DP World Digital Freight Alliance: Fostering sustainable growth, states a Logistic Middle East news media.
DP World’s Group COO of Digital Technology
DP World’s Group COO of Digital Technology, Mike Bhaskaran, shares how the company’s online platform, Digital Freight Alliance, is revolutionising the logistics and supply chain sectors through a collaborative global business network
DP World‘s Digital Freight Alliance (DFA) is transforming the global freight forwarding industry by offering logistics providers a comprehensive suite of tools, services, and networking opportunities. Boasting a diverse membership of over 5,000 professionals from over 190 countries, DFA provides a collaborative platform for freight forwarders and NVOCCs, equipping them with vital tools, routes, and services to optimise and streamline their operations.
The COVID-19 pandemic has cast a spotlight on the importance of container availability, as surging demand and constrained supply created unparalleled obstacles for freight forwarders. Taking this into consideration, DFA, a membership association, has cultivated a synergistic network that extends payment protection to members utilising its booking platforms and state-of-the-art digital tools.
Mike Bhaskaran, Group COO- Digital Technology, DP World
Supported by DP World’s vast terminal portfolio and robust financial base, DFA is uniquely positioned to overhaul the existing system and reinforce resilience in the face of future challenges.
In this interview, Mike Bhaskaran, Group COO of Digital Technology at DP World, delves into DFA’s impact, challenges faced by the logistics and supply chain sectors, and the future of freight forwarding operations.
An integrated platform
Bhaskaran begins by explaining how DFA first emerged from the SeaRates.com freight booking platform and has since expanded its offerings to cater to the unique challenges facing the region’s logistics and supply chain sectors, noting how the pandemic highlighted the urgent need for a more resilient and adaptable logistics industry: “Whole industry segments found access to containers disappearing due to higher demand, higher competition, and restricted supply, leaving many freight forwarders stuck trying to locate containers at reasonable rates,” he says, adding that DFA puts freight forwarders in touch with each other, in a mutually supportive network, and provides payment protection for its members who do business with each other through a series of booking platforms and digital tools.
He further highlights that the platform provides digital tools and networking opportunities to optimise and manage freight forwarding.
Continuing, Bhaskaran emphasises the organisation’s roots in Dubai’s cultural background, stating that “to understand the philosophy behind how a wider vision grew from this beginning, one needs to know that DFA was born from DP World and that DP World was born from the cultural background of Dubai as an entrepot.”
According to Bhaskaran, DP World perceives the digital revolution as an “alternative engine to create growth,” particularly as barriers to world trade have progressively risen in the last decade.
Long-term benefits
The Middle East market, in particular, has seen a surge in demand for digital solutions, driven by the region’s rapid economic growth and increasing global trade connections. As businesses in the Middle East seek to expand their reach and improve efficiency, Bhaskaran points out that DFA’s digital tools and services are becoming increasingly essential in facilitating seamless logistics operations and fostering a more competitive, technology-driven ecosystem.
He also notes how DFA can assist freight forwarders who need more time or resources to create their own digital systems by providing membership benefits that support digitalisation efforts. “It can act as a plug-in solution that integrates with their existing systems, or as a powerful system they can use outright,” Bhaskaran adds, highlighting that the platform provides logistics service providers with a unique opportunity to access exclusive products developed, maintained, and improved by SeaRates.com’s technology team, through continuous collaboration with logistics companies worldwide.
Elaborating on the platform’s benefits, Bhaskaran reveals that all members can integrate DFA’s Logistics Explorer tool into their website. “Logistics Explorer is the most powerful freight calculation tool created in the industry; it allows members to quote their rates to thousands of customers at any time and get online bookings for FCL, LCL, air, road, rail transport, and more,” he explains, adding that DFA members also gain access to three additional products: The Tracking System, the Ship Schedules tool, and CARGOES Flow.
Digitising global trade
DP World’s global network is instrumental in DFA’s expansion, with membership numbers doubling annually. In addition, the organisation’s portfolio, encompassing ports, technology, marine services, and logistics, helps create sustainable, end-to-end supply chain solutions that reshape global trade, with DFA being an integral part of that solution, resulting in a more efficient international business.
Bhaskaran explains that “DFA has hit a milestone of 5,000 members this year — a number which continues to grow— across over 190 countries around the world.”
Moreover, he emphasises the importance of digitising global trade. “DP World uses its global assets and local expertise to build more flexibility and choice at every stage of the supply chain. DFA is part of that global network and a fantastic example of how we are digitising global trade,” he says, stressing that DFA benefits its members by helping them to digitise, compete and go global in their operations.
He further underlines that DP World uses technology-led solutions like DFA to innovate, build new processes, and bring digital products to the hands of its business partners worldwide.
Looking ahead, Bhaskaran envisions a future of freight forwarding operations hinging on the adoption of modern technology, accentuating that real-time visibility of cargo movement and condition is essential for businesses to make informed decisions and ensure the smooth flow of goods.
“We need to make it easier for cargo owners to locate and find their cargo at any [given] point— there should be no blackouts, and real-time visibility is key to [achieving] this,” he concludes.
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Source: Logistics Middle East
