CARGOCONNECT-JUNE2026 - Flipbook - Page 18
CARGOTECH
Building Resilience in
an Interconnected World
S
upply chains are evolving to
“sense, learn, and adapt”,
automating complex routing,
warehouse operations,
and risk management
without constant human intervention. Processes are becoming
self-orchestrating, driven by
hyper-specific IoT trackers,
Agentic AI, digital twins, and
autonomous 昀氀eets. In short,
connected platforms are
instantly turning global volatility from a risk into a tactical
advantage, a mere challenge to
a digitally agile enterprise.
containers, and coordinate railcar unloading schedules. This allows to predict and
eliminate bottlenecks before they impact
actual vessel turnaround times.
Advanced
Automation
and
Robotics for
the LastMile
Agentic AI
and “SelfHealing”
Supply Chains
AI is no longer just
offering data dashboards; in 2026, it
is executing operations autonomously.
Autonomous AI agents such as HappyRobot and Pactum AI are changing how
freight and routing are managed, equipped
with self-governing software systems that
autonomously handle carrier negotiations,
load bidding, and supply chain rerouting.
They eliminate manual email, voice, and
spreadsheet scrambles by acting directly
within Transportation Management Systems (TMS) based on de昀椀ned operational
parameters. Apparently, logistics managers
today interact with generative supply chain
intelligence tools like Orchestrator, Joule, and
Oracle SCM Cloud to model di昀昀erent market
scenarios, and instantly 昀椀nd alternatives
during disruptions.
HyperConnected IoT
and Real-Time
Visibility
The gap between physical cargo and digital
information has nearly
vanished due to continuous connectivity.
Asset owners are actively equipping shipping
containers and IoT-enabled Unit Load Devices
18 | CARGOCONNECT JUNE 2026
Supply chains are
evolving to “sense,
learn, and adapt”,
automating complex routing,
warehouse operations,
and risk management
without constant human
intervention.
(ULDs) with cellular or Bluetooth trackers to gain real-time updates on location,
temperature, and tampering. For instance,
SkyMind provides a comprehensive IoT
solution for tracking ULDs in the air cargo
industry, and is utilised by major players
to enable live tracking. However, digital
integration across multimodal platforms
like Uni昀椀ed Logistics Interface Platform
(ULIP) is the new digital backbone in India,
speeding up customs, reducing dwell time,
and improving shipment predictability.
Digital Twins for
Ports,
Warehouses and
Terminals
Virtual modelling is
fundamentally changing how hubs manage
physical capacity. Terminal optimisation
is employed to maximise the throughput,
speed, and resource e昀케ciency of maritime
and intermodal freight ports by leveraging
AI, data analytics, and digital intelligence.
Logistics operators utilise digital twins such
as GEMINI by DSP, Envision, AnyLogic,
MaxWhere, SimWell, and AKQUINET to
virtually simulate crane movements, stack
Last-mile delivery remains the supply chain’s
costliest challenge, pushing companies toward automation for e昀케ciency
and scale. Hyperlocal Micro-Ful昀椀lment
Centres (MFCs) and autonomous freight
networks are emerging to bypass congestion
and lower shipping costs. Automation and
robotics can cut last-mile costs by up to 60%
through autonomous sidewalk robots, smart
fulfilment systems, and drone delivery.
Logistics 昀椀rms are increasingly deploying
Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs) powered
by Addverb, GreyOrange, Goat Robotics,
ABB India, KUKA Robotics India, and Bosch
Rexroth India inside MFCs for 24/7 inventory
sorting and packing.
Digital Freight
Platforms
Enabling Supply
Chain Agility
The traditional freight
forwarding model
which was dependent
on paper documents, manual emails, and
spreadsheets, has almost entirely been
replaced by digital freight platforms like
Flexport, sennder, and Freight Tiger that
provide real-time visibility, dynamic pricing,
and improved e昀케ciency for air, ocean, and
road freight. Shippers now leverage modern
platforms for instant digital rate discovery,
online booking, and paperless automated
customs documentation, thereby providing
a “single source of truth” for all stakeholders
in the supply chain. This scalable model
enables logistics brokers and 3PLs to scale
their business operations without added
headcount overhead.
