COVID-19 shines a spotlight on flexible, digital freight – not enough masks and ventilators in one COVID-19 country hotspot. A lack of testing kits in another. Toilet paper, baby wipes, milk and eggs emptied off the shelves a month later in others.
The dramatic and rolling emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic in countries across the globe is not just a health and financial crisis. It’s a logistics stutter step of roaring surges and cratering drops in both the demand and supply of certain goods at certain times — affecting grocery stores, hospitals, restaurants, manufacturers, retailers and, ultimately, consumers.
One tool that can help with some of these logistics problems is freight analytics. There’s a new class of digital shipping startups that have built smart analytics that use machine learning and cloud-based apps that truck drivers or container ship operators can access on their smartphones. These companies can move quickly and strategically to get in-demand goods to where they’re needed across alternative routes.
Last week, I tuned into an online conversation (aren’t they all these days) looking at the future of tech-enabled freight with the leaders of startups Flexport, FLEXE & Convoy. These tech companies can tap into their networks connecting shippers, carriers and distribution centers and, in particular, using smaller or alternative organizations like independent truckers or premium ocean liners.