eSUDS for Ocean Carriers to Digitally Speed Confidential Rates to Customers

CargoSphere, the single-rate platform for frictionless rate distribution, networking and cloud-based freight rate management, announced an industry-first, eSUDS or the electronic Smart Upload and Diagnostics Solution. eSUDS allows ocean carriers, through an automated, digital framework, to systemize the process of distributing freight rates to customers online in real time.

With eSUDS, CargoSphere created a 100 percent digital infrastructure, a single platform, for ocean rate and tariff distribution. It serves all parties involved with global containerized transportation: carriers, beneficial cargo owner (BCO) shippers, freight forwarders, non-vessel operators (NVOs) and logistics service providers. This confidential, collaborative process immediately provides customers with visibility to new or amended rates, thus delivering a more efficient and timely process for this traditionally complex, time-consuming and costly aspect of ocean shipping.

The infographic above and step-by-step description below outlines CargoSphere's end-to-end, 100 percent digital rate process for ocean carriers and their customers:

1. The ocean carrier updates confidential contracts, rate sheets and/or global tariffs (surcharges) in its internal system.
2. The carrier's rate system triggers creation of an export file containing new or updated rates, and sends it to the CargoSphere system via sftp.
3. eSUDS detects the new carrier rate file and initiates the diagnostics process.
4. eSUDS reads the carrier file, and converts carrier codes and data structures into CargoSphere Rate Mesh standards.
5. eSUDS inserts updated rates into carrier's CargoSphere cloud system, including intelligently checking whether the rates are new or amendments, and processing accordingly.
6. Updated rates are automatically shared via the CargoSphere Rate Mesh in either the customer's CargoSphere system or on the carrier's website.
7. Customers gain immediate visibility to updated rates, base rates and/or tariffs. Bottom-line rates are available if the carrier is distributing both base and tariff rates.

"We've created an original digital rate infrastructure to advance the global containerized shipping industry for long-term success. By fully automating this process, the industry will achieve significant time and cost savings, and the ease of business desired by all industry participants. eSUDS accelerates the conversion of ocean freight rates to a fully digital environment and provides a simple, standardized process. We believe eSUDS is a huge leap forward in positioning CargoSphere as the single rate platform for all," said Neil Barni, president of CargoSphere.