March 14, 2017 — CargoSmart Limited, a global shipment management software solutions provider that leverages big data for greater visibility and benchmarking, today announced Route Master, the first tool for shippers to discover and optimize their ocean container shipping routes based on weighted parameters. The tool provides new routing options and vessel operator details so that shippers can be more informed to improve supply chain velocity and mitigate risk as new ocean alliance networks go into effect in April. Route Master is in beta release and open to shippers and logistics service providers to start seeing the impact of the alliance and individual carrier network changes on their supply chains and begin planning for the new contracting season.

Starting from April 1, 2017, the new OCEAN Alliance and THE Alliance will kick-off their respective networks and the 2M Alliance will launch new services. Based on the three mega alliances’ proforma schedules announced through March 10, 2017, shippers will experience significant changes in their carriers’ service networks. On the trans-Pacific trade alone, the alliances will offer 18% fewer direct routes and 33% of the routes will have transit times that are shorter or longer by three or more days compared to the member carriers’ alliance offerings before April.

“Shippers are facing vast service changes as they negotiate their contracts this season,” said Lionel Louie, chief commercial officer of CargoSmart. “Route Master empowers transportation planners to gain transparency to carriers’ services and performance. They can now compare the new route options based on their trade preferences to optimize their supply chains and mitigate risk.”

New Route Discovery and Optimization
Route Master automates the process of determining the best routes based on customized parameters including the transit times, reliability, cost, and carriers. Based on carriers’ proforma and actual published schedules, shippers are able to search and compare routes that are between three months in the past and six months into the future. Route Master is the first of its kind to offer visibility to transshipment routes that carriers can offer and may not necessarily be published, saving shippers valuable time trying to search, combine, and run simulations to compare routes for the origin-destination pairs they are considering.

Visualizing the Vessel Operator Mix to Mitigate Risk
Route Master displays which routes are carriers’ own unique offerings and which ones belong to an alliance network. It also shows the vessel operator for each route and calculates on-time port arrival reliability based on the vessel operator of the service. With increased visibility to vessel operators and transshipment routes, shippers can make more informed decisions to reduce risk, increase performance of on-time arrivals, and lower costs by selecting routes based on both carriers and vessel operators.

Route Master Availability
Shippers and logistics service providers can register for the beta release of Route Master at www.routemaster.digital. Shippers who join the beta program can be among the first to try the new tool and start preparing for the alliance changes that go into effect in April.

About CargoSmart
CargoSmart Limited provides global shipment management software solutions that enable shippers, consignees, logistics service providers, NVOCCs, and ocean carriers to improve planning and on-time deliveries. With a growing network of container carriers and terminals, CargoSmart leverages big data sources and a cloud-based platform to offer award-winning sailing schedules, visibility, documentation, contract management, compliance, and benchmarking solutions. Launched in 2000, CargoSmart has helped over 160,000 transportation and logistics professionals to increase delivery reliability, lower transportation costs, and streamline operations. For more information, please visit www.cargosmart.com.