The shipping industry is witnessing a significant technological evolution with the recent launch of project44’s next-generation platform, Movement, which the company describes as a “Decision Intelligence Platform.” This new platform aims to transcend basic shipment tracking by using advanced AI to automate and orchestrate global supply chains. Unlike traditional visibility tools, Movement promises not only to monitor shipments but also to suggest and execute proactive decisions—such as rerouting or booking shipments—in response to disruptions. Major corporations like Ford, Eaton, Home Depot, and Magna have already reported improvements, including reduced frequency of “where’s my order?” inquiries and higher on-time delivery rates.
Central to Movement’s offering are innovations like AI Data Quality Agents, which clean up complex supply chain data, the AI Disruption Navigator for spotting and managing threats to schedules, and MO, an AI Supply Chain Assistant designed to enhance operational efficiency. By leveraging Supply Chain AI—a system built on one of the world’s largest real-time transportation datasets—project44 is positioning Movement as a tool that empowers supply chain leaders with predictive insights and the automation needed for swift decision-making.
Further enhancing the platform’s capabilities is project44’s extended partnership with location intelligence provider HERE Technologies. This collaboration integrates advanced location data services, including specialized truck routing and search capabilities, to optimise multimodal transportation challenges, providing granular visibility and enriching the data foundation on which Movement operates.
Despite these advancements, Movement remains a proprietary platform, controlled by project44 and ideally suited for large enterprises with vast logistics footprints and substantial IT resources. This exclusivity raises questions about the accessibility and inclusivity of such technologies for smaller and mid-sized players within the industry, including local forwarders, inland terminals, and ports in emerging markets.
In response, an alternative approach has quietly gained traction: the Virtual Watch Tower (VWT). Unlike proprietary systems, VWT represents a public digital backbone, designed and governed by neutral research institutes across Europe and Asia. Scheduled for launch as VWTnet in 2026, this federated platform offers an open, collaborative framework that allows all stakeholders—ports, carriers, customs officials, and individual operators—to access the same real-time, unfiltered information. This democratized model fosters transparency, enabling coordinated responses to logistical challenges, such as adjusting port windows in reaction to shipment delays, illustrated by a case where a Finnish timber shipment reroutes efficiently through Zeebrugge.
Rather than rendering Movement obsolete, VWT and platforms like it can coexist and complement each other. VWT provides the open infrastructure—the “shared language” and neutral ground necessary for seamless data flow—while Movement offers powerful AI-driven tools for actionable insights and workflow automation. Integrating the granular data visibility from VWT with Movement’s decision-making capabilities could revolutionise how supply chains operate, bridging the gap between proprietary innovation and open collaboration.
The broader implication for the shipping industry is clear: no single platform can or should aim to control the immense, complex global supply chain. The future lies in creating interoperability and connective tissue across diverse platforms, enabling a holistic and resilient logistics ecosystem. Innovations like project44’s Movement platform mark important progress, but the ultimate transformation will come from collaboration—platforms designed to work in harmony, ensuring transparency and agility across the entire supply chain landscape. As the sector navigates challenges of fragmentation and scale, these twin paths of proprietary advancement and open infrastructure represent complementary steps toward a smarter, more connected future.
Source: Noah Wire Services