Multimodal digitalisation gathers pace beyond airfreight

Multimodal digitalisation gathers pace beyond airfreight

  • Freightos is moving beyond its airfreight roots to build a multimodal digital infrastructure, integrating ocean carriers and developing a unified platform that enables forwarders and shippers to search, book and manage rates across air, ocean and ground transport.
  • Growing API connectivity, real-time updates and predictive disruption-management tools reflect the shift from simple visibility to proactive control, supporting customers as logistics operations become more complex and time-sensitive.
  • With major carriers joining and network effects accelerating adoption, the market is signalling strong demand for convergence, positioning Freightos as an interoperability layer that delivers automation, scalability and cross-modal efficiencies.

 

Digitalisation may have taken hold in airfreight earlier than in other modes, but the next phase of transformation is gaining momentum—bringing ocean carriers into the mix and pushing toward a unified digital ecosystem.

“Air cargo is less than five percent of global freight,” said Antonia Ambrozy, Director Revenue Operations at Freightos. “We want to make sure forwarders also get access to the remaining 95 percent, which is mainly ocean.”

Freightos, which has spent years refining digital booking and rate management tools for airfreight, is now working to extend those capabilities across modes. While formal announcements remain under wraps, Ambrozy said developments on the ocean side are progressing. “We’re very much looking forward to showing you another part of our platform… that already includes the ocean side,” she said. “It’s being tested by some of our customers.”

She confirmed that several major carriers are already involved, with more expected to join as the network effect builds. “We’ve signed the major carriers and now this creates a network effect,” she said. “We have a significant amount of supply available that encourages others to join as well.”

Digital infrastructure meets market demand

The goal is to provide forwarders and shippers with a single interface to search, book, compare, and manage freight rates across air, ocean, and ground transport. “We are striving towards having a multimodal platform,” said Ambrozy.

Digital booking has become a default expectation in airfreight—something she attributes to years of steady adoption.

“We got our first digital booking almost five years ago,” she said. “Now we have over one million bookings, and 80 percent of capacity is available for digital booking.”

Replicating that experience in ocean freight has proven more complex. “Just like with the air side, it takes time and effort on the carrier side,” she noted. “But we see the industry opening up more and more.”

API-first, disruption-aware

As forwarders demand not just visibility but control, the next generation of freight platforms is being built around API connectivity and predictive data tools. “Our integrations are connected via API, so they push real-time updates,” said Ambrozy. “Whenever capacity is limited or altered, it reflects immediately.”

The Freightos platform also includes a built-in intelligence tool designed to support proactive decision-making. “Our system already suggests actions to take if there are disruptions—weather, strikes, whatever it might be—so you can preserve customer satisfaction,” she added.

This reflects a shift from passive visibility to active risk mitigation—a necessary evolution as logistics operations become more complex and time-sensitive.

Legacy, competition, and convergence

Freightos’ evolution—from rate management to digital booking and now toward cross-modal integration—has been shaped by long-term engagement with both carriers and forwarders. “We’ve been around for almost 20 years,” said Ambrozy. “We’ve always stayed close to the market, learned from the players, and developed what was needed.”

She sees emerging competition as validation. “It’s great to see there is competition—it shows we’re on the right track,” she said. “At the end of the day, we’re all striving towards making digitalisation in the industry a reality.”

Part of that reality is broader inclusivity. “My management team is all just women,” she noted. “Not because we hired them to meet a target, but because they felt empowered and grew within the company. I’m really proud of that.”

Toward a unified infrastructure

With ground and air capabilities in place and ocean features under development, Freightos now positions itself less as a marketplace and more as an operational infrastructure layer—one that prioritises automation and interoperability across freight modes.

Early indicators suggest strong market appetite. “We’re very close to forwarders, shippers, and carriers,” said Ambrozy. “And all of them are asking us to truly enable one platform where they can book all modes.”

If airfreight set the digital benchmark, the next challenge is convergence. “The industry is really striving towards having multimodal booking and rate management available,” she said. “And now we can enable even more efficiencies.”

Picture of Anastasiya Simsek

Anastasiya Simsek

Anastasiya Simsek is an award-winning journalist with a background in air cargo, news, medicine, and lifestyle reporting. For exclusive insights or to share your news, contact Anastasiya at anastasiya.simsek@aircargoweek.com.

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