Freight forwarders often face problems with visibility due to data fragmentation across systems. Updates and real-time communication are hampered, making operational coordination between various stakeholders cumbersome. And it becomes challenging to deal with international regulations when systems don’t send and receive the latest compliance data on time.Â
Shipping APIs bridge the gap between digital freight software. They enable seamless information exchange between systems. A smooth, secure flow of data automates processes and provides real-time updates for freight procurement and operations. This leads to improved accuracy, efficiency, and collaboration among stakeholders.
This article talks about the benefits of using shipping API for your freight business, how it works, and how it can boost the efficiency of your supply chain operations.
What are shipping APIs? A shipping API is a code that allows different software to securely exchange shipping information with other applications. This integration consolidates shipping information, streamlining operations, and enhancing the efficiency and accuracy of shipping operations, such as tracking, rate calculation, and label printing.
Shipping APIs can integrate with:
Supply chain management systems (SCMs) Transport management systems(TMS) Rate management systems(RMS) E-commerce platforms Enterprise resource planning (ERP) softwares Warehouse management systems (WMS) Accounting software CRM For example, Freightify’s freight rate API can integrate with carrier websites to aggregate shipping rates in a single unified format, making it easy for users to compare rates and eliminating long waiting times to obtain carrier rates. Additionally, the data will be sent to TMS, CRM, and RMS systems, allowing users to compare and procure rates effortlessly while ensuring seamless data flow into their systems for enhanced transparency.
Why are shipping APIs important? Shipping APIs are the backbone of digital technologies used in modern-day supply chain operations.Â
1. Process automation Shipping APIs automate and simplify rate comparison, rate calculation, tracking, updating booking status, and other manual processes associated with freight forwarding. This saves time, resources, reduces costs, and eliminates the hiccups due to human errors. Â
They integrate several logistics functions, creating workflows across systems that establish processes and improve operational efficiency.
2. Cost savings Automating repetitive tasks improves business efficiency and reduces costs by freeing up resources. These resources can be redirected to strategic growth-oriented activities.Â
For example, easy access to rates from multiple carriers allows fair comparison and aids in quick decision-making while choosing carriers for shipping. Access to real-time updates reduces losses due to delays.Â
3. Real-time visibility One of the most prominent benefits of a shipping API is the flow of information it facilitates across systems enabling accurate real-time visibility. These updates can be used to manage inventory, track shipments, anticipate delays, and keep the stakeholders updated, thus improving customer satisfaction.
4. Improved collaboration Shipping APIs facilitate communication and collaboration between shippers, carriers, customers, and other stakeholders in the supply chain. By facilitating integration with systems such as TMS, SCMS, RMS, and CRM, they create a unified platform for stakeholders to share and access information. This ensures all parties can access the same data and work together efficiently.
5. Improved scalability Shipping APIs are designed to handle large amounts of data and high transaction volumes, ensuring that the shipping infrastructure scales seamlessly with the business.
They boost scalability, by enabling users to automate workflows for label creation, shipment tracking, and rate calculation and reduce the need for more manual intervention when shipping volumes increase.Â
These APIs also facilitate real-time access to tracking information, rates, and delivery statuses. This timely data is crucial for making quick decisions and improving customer service, essential as customer bases grow and become more diverse.
Shipping APIs can help businesses find the most cost-effective shipping options by comparing rates across carriers. This cost efficiency is vital for maintaining profitability while scaling, especially when expanding into new markets.
Top 5 Shipping APIs in 2024 1. Freightify API Freightify’s shipping API connects ocean carrier rates and schedules directly to your software, offering real-time access to freight rates from global carriers. It simplifies the process of managing freight rates by eliminating the need to visit multiple carrier websites.
This API is perfect for freight forwarders and logistics companies that need to handle live rates and schedules efficiently. It integrates smoothly with your existing systems like TMS, RMS, and CRM, providing real-time rate comparisons and tracking information all in one place.
Freightify’s API makes rate management faster and easier, helping businesses save time, reduce costs, and improve accuracy. It also ensures secure data sharing and offers seamless integration without disrupting your current workflow.
Key features Real-time rate management
Freightify’s rate management API retrieves and updates the latest spot and contract rates from multiple carriers. It presents these prices side-by-side, enabling customers to make the most cost-efficient and effective quoting decisions.
Automates processes
Freightify’s API easily integrates with other logistics softwares to automate the various steps involved in the shipping process, such as booking, tracking, and invoicing. This creates automatic workflows in the systems and eliminates the need for human intervention and the probability of introducing human errors.
Easy integration
Freightify’s API integrates seamlessly with a wide variety of logistics softwares such as SCMS, TMS, CRM, etc. This facilitates synchronization across fragmented digital platforms, thus increasing the overall efficiency of the supply chain operations.
G2 ratings
4.8 out of 5
2. Searates Searates’s Ship Schedule API pulls together shipping schedule data from different carriers, making it easy to access schedules with just a few clicks. This simplifies the process of finding accurate schedules without manually searching multiple carrier sites.
It’s especially useful for logistics teams and freight forwarders who need up-to-date information on shipping routes and schedules. The API integrates smoothly with most ERP and TMS systems, ensuring that the data is easily accessible within your existing software.
By using Searates’ API, businesses can optimize route planning, reduce delays, and make quicker decisions based on real-time information. It helps save time and ensures more efficient and cost-effective logistics operations.
Key features Freight rate calculation with multi-modal support Searates’s shipping API makes available a detailed breakdown of shipping costs, including surcharges and additional fees for sea, air, and land freight in one place.
Integration capabilities Seatrates’s shipping API can seamlessly integrate with most ERPs and TMS, with the option to customize the API to cater to business-specific needs.‍
Route planning and optimization
Searates’s shipping API determines the most cost and time-efficient shipping route. It also provides access to the data for various shipping routes to help plan future shipments effectively.
4.5 out of 5
3. GComet GComet’s Container Tracking API transforms how businesses monitor container shipments by providing real-time visibility into container statuses. It integrates seamlessly with existing logistics systems, offering immediate updates on container locations.
This API is ideal for shipping companies, freight forwarders, and logistics managers who need to track fleets and manage deliveries efficiently. By providing real-time tracking and customizable alerts, it helps businesses stay informed and make proactive decisions that optimize their supply chain operations.
GoComet’s API enhances operational visibility, reduces idle time, and helps businesses cut costs by identifying the most efficient routes. With detailed reports and analytics, it also supports data-driven decision-making, leading to more efficient and cost-effective logistics management.
Key features Real-time tracking GoComet’s shipping API provides live locations and real-time updates on container positions, enhancing the effectiveness of your supply chain management activities,
Alerts for real-time updates can be customized with GoComet’s shipping API, enabling reliable and strategic decision-making for your business.
Reporting and analytics
GoComet’s shipping API enables access to real-time shipment cost analysis and performance. This data is used to generate custom reports which enable businesses to identify areas of improvement in their operations.‍
G2 ratings
4.8 out of 5
4. Kuehne+Nagel Kuehne+Nagel API Store provides a centralized platform where customers can seamlessly integrate Kuehne + Nagel's logistics services into their own systems. This includes access to various APIs that cover booking, tracking, document management, and emissions monitoring.
Designed for businesses involved in global shipping and logistics, these APIs help automate processes like airfreight booking, shipment tracking, and document downloads. They offer flexibility by integrating easily with existing systems, enhancing the efficiency of supply chain management.
By using Kuehne + Nagel’s API services, businesses can gain real-time visibility, reduce manual tasks, and monitor CO2 emissions, all while improving their overall operational efficiency and sustainability efforts.
Key features Data integration
Kuehne+Nagel’s shipping APIs facilitates a secure data flow for various process involved in shipping, such as rate management, order generation, tracking and tracking, and invoicing, which increases data accuracy in logistics systems and minimizes manual data entry errors.Â
Documentation management
Kuehne+Nagel’s APIs support documentation management for documents necessary in the shipment process, such as commercial invoices, packing lists, etc. This streamlines the process of documentation along various stages of shipping and creates an error-free shipping experience for the customer.
Customizable solutions
Kuehne+Nagel supports customizing API solutions that smoothly integrate with existing shipping software to cater to niche business needs.
5. Flexport API Flexport’s multifunctional APIs offer digital support for a variety of logistics and supply chain operations, helping businesses streamline processes and improve efficiency. These APIs cover areas like customs entries, commercial invoicing, and documentation management.
They are ideal for logistics teams, freight forwarders, and businesses needing a flexible solution to automate tasks such as customs clearance and document processing. Flexport’s APIs integrate smoothly with existing systems, providing real-time access to key shipment details and reducing manual workload.
Choosing Flexport’s API allows businesses to speed up their logistics operations, minimize human errors in documentation, and ensure compliance with customs regulations, all while improving overall supply chain visibility.
Key features Access to customs entries
Flexport API makes detailed customs entry available for your shipments for a hassle-free and fast customs clearance process.
Commercial invoicing assistance
Flexport assists in creating, fetching, and updating commercial invoices with accurate cost calculations and as per the latest customs regulations, reducing the time taken for invoicing processes.
Documentation assistance
Flexport’s API assists in the retrieval and posting of more than 35 types of documents involved in shipping. This feature can help streamline the paperwork process for a business and reduce human errors in documentation.
G2 ratings
4.4. out of 5
How do shipping APIs work The role of a shipping API is to connect the data and processes across separate digital freight solutions so that each software can receive data from different software and still process it without errors.
Different types of freight software exchange and process data in various formats. The data format from one kind of software is not necessarily compatible with data from another software. A shipping API bridges this gap digitally without the need for human intervention. The API will send a request for information from the external server. Upon receiving the request, the server sends back the response, which the API presents in an understandable format to the requesting system.
For example, a freight rate management system API can pull required data from carrier websites, consolidate them, and present it in a unified format to the customer. This allows businesses to streamline the management of rates and improve their efficiency.Â
REST APIs are the most common type of shipping API used in the ocean freight market.
Types of shipping API Various types of shipping APIs assist in shipment processes such as rate management, shipment booking, track and trace, documentation, compliance, and more. Let us look at some of the key APIs used in the market.Â
1. Rate Procurement API Rate procurement APIs provide freight forwarders the latest updated spot and contract rates from ocean carriers. An example would be Freightify’s freight rate API, which not only secures the latest rate for ocean carriers but also consolidates and presents them in a format that makes rate comparison easy. This enables customers to choose the most efficient and cost-effective carrier for their shipment. Any changes in rates are automatically updated through the rate procurement API, ensuring customers always have access to the latest carrier rates.
2. Booking API Booking APIs integrate with logistics softwares such as transport management systems (TMS) and (inventory management systems) to create a hassle-free shipment booking experience. It connects freight forwarders and shippers with carriers to streamline the process of booking shipments, automating manual tasks such as shipment creation, confirmation, and booking digitally without the need for human intervention.
3. Tracking API A shipment tracking API streamlines the process of obtaining real-time updates related to shipping and relaying them to the stakeholders without establishing an in-house tracking infrastructure.Â
Shipping companies provide APIs that can be integrated into existing logistics systems, which can then be used to query shipment tracking information from the shipping company. The company sends the latest information through the API and shipment updates are then relayed to stakeholders.Â
How do you choose a shipping API? Below are the key features you have to look out for when choosing a shipping API.Â
1. TMS integration A shipping API that integrates with TMS systems can offer numerous benefits, such as assistance in label generation, booking assistance, tracking assistance, and returns assistance, simplifying the many steps involved in a shipping process.
2. Carrier website integration One of the most prominent features of any shipping API is its ability to integrate with several carrier websites. Coordinating with carriers, their rates, and their processes manually is time-consuming. Hence, the more carriers the shipping API can integrate with, the more it assists in automating manual tasks involved in the shipping process.
3. Ease of integration A good shipping API assists in hassle-free integration with most third-party logistics softwares. It also provides priority customer support in case of issues.
Best shipping API integration The best shipping API integration, such as Freightify’s API, simplifies logistics operations by offering significant benefits, especially in areas of rate procurement and automating workflows. By leveraging its benefits, businesses can drastically improve the efficiency of their logistics operations, increase customer satisfaction, save costs, and create profitable freight forwarding businesses.
FAQs What are the benefits of a shipping API? Shipping API helps in cost savings, real-time visibility, improved collaboration, scalability, and reach to improve the efficiency of a business.
How does shipping API reduce costs? Automating repetitive tasks improves business efficiency and reduces costs by freeing up resources. These resources can be redirected to strategic growth-oriented activities.Â
Easy access to rates from multiple carriers allows fair comparison and aids in quick decision-making while choosing carriers for shipping. Access to real-time updates reduces losses due to delays.Â
What type of systems can shipping API work with? Supply chain management systems (SCMs), transport management systems(TMS), rate management systems(RMS), e-commerce platforms, enterprise resource planning (ERP) softwares, warehouse management systems (WMS), and accounting software are some of the systems that shipping APIs can integrate with.
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