How Technology is Shaping the Shipping Industry
The world’s shipping companies always try to maximize their efficiency. However, reluctance to adopt innovative technologies works against the industry’s quest for growth. Amidst the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, some brick-and-mortar stores have collapsed as more customers now order products online. Higher consumer demands in this digital age mean that the shipping sector must adapt by leveraging emerging technologies. Here’s how technology is revolutionizing shipping in the modern world.
Eco-friendly shipping
About 90% of the time, ships are used to transport products from warehouses to consumers overseas. However, with increasing concerns about gas-powered ships’ environmental impact, several shipping companies are redesigning their services to be eco-friendly. Recent trends suggest that innovators are looking at ways to develop ships powered by sustainable energy such as wind.
Wind-powered vessels will rely on trade winds and ocean currents to move from one port to another. Although they may not be able to match the speed of gas-powered vessels, they’ll be built from light materials to counter their low speed and increase the freight they can carry.
Smart shipping with IoT
The internet of things (IoT) is set to revolutionize every industry, including shipping. IoT is shaping how the shipping industry collects and processes data. Modern ships equipped with sensors can collect data and analyze it in real-time. This helps streamline the shipping process as they can use data to optimize routes, track goods, and monitor equipment. Following the introduction of GPS, navigation has significantly improved.
Improvement in sensor technology and real-time data collection will eliminate route confusion, allow drivers to deliver goods faster, and cut down costs. Smart technology has opened the gate for delivery sharing; most recently, Uber started offering delivery services using the same innovative GPS technology.
Driverless cars and delivery
Autonomous vehicles are being tested on highways and have been in the system for quite a while now. Top tech innovators like Google and Uber have been pushing for driverless cars to hit the roads. These tech giants spend several millions of dollars trying to improve the hardware and software needed to grant autonomous vehicles the green light to take to the roads.
The first group of self-driving cars was test-driven by Uber in Pittsburgh some time ago, and Uber is confident that driverless technology will greatly transform the shipping industry. While autonomous vehicles aren’t widely used today, the shipping industry can expect to see their use explode moving forward. The Guardian has noted that Rolls-Royce is working on achieving its big dream of launching a fully autonomous ship by 2035.
Trains are back
Over the past couple of years, trains have re-emerged and are back stronger than ever before. Modern trains are now faster and more efficient than the old-fashioned trains of the 1800s and 1900. China has finished work on the world’s longest railway, spanning more than 800 miles between China and Spain.
Trains are rapidly coming back to life because shipping by air is fast but overly expensive, while shipping by sea is cheaper but slower. On the other hand, transporting goods via trains is both quick and cost-effective. If you’re a transport provider looking for shipping gigs, one place to find work is Shiply.
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