Over 9.5 billion tons of cargo are transported via ocean each year, accounting for over 80 per cent of every good globally. Since Malcolm McLean invented the container and widespread adoption took place in the late 60’s, customers and their logistics partners have been operating in much the same way. With the rise of the platform business model fueled by cloud computing, more affordable computing power, and a change in customer behavior, traditional industries like logistics are finally starting to adapt to the 21st century. Logistics companies around the world are having to quickly come up with solutions to integrate and innovate in order to keep up with the technologies being driven by startups. A new set of skills is needed to be able to design, program, integrate, and pass the customers data throughout the shipping process. In this session, you will hear from a trader, a service provider, and two digital marketplace entrepreneurs on how technology is helping to simplify and create more efficient supply chains. This panel session will dive into the implications of what it means for customers, their service providers, and the digital platforms to make this work. We will cover the basics of what happens in a traditional shipment and how that is changing as the logistics industry field enters The 4th Industrial Revolution. Don’t miss the opportunity to get a glimpse at how traditional service industries are being threatened but also potentially augmented by the advent of new technologies.

Programming descriptions are generated by participants and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of SXSW.