Air and maritime cargo providers collaborate to provide assisted logistics in order to optimise transport routes and reduce transportation time. They use multimodal transportation to combine different means of transportation (air and sea) to build more effective routes from the warehouse to the client’s door on a constant basis. Communication activation is required for two different cargo providers to collaborate. It is critical for air and sea cargo suppliers to share information such as packing style, container type, transportation time, and so on, as well as determine acceptable transportation routes.
By developing a shared information platform, air and marine freight suppliers can also share information. We believe that the use of information technology will also enable real-time freight tracking and inventory management. By building hub-and-spoke systems, air and marine cargo carriers optimise cargo pickup and delivery. Many goods are aggregated at collection locations, where they are examined, sorted, and ideal routes determined. Tasks that are localised and highly specialised are planned at regional hubs.
Coordination Challenges
When integrating air and marine goods within a logistics network, there are various obstacles and considerations.
• Transit Time: The transit time of air freight differs significantly from that of maritime cargo. Air travel is faster and more reliable, but it is also more expensive, whereas sea travel is less expensive but has a longer transit time. The issue with arranging air and maritime freight is coordinating arrival dates and times.
• Packing Style Transformation: Cargoes are delivered by air and sea in many types of packaging. The packing style must be changed depending on the mode of transportation.
• Risk Management: Natural disasters and other unforeseen events may occur, preventing scheduled transport. As a result, adequate risk management in terms of cargo delivery date and time, freight rates, insurance, and other charges should be considered.
• Communication: Because air and sea goods are handled by separate teams, communicating with the person in charge is critical. Because it can take many weeks or more from departure to arrival by sea, it is critical to develop a situation in which good communication is always maintained. Furthermore, a robust interaction with the airport management structure for air traffic and the port management structure for sea transportation is required.
• Cost Efficiency: There is a cost difference between air and sea cargo. Both means of transportation have advantages, but the most cost-effective way must be chosen. Freight forwarding can be done efficiently while minimising expenses by determining the appropriate combination of air and maritime goods.
• World Customs Organisation (WCO) Activities: The WCO framework is built on risk management to promote both safety and ease of international trade, ensuring smooth transportation and increased security even when air and sea cargo are mixed. The adoption of robotic manufacturing systems and automated warehousing systems, for example, will result in additional efficiency advantages in the handling of air and sea goods.
Future Trends
We believe that air and sea cargo coexist and that merging the two will allow us to handle problems more efficiently and effectively.
• The global EC market has been growing in recent years, as has demand for air and marine cargo
• Multimodal transportation, which includes air and marine freight, is critical for achieving efficient logistics. We predict that in the future, attempts will be made to transition between air and sea freight while optimising transportation routes based on distance to achieve inexpensive and timely transportation. Containerization is one of the factors that has significantly aided the growth of international logistics. We predict that in the future, there will be even more demand for shorter lead times from order receipt to production and distribution, as well as lower logistics costs. We’ll have to think about transportation from this perspective as well.
• We believe it is critical to encourage efforts that cut CO2 emissions and contribute to zero emissions, not just through multimodal transportation that combines air and ocean freight but also through the use of trucks and trains.
• Expansion of the EPA, for example, will allow for freer and smoother trade, which is predicted to boost cargo transportation volume, among other things, and enhance quality. Although cargo routing and delivery times will change, stable logistics can be expected as logistics providers and related companies collaborate to improve logistics system connectivity by sharing information, selecting optimal routes, ensuring quality, and establishing international trade rules.
• Because air and sea cargo transportation costs and times differ, merging the two will allow for more efficient transportation. As a result, we predict that new routes will be required in the future.
• Using innovative technology is critical for smoother interaction between air and marine cargo. Incorporating different creative technologies, including information and communication technology (ICT), digitization, automated cargo handling, high tech onsite logistics, the Internet of Things (IoT), and so on, can result in faster and more accurate cargo transportation. In the Fourth Industrial Revolution era, with the arrival of a society in which the real world and cyberspace are interconnected (CPS/IoT society), including IoT, AI, and big data, it will be necessary to consider management with regard to the automation of vessels and infrastructure in the shipping industry, user interfaces, and the emergence of new services.
Enhanced supply chain
Although air and sea freight are distinct modes of transportation, we believe they complement one another and that having an integrated supply chain can improve transportation speed, accuracy, and efficiency. The introduction of multimodal transportation, which mixes air and sea freight, will improve transportation speed and allow for the transfer of huge volumes of cargo. Air and sea cargo transportation routes and systems are distinct. However, an integrated information management system will allow for cargo tracking and management. Furthermore, by centrally monitoring the status of both air and marine goods, it will be feasible to swiftly identify and address concerns in the supply chain. Improving cargo storage, handling, and quality control efficiency, as well as establishing new transportation methods employing novel technology, are projected to boost supply chain efficiency and lower costs. Each air and sea cargo has its own set of standards, which might cause problems during delivery. As a result, uniform standards must be established. The standardisation will make freight transit, handling, and management easier.
Multimodal transportation, which includes air and marine freight, is critical for achieving efficient logistics
