How to Track Import Containers With a Single Software (International Drayage)

Globalization, offshoring, and the notable growth of containerization are changing logistics supply chains. Ports are an integral part of complex supply chains and a way for many businesses to connect their goods with customers in a specific region.

They serve as a logistics center and link into local areas, and whether or not the supply chain runs smoothly through the local ports has a huge influence on your business’s bottom line.

Supply chains have become more complex as goods come from farther away and move across multiple modes of transport. Ports have always played and will continue to play, a decisive role in logistics. But as more of the supply chain digitizes, managing and tracking import containers at ports is becoming trickier for all kinds of businesses.

Let’s discuss why ports are causing a headache for logistics managers with the shipping of international drayage containers and how new technologies are finding a solution to the problem.

The Headache of Tracking Import Containers Internationally

Digitization of the supply chain is becoming easier than ever. However, this is actually making managing and tracking import containers harder.

Currently, when your business wants to track its international drayage shipment, you need to interact with multiple systems and platforms. Every port and railroad has its own platform or website that requires a login to get your shipping container’s tracking details.

With intermodal shipping, this causes an obvious headache. Your business’s logistics teams spend large chunks of time interacting with numerous systems to track a single import container, and you lose the big-picture visibility of where your shipment is. Simple tasks such as knowing how to track your containers efficiently shouldn’t be causing such a headache.

You may also need to search through multiple systems when a kink arises in the supply chain. For example, if there is a custom hold or money is owed. This is all very time-consuming and impacts your operational efficiency.

Example of an International Drayage Shipping Nightmare

Here is an example of why this fractured system creates so many issues with shipping and tracking import containers.

Let’s say that your company has an international shipping container arriving in LA.

To start off with, LA port alone has three mini ports. To collect your import container, you need to find out which port it is at and the correct login for that port.

Your driver then goes to the terminal. But money could be owed, or there is a customs hold. You receive no notification of this issue and have to continuously log in to multiple systems to check and see if any of these problems have arisen, wasting large amounts of time.

Your already busy staff is stressed and continuously checking for updates across all these systems. You don’t have clear visibility of your shipment, and often don’t know about real-time problems in the supply chain.

Your supply chain is disrupted, your employees are unhappy, and your customers are without their products.

This hectic mess is completely unnecessary.

What’s the Solution to This Import Container Tracking Time Catastrophe?

While digitization has been part of the problem, it can also present the solution. Integrated software gives you real-time visibility of your supply chain and makes tracking and tracing your imported shipping containers much more simple and stress free.

Draydex™ is integrated with pier and rail websites for simple tracking of import containers and domestic intermodal trailers. Our proprietary software and professional staff can handle more imports than most others and gives you visibility in a single easy-to-use platform.

Once a shipping container or trailer number is entered into our system, they ping through our technology partner, Trinium. The system automatically tracks and traces the drayage containers with an additional intervention needed from you or your team.

Tracking data is pulled back into Trinium and forwarded into our TMS on set intervals automating the availability and notification process and reducing your team’s need for repetitive logins.