For time-sensitive or temperature-controlled cargo, most shippers will agree that high-quality, real-time tracking information is crucial. Though that technology can be expensive, the investment is easy to justify when it could mean the difference between an on-time delivery and spoiled cargo. But for general cargo, which does not have strict timeline requirements, it can be harder for shippers to justify that cost. And if shippers do decide to invest in tracking devices for general cargo, rarely is the technology good enough to make a sizable difference to their bottom line.

This was the challenge faced by Maersk Inc., a provider of transportation and logistics services. They felt that the potential value of tracking insights into general cargo was too important to overlook.

In a collaboration with Tive Inc., a tracking and software provider, Maersk designed a proof of concept for a means of keeping tabs on thousands of shipments without having to view each one individually. The higher-level view yielded surprising insights, and confirmed the value of tracking general cargo, not just time-sensitive, high-value shipments.

What started as a shared frustration at the lack of affordable tracking technology for general cargo shipments resulted in not only a successful collaboration between two companies, but also a much-needed advancement in tracking technology and shipping analytics, which will help companies make smarter and more cost-efficient decisions across the supply chain.

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