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THE COOP QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER

MARCH 2022

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Message from the President

Dear members,

Welcome to the 1st edition of The Coop’s newsletters for 2022. Hope this message finds all of you safe and healthy. After two long years, our lives are finally coming back to normal. Let’s keep our fingers crossed and hope that we will be able to get together under one roof and carry on with our teamwork and social activities like we used to do in the prepandemic times!

In this newsletter, we have included a special feature about the launch of The Coop’s Online Academy and how it will help the members to nurture the skills of their team and enhance their work output. Make sure to check out further course details from our website!

Like always, you will get to read about the latest achievements of your fellow Coop members. Additionally, our reports on the trends of the container shipping situation and the story behind the creation of FreightViewer are going to make for very interesting reads.

Our sector news in focus is about the freight data-sharing platform that is being introduced by the government of the USA. We have also included several news headlines from the supply chain sector. There is an article on the introduction of the Electronic Bill of Lading and how it is ushering in an era of digital transformation for this industry. Make sure to take a look!

Lastly, I would urge all of you to keep up with the good job of collaboration! Keep in mind that the power of collaboration is the foremost factor that helps independent freight forwarders like you to grow their business by obtaining new projects from domestic and international logistics partners.

If you want to feature the news of your company then don’t forget to send us a few lines about your recent achievements!

Happy reading!

Kind regards,

Antonio Torres President and Founder

MEMBERS NEWS

Seven Borders Lojistik Dis Ticaret Limited Sirketi is changing the name of their company to Giritli Taşımacılık A.Ş
Read more

Shine Logistics wins the Economic Development Contribution Awards
Read more

Ilogs Corporate becomes an IATA accredited agent
Read more

Delpa Group celebrates their 25th anniversary
Read more

Infinity Shipping Services celebrates their 15th Anniversary
Read more

Consolidacion Integrada successfully handles an international project cargo containing eight oversized cryogenic gas tanks
Read more

NETWORK

The story behind the creation of The Cooperative's TMS FreightViewer

Our topic for this week is a special report on the beginnings of the Coop’s member-exclusive TMS FreightViewer where Mr. Manual Cardona, the IT Manager of The Cooperative Logistics Network and the Developer of FreightViewer has provided us with valuable insights.

Read the full article

THE COOP STARTS OFFERING LOGISTICS TRAINING COURSES IN ASSOCIATION WITH CIFFA AND CONTAINER XCHANGE

The Coop has launched a virtual academy to help members enrich their knowledge of the freight forwarding industry. Attending The Coop’s online logistics courses will allow members and their employees to expand their industry expertise and stay updated with all the new trends in the logistics sector.

THE COURSES
Presently, The Coop is offering two levels of logistics courses by CIFFA along with a Masterclass on Shipper Owned Containers by Container xChange.

The CIFFA course on INTERNATIONAL TRANSPORTATION AND TRADE will educate you on many pertinent topics like appropriate Incoterms selection, risk management, kinds of documentation, types of equipment, freight rate calculation, etc. This course will cover all the basics of the transportation and logistics industry.

The second CIFFA course is called ESSENTIALS OF FREIGHT FORWARDING. Attending this course will give you a comprehensive idea about several freight forwarding topics like export packaging, warehousing, international payment handling, document preparation, freight insurance, cargo security, alternative transportation, hazardous material shipping, and more.

The Coop members who attend one or more of the above CIFFA courses will get free access to the SOC CONTAINER MASTERCLASS delivered by Container xChange. This is an exhaustive course on handling shipper-owned containers.

Investing in talent is one of the best ways of retaining the best employees who are the biggest assets of independent freight forwarders like you

• BOOST YOUR OUTPUT AND PRODUCTIVITY
• ENHANCE YOUR SKILLS AND KNOWHOW
• STAY AHEAD OF YOUR COMPETITORS
• SAVE MONEY AND TIME
• ENHANCE YOUR SKILLS AND KNOWHOW
• PREPARE FOR GREATER RESPONSIBILITIES
• BOOST YOUR EMPLOYEES' PERFORMANCE
• SHARPEN YOUR IT SKILLS
• ENHANCE YOUR ORGANIZATION'S FRAMEWORK

Enrolling in The Coop’s online courses will boost the future performance of your team, and adapt them to the changes in the industry

INTERVIEW

Kopf + Lübben centralises their air freight operations in FreightViewer and have almost reached 900 quotations generated in the system

Tobias Teichmann is Head of the airfreight department of Kopf + Lübben, a Coop member in Hamburg, Bremen and Frankfurt, and one of the founders of the network. This is a special interview where our topic in focus is FreightViewer, the Coop’s member- exclusive freight rate management software. During the past year, The Coop’s FreightViewer Department and Kopf + Lübben Cargo Services worked closely to improve the software. In this interview, Mr. Teichmann talks about the utilities of this platform and how it is helping their team to accelerate their everyday work processes.

Read the full interview

LOGISTICS NEWS

White House to launch a data-sharing platform for the supply chain sector

The authorities have instructed shippers, carriers, ports, and other players in the industry to create a data exchange infrastructure that could help to enhance freight velocity

The Department of Transportation of the United States has launched the Freight Logistics Optimization Works initiative that aims for enhanced freight data sharing by mid-2022. Since the transportation and logistics sector is mostly run by private enterprises, the authority’s ability to enhance cargo flow is somewhat limited. However, Joe Biden’s Supply Chain Disruption Task Force has united the stakeholders in this sector with three weekly videoconferences for identification of possible roadblocks and discussion of the solutions.

To quote from the fact-sheet of the Biden Harris administration, The Freight Logistics Optimization Works initiative “will test the idea that cooperation on foundational freight digital infrastructure is in the interest of both public and private parties.” More importantly, it will help to address the critical problem of inadequate information sharing among the several players in this sector. Although most companies have substantially worked on enhancing the visibility of their work processes, some are still hesitant about sharing data with others.

Some of the pilot members of this project include terminal operators Global Container Terminals and Fenix Marine Terminal, the ports of Long Beach, Los Angeles, and the Georgia Port Authority, and carriers like MSC and CMA CGM. Other than these, shipping companies like UPS, FlexiVan, Prologis, CH Robinson, Gemini Shippers, True Value, Albertsons, and FedEx are also part of the programme.

MORE LOGISTIC NEWS AT A GLANCE

Fuel surcharges will become inevitable for shipping companies as the War in Ukraine pushes up the price of oil

Since the cost of fuel has crossed $100 per barrel, the shipping companies are all set to hike up the transportation costs

Ports of Tacoma and Seattle to join Port of Long Beach’s digitization endeavours

The two ports will collaborate with the Port of Long Beach to “address supply chain challenges and to increase visibility in cargo delivery and trade opportunities along the West Coast,” says John Wolfe the CEO of the alliance.

DHL acquires six additional Boeing 777 to boost its air cargo operations

“The Boeing 777 Freighter is the most fuel-efficient aircraft in its class and will connect DHL’s global hubs in Cincinnati, Leipzig, and Hong Kong as well as serving other key markets,” says Geoff Kehr the Senior VP, Global Air Fleet Management of DHL Express

Hapag Lloyd to launch premium two-port sea freight shipping services between China and Germany

This is the first-ever China to Europe express sea freight service that will successfully bypass the congested ports in North Europe

Vessel traffic around the ports in Russia goes down by a whopping 54%

The global sanctions on Russia have resulted in a drastic reduction of freight ships in and around the Russian ports

SPECIAL

HOW THE ELECTRONIC BILL OF LADING IS ACCELERATING THE DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION OF THE LOGISTICS INDUSTRY

Technological innovations in the last couple of years have transformed the paper-based Bill of Lading into the electronic formal known as eBoL/eB/L or Electronic Bill of Lading. The new format comes with several important advantages for all the stakeholders of the shipping process.

What is a Bill of Lading?

A Bill of Lading is the most important paperwork you, as an independent freight forwarder, need to handle for any international movement of cargoes. Regardless of the kind of goods you are transporting or the mode of shipping, you will need this document.

The Bill of Lading is a legal document issued by the carrier to the shipping agent. This paperwork includes all the important cargo details like volume, commodity type, destination, etc. It contains the following information:

1. Name and addresses of both the shipper and consignee
2. Reference number/purchase order
3. Shipment pickup date
4. Cargo description
5. Shipment weight
6. Packaging details
7. Details of the independent freight forwarder in charge
8. Special notes or instructions

What is an electronic Bill of Lading?

Simply put, the eB/L is the online version of the paper B/L. It has the same function as the paper B/L but comes with several advantages like security, speed, and accuracy of data. Previously the shippers were required to post the B/L to the consignee in another city or country. However, the electronic B/L saves the hassle and unreliability of a courier.

You can now just mail a copy of the document to the consignee. Moreover, it also allows you to transfer this important doc to any other parties involved in the shipping process.

Benefits of Electronic Bill of Lading

• Instant data exchange
• Paperless process
• Enhanced data security
• Enhanced accessibility

LET'S KEEP GROWING

THERE ARE STILL A FEW CITIES IN NEED OF COVERAGE!

Take a look at the cities needing coverage and tell your friends in the industry about the advantages of becoming a Coop member. If the agent you are referring to eventually becomes a part of our network then you will get a 25% discount on your upcoming annual membership fee.

If you refer more than one agent who successfully becomes a part of our network then you stand a chance to get a maximum of four discounts every year which means that your membership fee could be just 0 for the coming year!

Make sure to spread the word about our network and send us referrals of eligible and reliable freight forwarders!

Examples of cities needing coverage

PUBLIC HOLIDAYS

You can check all the public holidays and details on www.officeholidays.com

THE COOP BIRTHDAYS

ENDORSED MEETINGS

The Cooperative Logistics Network is collaborating with many industry events and members can enjoy exclusive discounts.

Check the list of events