Surprise, Surprise. Logistic players including shipping companies are not willing to share sensitive data on the TradeLens platform, so it is decided to close it down.
Maersk announced that it had failed to find willing collaboration globally with all stakeholders in the industry and, as a result, TradeLens was no longer viable as an independent company. Here Maersk’s explanation and motivation why they close TradeLens.
Distrust or….
Lack of trust from rival companies is cited by Maersk as the main reason why it is aborting TradeLens. Main reason: some key central players refusing to share their data on the platform. As many as five of the six largest container shipping companies, and therefore at the same time competitors of Maersk, signed up to the platform. But the necessary trust between the parties was never there says Maersk.
TOP-Five Container Carriers controlling over 60% of global containerisation failing.
Hapag-Lloyd had previously opted not only to bet on TradeLens, but also on Asian counterpart: GSBN (Global Shipping Business Network). COSCO is said to have already set up a partnership with GSBN.
MSC reveals that it is involved in yet another platform. MSC states that they continue to believe that data and document sharing through digitisation remains essential to make container shipping and logistics more efficient, safe and sustainable,” BlaBlaBlaBla….
So, each of the TOP-5 carriers will run “their” platform. Like that will solve the refusal of data-sharing ?
In the meantime, containers end-up in bottleneck terminals unable to move swiftly due to lack of information – read refusal of data sharing. It impacts the efficient transfer from ships-stow to final delivery point – due to lack of information sharing – as it is unknown where a container needs to end-up when loaded in Shanghai. All Logistic stakeholders without exception are refusing to share essential data allowing modal shift and – lets pray – one day to synchromodality whereby the E2E process of a container is flawless, efficient and tailormade to the need of the cargo and its owners. But then again: are there Container Carriers who really care of the cargo owners?
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