Parsippany: Container volumes are back to 2007 levels, according to the boss of INTTRA, the company whose products are designed to automate ocean shipping transactions across the complete shipment process.
INTTRA uses a measurement that uses same store sales/carrier volumes to give it better visibility into volume fluctuations not related to INTTRA growth. From these statistics INTTRA’s ceo Ken Bloom tells Maritime CEO: “We’re now seeing those volumes return to pre-crisis levels.”
However, Bloom does caution that while he feels the worst is over for the liner sector from a volume point of view, there is unlikely to be a full inventory recovery in the industry.
“Globalisation as a phenomenon is maturing,” Bloom says, “which means that trade will no longer grow at such a healthy multiple to GDP growth.”
One of Bloom’s goals for the year is to introduce more customers who are on the INTTRA network to their bill of lading and e-invoice products. “This is the final step to for carriers and customers to realise more benefits of the kind automation and standardisation that INTTRA’s solutions offer,” Bloom says.
Bloom is also determined to get more carriers fully up to speed with e-commerce. In a recent Maritime CEO poll 82% of respondents felt shipping has not fully embraced e-commerce.
Over 525,000 container orders are initiated on the INTTRA platform each week, representing more than 18% of global ocean container trade, something that gives Bloom strong insights into what particular trades are booming and those that are not.
“We do see incredible growth opportunities in trade between China and Southeast Asia, and growth opportunities for imports from Asia to the Middle East as well,” the ceo says.
Imports to Europe remain a challenge, Bloom says, so the growth for the next 18-24 months is going to come from US consumption, and that will drive exports from Asia, India and South America. INTTRA is also seeing more exports from South America to China, an “interesting” growing trend for Bloom.
Yesterday saw the online platform launch a new member service that enables shippers to purchase cargo insurance from marine insurance specialist, FP Marine Risks, via INTTRA. [10/04/13]
