Top 5 Inttra by E2Open Alternatives and Competitors

What is Inttra by E2Open?

Inttraby E2Openis a shipping e-marketplace. Registered users can use this platform to access information from a network of shippers, carriers and logistics service providers. The platform provides real-time information for forecasting and allocations, access to comprehensive shipping schedules, electronic container booking services, digital documentation, container tracking and supportive analytics for performance grading and decision making.

Inttra Features

Inttra by E2Open has a variety of features from an Ocean Trade Platform and eVGM to Reporting and analytics. Let’s take a closer look:

Inttra Ocean Trade Platform

The Inttra Ocean Trade Platform gives shippers a free, one-stop connection to an extensive ocean carrier network. Shippers can make direct bookings and avail of Maersk spot rates. Shipping instructions can be shared digitally to ensure compliance and meet carrier documentation cut-off times. Once the shipment is on the move, shippers can get real-time status updates and alerts for complete visibility. 

Inttra eVGM

Inttra eVGM is a compliance solution wherein businesses can digitally submit Verified Gross Mass (VGM) measurements to any carrier directly or through a third party. It can be easily integrated with third-party Weight Providers and Terminal Weigh Stations. 

Integrated carriers can receive this information through an EDI message from a Transportation Management System or the web while non-integrated carriers can receive an email submission. 

In addition to streamlining documentation, it makes global compliance easier and lowers the risks of penalties. 

Inttra Reporting and Analytics

Inttra by E2Open offers critical ocean tracking data from multiple sources on a user-friendly interface. This data is presented in the form of pre-built dashboards. 

The Shipment Reliability Dashboard provides visibility over metrics like port performance while the Dwell Time Dashboard offers analytics on turnaround time for different phases of the shipping lifecycle. The Booking Response Dashboard provides insights into various metrics that could affect business performance.

Lastly, the Status Event Performance Dashboard gives shipment notifications to improve planning.

Top 5 Alternatives
to Inttra by E2Open

Inttra is a popular ocean shipping e-marketplace but it is not the only one. From the ease of accessing data to visibility and costing, there are many reasons why you may want to consider alternative platforms to book ocean shipments and track their movement.

Alternative #1

BuyCo

BuyCo is a Container Shipping Platform designed for importers and exporters handling large container volumes. It gives you complete control and visibility over your maritime supply chain. It centralizes all members of the supply chain including partners, forwarders and 95% of carriers so you can find all information in one place. In this way, you can cut down emails, reduce your margin for error, and increase productivity.

BuyCo’s automation features allow you to automate shipping operations from shipment planning and vessel scheduling to carrier booking. BuyCo streamlines daily tasks to ensure that your operations are executed accurately, in-full and on-time, every time.

Finally, BuyCo gives you full visibility over every aspect of your operations. Real-time, multi-sourced container tracking provides you with the fastest, most reliable tracking information, ETA and ETDs, giving you control to avoid exceptions and delays all together. BuyCo’s KPIs and reporting gives you instant visibility into your operations to make processes more efficient, reduce costs, and improve negotiation power with your partners.

Alternative #2

Infor Nexus

Infor Nexus is a cloud-based platform that provides end-to-end supply chain visibility and control. It connects physical and financial supply chain parties including manufacturers, suppliers, brokers, 3PLs and bankers.

Infor Nexus offers real-time demand and supply signals based on historic data as well as the analysis of new information. It offers notifications for opportunities and disruptions and makes prescriptive recommendations. By aggregating data from all the supply chain parties, it provides intelligent data for forecasting and other data-driven decisions.

Alternative #3

CargoSmart

CargoSmart provides global shipment management software solutions for shippers, consignees, logistics service providers and ocean carriers. It connects shippers to over 40 ocean carriers for shipment visibility, documentation and compliance.

It provides easy access to information about sailing schedules and costs in local currencies at the planning stage and allows shippers to submit digital booking requests. CargoSmart allows for the use of template-based shipping instructions and provides a secure channel for the digital exchange of documents. It also offers automated access to arrival notices and centralized visibility over invoices and payments.

Alternative #4

Tradelens

TradeLens is a platform that uses blockchain technology for data sharing and digital supply chain visibility. It connects shippers, freight forwarders, ocean carriers, intermodal operators, terminals and ports as well as financial service providers.

With TradeLens, shippers can share shipping instructions with carriers and receive documents like a Bill of Lading from them. These documents can then be made accessible to port and customs authorities, cargo owners, etc. Throughout this exchange, TradeLens provides a blockchain-encrypted audit trail of who the information has been viewed by or edited to maintain transparency at all levels.

Alternative #5

Fourkites

FourKites is a digital solution for document management and end-to-end, real-time visibility for shipments in the yard as well as those in transit.

It acts as a one-stop digital hub for international ocean shipping documents and allows shippers to define workflows and alerts based on their requirements. It also provides demurrage and detention notifications to help shippers prioritize containers and mitigate unnecessary fees caused by disruptions in ports and the oceans. Once a shipment has been booked, it can be tracked at all stages from the time spent at the yard to its movement over the ocean, road, rail and air.

Things to Consider when Selecting Your Ocean TMS

When it comes to choosing a Container Shipping Platform, several factors must be considered. You need to look into the scope of services available, how they can help streamline and centralize operations, minimize disruptions, the cost factor and more. The weightage given to each of these facets will vary. However, there are certain must-haves as listed below.

Visibility Alone Is Not Enough, You Need Control

In today’s supply chain, it’s obvious that you need container tracking and visibility over your ocean freight. You need to be able to know when exceptions arise so you can react, prepare alternative routes, and notify your customer. However, knowing that your container is going to be late doesn’t do much good if you don’t have the control you need over your operations to be able to swiftly make changes. This is why it’s important to select a digital Ocean TMS that provides you with all the information and capacity you need to make changes to your operations as quickly as possible.

On top of that, it’s important that you select an Ocean TMS that provides you with Carrier ETA reliability. This will help you avoid delays all together and assure your customers that their goods will arrive by the date they need it. BuyCo for example, will give you the average number of days that any given carrier on a certain line is late. This will help you estimate a more reliable arrival date and help you select a shipment that is most likely to arrive on time.

Automation

From searching shipment schedules to booking requests and shipment planning, Ocean container operations take a massive amount of time to prepare. Without the help of automation, organizations lose immense amounts of time, money, and productivity in their operations. Regrettably, this is a completely unnecessary loss for organizations because all these operations can be automated. According to IBM, $180 Billion is lost every year from inefficient processes in the supply chain. To avoid this, be sure that your Ocean TMS provides automation features.

Collaboration

Having data, communication, and document exchanges spread out across multiple different channels reduces productivity, increases your margin of error, and reduces your capacity to gather data for analysis and decision making. To secure your operations, increase efficiency, and optimize your operations, be sure that you have an Ocean TMS that centralizes the members of the supply chain and records a history of all maritime operations so you have a trace. Finally, ensure that the platform easily integrates with your other systems.

Decarbonization

Decarbonization is becoming increasingly important for organizations. Not only do you want to play your part in taking care of the planet, but EU regulations will also start taxing CO2 emissions greater and greater over time. It’s also important for your brand to form an image of social responsibility and sustainability because it’s what the market demands. When selecting your Ocean TMS, ensure to pick one that helps you measure and reduce your CO2 emissions.