What is the purpose of the communication channel in global logistics and transportation?

One of the major challenges in global transportation is maintaining visibility and control of freight as it move across borders and is handed off between carriers and intermediaries. Timely information sharing and the use of technology can vastly improve shipment visibility. Proper freight documentation ensures compliance with government regulations and facilitates the uninterrupted flow of goods through potential bottlenecks at border crossings and ports.

Documentation should be a simple issue in this era of information technology but communication channel challenges still exist. Far more documents are involved in a global transaction than in a purely domestic one. Different documents are required by the country of export, the country of import, transportation companies, banks, and the importer. Also, some documents are not yet in electronic format and copies must be physically distributed to each party involved in the transaction.

To combat the challenges and complexity of the communication channel, some global logistics service providers offer international trade document management assistance. These services focus on having the right trade documentation, authenticated by the right authorities, at the right time to keep international freight flowing smoothly.