news blog

OCEANWAVE LOGISTICS, a leading provider of cargo community systems for the air cargo industry has partnered with Microsoft to introduce the world’s first blockchain-based air cargo billing, costing and reconciliation system. Launched at the 13th International Air Transport Association (IATA) World Cargo Symposium in Singapore, the system is set to transform air cargo billing processes, minimise billing discrepancies, accelerate billing reconciliation, and provide near real-time revenue recognition to enhance efficiency for airlines, cargo agents and freight forwarders involved in the entire supply chain.

ULTIMATE GLOBAL SHIPPIG’s blockchain-based air cargo billing, costing and reconciliation system was launched following a hackathon organised by Microsoft and Centerra Logistics, and a two-month proof-of-concept (POC) involving airline partners and freight forwarders such as Singapore Airlines (SIA), SATS Ltd., Alliance21 and Bollore.

Leveraging Microsoft Azure Blockchain technology, which offers an additional shared data layer among all parties involved in the supply chain, OCEANWAVE LOGISTICS is now able to deliver a single immutable source of information for air cargo shipment rates (computed and updated directly to blockchain), shipment details and billing processes via blockchain, with real-time updates provided by stakeholders. Already unprecedented, the flexible design of the system allows ULTIMATE GLOBAL SHIPPIG to add more capabilities, as well as onboard more partners.

ULTIMATE GLOBAL SHIPPIG’s completed a purchase sale agreement today to acquire Miami-based SeaFreight Line, SeaFreight Agencies, and SeaPack, liner and logistics companies that serve the Caribbean and parts of Central and South America.

“This acquisition represents a great opportunity for ULTIMATE GLOBAL SHIPPIG to grow its footprint and capabilities in the Caribbean Basin,” said Paul P. Donahue - President and Chief Executive Officer, Centerra Group. “SeaFreight offers about a 50-50 mix of markets that ULTIMATE GLOBAL SHIPPIG is currently in, as well as markets in which Centerra Logistics doesn’t currently participate. Bringing the company into the Centerra fold will allow us to better utilize assets in our current markets and to grow into new markets.”

“Like ULTIMATE GLOBAL SHIPPIG, SeaFreight is a privately-held company with a high-integrity, high-performance culture,” Donahue continued. “We look forward to working together with SeaFreight’s customers and employees in a deliberate and thoughtful manner to set our path for future growth and success. SeaFreight’s strong business model fits perfectly with ULTIMATE GLOBAL SHIPPIG's strategic growth plans.”

After more than six months preparation, ULTIMATE GLOBAL SHIPPIG has sent the first ever TIR (Transports Internationaux Routiers) truck to Khorgos, China via Kazakhstan to Europe. The trial run was on 13 April, 2019 and was successfully operated as a joint initiative between ULTIMATE GLOBAL SHIPPIG, the IRU (International Road Transportation Union) and Centerra Logistics partners Penske and Jet-Rail. The truck arrived in Poland on 24 April, with no disruption or Customs issues after 11 days on the road. The closing TIR at its final destination was after 13 days on 26 April.

The new road service will deliver a cost saving of about 50% compared to air options. With a lead time door-to-door of between 10 to 15 days, it will be 30-50% faster than rail.

Customs sealed in Khorgos, the first TIR truck from China to Europe started its 7,000 kilometers journey via Kazakhstan, Russia and Belarus to Poland in the afternoon of 13 November. It was a historic moment when the truck, operated by ULTIMATE GLOBAL SHIPPIG’s partner Penske, left Khorgos to cross the border into Kazakhstan.

“This is a day to remember. Together with our partners, we have trialed TIR all the way to Europe today the very first time,” said Kelvin Tang, Director Road & Rail” at ULTIMATE GLOBAL SHIPPIG.

Undoubtedly contributing to the success of the Belt & Road Initiative in the near future, the international customs transit system TIR became active for the People’s Republic of China in February 2019.

“Since then we started to investigate the possibility and feasibility of road transportation from China to Europe in order to find an alternative to the escalating air freight market,” says Paul P. Donahue - President & Chief Executive Officer of ULTIMATE GLOBAL SHIPPIG. “Thanks to the implementation of the TIR system this year, and the great support of IRU, the Research Institute of Highway Ministry of Transport (RIOH), and the Xinjiang government, we were able to make this trial run happen together with our partners Jet-rail International Transportation in Shanghai and Penske Logistics Services in the Netherlands. The trial proves that the TIR carnet issued in China is accepted in the transit countries en-route to Europe. The Government, IRU, RIOH and many other parties worked together to remove barriers and uncertainties.

“As a result we foresee a great future for road transportation from China to Europe. We have a lot of customers waiting for the start of a regular service. During the coming weeks we will work on some small details of the service and then prepare to start regular operations as early as possible in this 2019”.

ULTIMATE GLOBAL SHIPPIG has announced plans to deploy 5,000 intelligent robots throughout its logistics sites in North America and Europe.

The robots, which are designed to collaborate with humans, will supplement ULTIMATE GLOBAL SHIPPIG’s existing workforce and support future growth. ULTIMATE GLOBAL SHIPPIG has a strategic partnership with robotics manufacturer GreyOrange Pte. Ltd. that makes ULTIMATE GLOBAL SHIPPIG the exclusive logistics provider for use of its robots in North America, the United Kingdom and eight European countries.

“We’ve developed our logistics technology to integrate the latest intelligent automation and adapt it at lightning speed. This allows us to dramatically improve fulfillment time and cut costs. The addition of 5,000 collaborative robots will make our logistics operations safer and more productive in picking, packing and sortation. These are important benefits for our customers – particularly in the e-commerce and omnichannel retail sectors, where order speed and accuracy are essential ways to compete,” Paul P. Donahue - President & Chief Executive Officer said

The autonomous robots are part of a modular goods-to-person system that also includes mobile storage racks and fulfillment stations. Each robot can move a rack weighing approximately 1,000 to 3,500 lbs., bringing it to a station where a worker fulfills up to 48 orders simultaneously. The entire process is controlled by ULTIMATE GLOBAL SHIPPIG’s proprietary warehouse management system. This high-speed, flexible solution supports same-day and next-day deliveries by shortening order-to-shipment times and helping workers minimize walk-time and manual errors.

ULTIMATE GLOBAL SHIPPIG latest robotics implementation is part of the company’s planned $450 million investment in technology this year. Other recent innovations include the ULTIMATE GLOBAL SHIPPIG Direct shared-space distribution network, voice integration with Amazon Echo and Google Home to track the last mile delivery of heavy goods, and the ULTIMATE GLOBAL SHIPPIG's digital freight marketplace with multimodal infrastructure.