middle East and Africa region, which were down 4.4% to 7.3m teu for the third quarter.
However, overall volumes for the first nine months for Europe, Middle East and Africa were up 1.7% to 22m teu&rdquo;
&rarr; Market uncertainty impacts DP World volumes, but 'we stay on track'
"We&rsquo;re pro-actively taking action," Todd Bluedorn, CEO of Lennox International. "I&rsquo;m not sure the Chinese tariffs are going to be short term. And so we&rsquo;re taking action to sort of avoid the tariffs by moving to southeast Asia and other low-cost countries that can meet our requirements."
&rarr; Companies Say They're Ready to Move Supply Chains From China
Freight Tech
The Port of Rotterdam is one of the most innovative in the world. A perfect match with Cogoport. One of the reasons our European Headquarters is located in Rotterdam.
&ldquo;In a partnership with Samsung DSD and Dutch bank ABM AMRO, the Port of Rotterdam will test a blockchain system for linking container logistics and payments beginning in January, according to a press release from the port.
The goal of the pilot will be to integrate "physical, administrative and financial streams within international distribution chains," digitally.
The pilot will track a container through multiple freight modes from Asia to the Netherlands, and results will be announced in February.&rdquo;
&rarr; <a href="https://www.supplychaindive.com/news/Rotterdam-blockchain-test-digital-booking/540342/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Port of Rotterdam tests blockchain to link container logistics and payments</a>
A nice infographic from the nice people of FreightWaves on Freight Tech. Good to see that more money is being invested in innovation in the freight industry. Click the link to see it
&rarr; <a href="https://www.freightwaves.com/news/infographics/transport-tech-rising-venture-capital-trends-part-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Transport Tech Rising: Venture Capital Trends (Part 1)</a>
If visibility is your key objective as well, then be sure to register on Cogoport.com. We will give you full visibility of all your shipments.
&ldquo;In its second annual 2018 State of Supply Chain Innovation Survey, Kenco looked at the state of supply chain technology innovation and found that innovation is happening, but that it is iterative rather than explosive. Change is related to the increasing realization that when technology improves processes, it also boosts profits. Visibility is a key objective for most organizations when embracing new technologies.&rdquo;
&rarr; <a href="https://epsnews.com/ebn-online/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Supply Chain Innovation Continues, But Slowly</a>
Photo by <a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/hjEesK4KSDs?utm_source=unsplash&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_content=creditCopyText" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Axel Ahoi</a> on <a href="https://unsplash.com/s/photos/freighter" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Unsplash</a>

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