• Smaller Southeast Asian freight forwarders are rapidly digitising operations, leveraging tools like WebCargo Book and Rate & Quote to deliver customer experiences that often outperform larger, legacy-bound competitors.
• A digitally native workforce and platforms like WebCargo Pay enable real-time booking, automated workflows, and improved cash-flow management, giving SMEs agility and transparency in fast-growing manufacturing hubs like Vietnam, Thailand, and Malaysia.
• This digital-first approach allows forwarders to expand markets, grow shipment volumes, strengthen carrier relationships, and set new service benchmarks, positioning Southeast Asia as a potential global leader in logistics digitisation.

While global forwarders wrestle with legacy tech and bloated processes, a quieter digital shift is underway in Southeast Asia. Here, small and mid-sized freight forwarders—many with limited resources—are rapidly modernising their operations and, in many cases, outpacing their multinational counterparts. In a fragmented but fast-growing logistics landscape, size isn’t always an advantage. Smaller Southeast Asian forwarders are proving that speed and adaptability can beat scale—especially when it comes to digital transformation.

“The cumulative effect is that many smaller Southeast Asian forwarders are creating digital customer experiences that rival or exceed those offered by much larger global competitors, despite having a fraction of the resources,” said Joyce Tai, EVP Worldwide Partnerships at Freightos. “In digital transformation, agility and market alignment often matter more than scale.”

With less organisational friction and no outdated tech stacks to unwind, these players are quicker to adopt digital tools. Platforms like WebCargo Book and WebCargo Rate & Quote are being used not as future investments, but as present-day essentials.

A workforce that’s digitally native

A generational shift is also fuelling momentum. As digital-first professionals enter the freight industry, digital booking and quoting tools are no longer seen as optional—they’re expected.

“Unlike their predecessors, they embrace digitisation instinctively—making platforms like WebCargo Book not just useful, but second nature,” Tai said.

This shift is particularly visible in manufacturing hubs like Vietnam, Thailand, and Malaysia, where local forwarders are responding to growing exporter demand for faster, more transparent logistics. What was once a manual, email-heavy process is quickly becoming an automated, real-time experience.

Fintech meets freight

While technology adoption is accelerating, financial friction remains a bottleneck—especially for smaller firms dealing with tight cash flow. That’s where tools like WebCargo Pay are reshaping the playing field.

“WebCargo Pay’s particular strength in Southeast Asia comes from addressing the specific financial and infrastructure challenges of emerging markets while aligning with the region’s digital-forward consumer behaviours,” said Tai.

By removing fund blockages, easing cash-flow constraints, and improving transaction visibility, WebCargo Pay allows smaller forwarders to offer better service and compete more confidently.

“Shippers respond with stronger trust, citing better service experiences, greater transparency, and the sense of a real partnership,” she added. “All of which give smaller forwarders a competitive edge.”

Outpacing the old guard

The results are tangible. Freightos has observed forwarders using real-time pricing and booking tools to expand into new markets, grow shipment volumes, and build stronger ties with carriers.

“WebCargo Pay has helped forwarders in SEA grow volumes, speed up bookings, and manage cash flow more effectively, while also strengthening their relationships with carriers,” Tai said. “We’ve seen forwarders use instant dynamic pricings and bookings to enter new markets faster, expand volumes with confidence, and demonstrate reliability that wins them more shipper business.”

Meanwhile, larger global firms—many tied to legacy systems and slow-moving transformation projects—are struggling to keep pace. What used to be considered “added value” in customer service is rapidly becoming the baseline expectation.

The strategic imperative

What’s emerging in Southeast Asia is more than just regional progress—it’s a test case for the global industry. The rise of digitally agile SMEs is reshaping what service, speed, and transparency mean in freight forwarding.

“The next three to five years will likely see Southeast Asia emerge as a global leader in digital logistics adoption, potentially leapfrogging more established markets,” Tai noted. “Freightos is positioned to play a pivotal role in this transformation by providing the digital infrastructure, market connectivity, and standardisation necessary for the region to realise its potential as an integrated, efficient logistics powerhouse.”