cargo.one launches cargo.one pro - the next generation platform for instant quoting and agent-to-agent bookings with global non-payment protection

Today, cargo.one launched the air cargo industry’s biggest step forward to date in equipping freight forwarders with seamless digital agent-to-agent bookings. cargo.one now enables importers to compare and book rates instantly with other verified forwarding partners 24/7. Export agents can win new business from import agents worldwide, all secured with global non-payment protection.

Before cargo.one pro, procuring rates from abroad took import agents hours or even days – a manual process made more inefficient by agents being located in different timezones, complicating communication. cargo.one pro now offers a step-change experience with the opportunity to browse and book live airfreight and local charges from a wide range of verified export agents around the world. Shipments can be booked day and night, with instant confirmation, routing and airway bill details. Import agents using cargo.one pro will often be the first to quote their customers, beating their competition by a wide margin. In an industry where speed is of the essence, this competitive advantage can lead them to win more business.

Tennesa Chetty from Swift Worldwide Logistics, in South Africa, has already booked numerous import shipments using an agent found on cargo.one pro and believes the speed is unrivaled. She explains, “We often approach three agents and two agents come back the following day. There’s a clear advantage for an agent on cargo.one pro because they are basically the best to meet our turnaround time for quotations. That’s why we do lots of bookings with them”.

cargo.one pro is equally exciting for export agents, who can offer live digital booking to their international partners through the platform. Instead of having to answer hundreds of requests from overseas import agents, export agents now simply receive confirmed shipments as import agents browse and book digitally.

Moreover, cargo.one pro provides an unprecedented opportunity for export agents to make new connections and receive digital bookings from a community of thousands of verified import agents around the globe. Prior to its official launch, export agents have served over 6000 import shipment quote requests from 121 countries without the burden of manually replying to every request.

Hauke Langert, CEO Airfreight at Germany based freight agent Skyline Express International GmbH, adopted cargo.one pro during its development phases and points to its ability to drive new business. He comments, “By using cargo.one pro on both the import and export sides, instead of sending an email to a partner in Asia for example, we are now able to send quotes to clients or to agents within seconds. Since listing our rates on cargo.one pro, we’ve been amazed by the number of our quotes being shared and accepted - it’s a game-changer”.

Moritz Claussen, Founder & Co-CEO of cargo.one, comments, “cargo.one has always focused its innovation on increasing connectivity and making freight forwarders’ lives easier. As an industry, transactions between import and export agents have been neglected and left on the digital sidelines. cargo.one pro is a significant leap forward in empowering forwarders to collaborate globally, with world class digital tools. With cargo.one pro, forwarders are already finding trusted partners and winning new business within hours of signing-up”.

Trust is the foundation of international collaboration between freight forwarders. Inefficiencies in payment processes and concerns over non-payment often lead agents to reject working with new partners and miss lucrative business opportunities. Laying the foundation for a suite of products enabling hassle-free transactions, cargo.one is also launching cargo.one protect, a global non-payment protection program providing payment protection for cargo.one pro enabled import bookings. It delivers agents full peace of mind when transacting with new partners, meaning freedom to expand their reach to all corners of the world.

Glyn Hughes, Director General at The International Air Cargo Association TIACA, believes, “The air cargo industry continues to support global supply chains through enhanced digital solutions. New service offerings facilitated by connected communities and marketplaces will improve air cargo efficiency and will ease the business transactional process. Multilateral based solutions will also open up new relationships with increased connectivity”.

Interest in cargo.one pro from freight forwarder networks has been remarkably strong. Forwarder networks are the foundation of connectivity and security between freight forwarders. In response to their strong interest, and to enable network members to connect through cargo.one pro, cargo.one has launched its Forwarder Network Partner Program. Networks enrolled into the program enable their members to book more easily with other members of the network through cargo.one pro. cargo.one can also offer digitalization workshops, and preferential rates for cargo.one pro.