Supply chain professionals are bracing for (or already scrambling to adjust to) this year’s installations of disruptive events: shippers are pulling orders forward ahead of tariff hikes; e-commerce by air cargo is adapting as US de minimis closes; importers are rushing to diversify sourcing partners as trade barriers increase; and the container market is primed to face volatility from overcapacity when Red Sea traffic resumes.
But as the last few years have seen one unexpected event after another, more and more logistics professionals are turning to tech solutions for better visibility, strategic insights, and agility.
What follows are some recent developments in logistics technology aimed at visibility and detection of disruptions, as well as progress in the areas of autonomous vehicles, warehouse automation, new examples of AI applications to freight, and more.
Flexport alums arm 3PLs with tools to refine shipper outreach (Journal of Commerce)
‘Smart’ containers could help beat drug smugglers and thieves (The Loadstar)
MSC launches iReefer (Splash247)
Shippers want more visibility data than terminals are providing: survey (JOC)
How air freight can embrace AI (Air Cargo Week)
Apptronik raises round to make humanoid robots (Axios)
Project cargo sector disadvantaged by lag in AI adoption (JOC)
Sotira secures pre-seed to help monetize surplus inventory (FreightWaves)
Incumbents, upstarts strive for lead in agentic AI arms race (JOC)
Kodiak Delivers RoboTrucks to Atlas Energy (Fleet Owner)
Tive’s tools help companies track the status of their shipments in real time (TechCrunch)
Marine insurer group greenlights streamlined eBL approval process (JOC)
Package.ai raises $14 million for logistics delivery platform (DC Velocity)
Symbotic to Buy Walmart’s Advanced Systems and Robotics Unit (WSJ)
Visibility vendors move to extend reach and relevancy in rebalancing market (JOC)
Overhaul raises round to help companies fight supply chain theft TechCrunch
Truckload visibility vendor gets funding to expand sensor network (JOC)
