Container shipper Maersk plans to enhance its Remote Container Management (RCM) platform by introducing a virtual assistant, named Captain Peter, which is designed to assist customers keep tabs of their cargo.
The firm said in a statement that some of its customers have been testing technical improvements that aim to simplify the processes integrated into the RCM platform, set to be released in the first half of this year.
The platform, the firm said, will send “up-to-date information via the customer’s preferred channel, for example SMS or e-mail, on container temperature and atmosphere conditions, as well as a timeline on its end-to-end journey.”
“There is still a lot of paperwork and difficult processes in global trade,” Anne-Sophie Zerlang Karlsen, head of global reefer management at Maersk said.
“Captain Peter will help take care of some of this complexity, by seamlessly engaging with the customer from end to end in the supply chain.”
If the shipment is delayed or any deviations have been observed, the virtual assistant, the company said will notify the customer as well as checking on its state and giving an update once the container arrives at its destination. In the future, Captain Peter is planned to send information to customers based on their specific needs.
“With the number of active users of the RCM platform constantly growing, the aspiration is for Captain Peter to gather enough information to be able to predict potential cargo damage and provide configuration suggestions before containers are shipped,” said Ms Karlsen.
The RCM makes a reefer’s (a refrigerated cargo ship) location, temperature, humidity and power status easily available to the customer and in the event of issues, customers can alert suppliers or have the shipment checked by local surveyors.
Maersk launched the technology in September 2017 and it aims to offer transparency on information from 270,000 Maersk refrigerated containers equipped with the technology.
At present, 2,300 customers have signed up for the solution, the firm said.
There has been a trend toward greater visibility in tracking ocean cargo over the last few years, according to shipping experts. Maersk was one of the early adopters of tracking technology when it began working with ocean data in 2016 to track its ships via satellite.
In 2017, DHL launched Ocean View, which used the company's own transportation management system to provide hourly updates on cargo through an online portal.
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