Zencargo, a global digital freight forwarder, empowering businesses to make their supply chain a competitive advantage, is proud to announce the renewal of its partnership with Denkavit with a new two-year contract focused on scaling global exports from the Netherlands to markets worldwide.
For over three years, Denkavit has partnered with Zencargo to manage its outbound ocean freight. Known for its young animal nutrition feed, Denkavit exports from the Netherlands to customers across the globe. The renewed two-year partnership reflects the value Zencargo delivers in enabling supply chain visibility and control.
As Denkavit’s control tower partner, Zencargo oversees all ocean freight bookings and coordinates with carriers and logistics providers to ensure timely, efficient global shipments. The Zencargo platform offers centralised booking management, milestone tracking, and performance insights.
Beyond execution, Zencargo supports Denkavit in optimising carrier performance. This includes providing detailed operational feedback, performance data, and managing escalations. These efforts strengthen partner collaboration and reduce risk across trade lanes.
“Zencargo has become an extension of our team,” said Gerard Van Beek, Logistics Sourcing Manager at Denkavit. “We work together closely on a daily basis to manage bookings, solve issues, and improve carrier performance. Their platform gives us the visibility we need, but it’s the ongoing collaboration and strategic input that drive better outcomes across our operations.”
“Denkavit has a clear vision for quality and reliability across their supply chain,” said Kyle Ingerman, VP Customer Success. “We’re proud to help them deliver on that vision by combining real-time visibility, agile execution, and strategic insights that improve performance year after year.”
The benefits of e-documentation in logistics are improved collaboration, operational efficiency and substantial reduction in costs.
For years, the transport sector has relied on the use of paper documents. However, with sustainability now at the forefront of people’s minds, it’s time to replace certain ‘traditional’ practices with a more digital approach. The need for digitalisation has somewhat been hurried along in recent times too, with regulations – particularly the upcoming eFTI regulation and mandatory eCMR regulations – leaving businesses with no choice but to adapt. However, some businesses have been slow to respond, but greater awareness of the tangible benefits of paperless transport could ensure that legislation serves merely as an additional incentive, rather than the primary driver.
The current state of play
Each transport operation requires more than a dozen different paper documents, whether that is making agreements and organising processes to assigning responsibilities or collecting evidence. According to Trans.eu’s transport market 2024/2025 report, about 99% of the documents used in the sector are still paper.
A survey by ODeX highlights several reasons for the sector’s slow uptake of digital tools. The main reason is that 25% of respondents to the survey stated they were concerned about data security when using these tools. On top of this, more than 20% of shippers stated that they were unaware of the existence of digital solutions and what they offer. Also, 15% indicate insufficient adaptability and/or experience in using digital tools, followed by implementation costs.
“We see large differences in e-document adoption by sector and modes of transport. While aviation and maritime are leading the way, led by standardisation efforts and the complexity of global trade, road transport is digitising significantly slower due to its localised nature and varying regulations,” said Gerry Daalhuisen, Senior Director of Dock & Yard / Fleet Products at Transporeon. “Also, large companies often deploy advanced technologies faster than smaller ones and that the B2C sector is adopting the change faster than the B2B sector. Some logistics companies are choosing to reduce investment in yet non-essential digital tools due to reduced freight volumes and revenues, but on the other hand, many companies are also increasingly investing in their business to be more resilient with regard to the current geopolitical and economic environment.”
eCMR:a first step towards a paperless sector
The digital consignment note, or eCMR, represents a crucial first step in the shift to a paperless industry. Its use is expected to become mandatory in July 2027. By then, the eFTI Regulation should also be fully in force, encouraging authorities in EU Member States to accept electronically shared information via certified eFTI platforms.
Regardless of whether e-documentation is mandatory or not, adopting paperless processes can provide significant benefits to transportation businesses. One example of this can be found in the switch from a paper bill of lading to eCMR. The entire process, which includes document preparation, freight inspection, confirmation of delivery and other administrative tasks, takes about 23 minutes in the current paper-based process. If the freight order is processed digitally, this is reduced to 9 minutes, according to research by SIRA Consulting Research for the Danish Ministry of Transport.
This time saving of nearly a quarter of an hour translates into significant financial savings. In total, the European transport logistics sector could save as much as €1 billion a year, the organisation eFTI4EU expects. And this does not even include the reduction in waiting times at borders due to increased efficiency.
Increased transparency, fewer (human) errors
Moving to a digital approach also significantly improves communication, collaboration and efficiency within the supply chain. For example, it provides data on shipments and enables real-time visibility, ensuring that all stakeholders are constantly aware of the latest shipment status. This transparency means that missing products and delays can be identified early, allowing timely intervention. At the same time, human error is eliminated, ensuring greater accuracy and an additional improvement in internal operations such as inventory management.
A sustainable competitive advantage
Finally, e-documentation is a more sustainable approach, helping transportation companies make significant strides in their sustainability ambitions. For example, by reducing paper waste and the carbon footprint associated with paper-based processes. “The benefits of e-documentation far outweigh the implementation efforts,” indicates Daalhuisen. “It delivers clear operational and financial benefits, such as reduced costs and increased productivity, while working toward a sustainable future. In addition, documentation challenges, such as errors and delays that result, are seen by half of transportation logistics players as the biggest bottleneck in operations. To this, too, e-documentation is the answer.”
For 50 years, Intermodal Europe provides a platform for thousands of individuals from across the container market and beyond to meet, do business, and shape the future of maritime transport.
Intermodal Europe is Europe’s leading annual event for the container shipping, transport, and intermodal logistics industry. Across three days, suppliers and service providers come together to provide thousands of attendees with a diverse and dynamic marketplace in which to do business. Established brands sit alongside forward-thinking start-ups, together showcasing the very best technologies, innovations, products and services.
Throughout Intermodal Europe, an abundance of networking opportunities await. From bumping into familiar faces, to building relationships with new names, Intermodal Europe is a hotpot for forging strong connections that stand the test of time.
Beyond the hustle and bustle of the show floor, expertise awaits within the Intermodal Europe conference. Hotly anticipated year after year, its agenda is industry-led and covers the trends, topics, and talking points that matter the most. Dive in to engaging debates and enlightening conversations, designed to stimulate learning, action and collaboration.
As intermodal operations around the world face new pressures and challenges, Intermodal Europe is your opportunity to find the connections, solutions, and insights that you need to stay one step ahead.
Join the premier event for the container community. Explore cutting-edge innovations, network with industry leaders, and gain insights that could redefine your approach. Unlock the future of container transport and see how far it can take you. Register here.
The brand new Executive Visitor Pass is designed to help you maximise every minute at Intermodal Europe – with exclusive networking opportunities, premium access, and time-saving perks. Join a guided tour of the Port of Barcelona, attend the 50th anniversary party, and connect more easily with the people that matter.
The conference at Intermodal Europe is where the leaders of today and tomorrow come together to share practical insight into the future of container shipping.
Take your pick from big-picture keynotes, intense panel debates, book signings and deep-dive explorations. Details of the 2025 agenda and speaker list will be revealed soon.
DP World Egypt marked a significant milestone last week with the arrival of the Energos Eskimo at Ain Sokhna Port, spearheading a series of three strategic maritime operations that highlight the port’s expanding role in advancing trade, energy and tourism throughout Egypt and the wider region.
The vessel, a Floating Storage Regasification Unit (FSRU) operated by New Fortress Energy (NFE), has docked for a series of specialised technical upgrades, including modifications to its high-pressure gas manifold. These enhancements are part of its preparations for a forthcoming call at SUMED Port, where it will begin injecting natural gas into Egypt’s national grid. The project underscored Sokhna Port’s capacity to support complex energy operations and its growing role in servicing the global gas industry.
The FSRU vessel directly contributes to Egypt’s energy resilience, ensuring a stable supply of natural gas to meet growing domestic demand.
The Energos Eskimo operation was one of three high-impact achievements completed within the span of a single week, demonstrating the port’s operational agility and its increasing contribution to Egypt’s industrial and maritime development. Whether supporting energy, bulk cargo, or tourism, Sokhna continues to strengthen its position as a fully integrated hub for logistics, trade and passenger flow.
Mohammad Shihab, Chief Executive Officer, DP World Egypt, said: “DP World Egypt continues to prove its ability to manage diverse vessel types with efficiency and precision, from LNG carriers and dry bulk ships to cruise liners. Sokhna Port’s strategic location and advanced infrastructure make it a vital connector between Egypt, East and North Africa, Asia and beyond, supporting both trade flows and the country’s economic development goals.”
Largest-Ever Iron Ore Shipment
Also, this week, Sokhna Port welcomed the Berge Kuju, a 300-metre dry bulk vessel arriving from Brazil with 180,008 tonnes of iron ore destined for Ezz Steel. Marking the largest iron ore shipment ever received at an Egyptian port, the cargo was efficiently discharged using the port’s deep-water berths and high-capacity mobile harbour cranes, reaffirming DP World’s capability to manage large-scale industrial imports with speed and efficiency.
The delivery forms part of a long-term strategic agreement and supports more than 6 million tonnes of annual iron ore throughput at Sokhna, positioning the port as a key enabler of Egypt’s manufacturing and industrial ambitions.
Return of Aroya
Rounding out the week’s achievements, Sokhna Port also welcomed the Aroya cruise ship on its second scheduled visit under an annual agreement with Cruise Saudi. The vessel carried 2,300 passengers, with disembarkation and customs clearance completed seamlessly – further strengthening Sokhna’s position as a rising hub in the regional cruise tourism landscape. This growing influx of cruise passengers stimulates Egypt’s local economy, benefitting transport, hospitality and retail businesses in the surrounding region.
Mohammad Shihab added, “Our continued investments in terminal capacity and integrated logistics solutions are enabling Egypt to support more advanced and diversified maritime operations, from heavy industry to tourism.”
DP World Egypt remains committed to long-term investment in Egypt’s trade and logistics landscape. The $80 million Sokhna Logistics Park, now nearing completion, will further enhance the company’s ability to deliver seamless, multimodal supply chain solutions to local and global markets. By improving access to trade infrastructure and reducing logistical bottlenecks, the park is expected to attract foreign investment and boost Egypt’s export competitiveness.
Running Monday to Saturday, the new services commenced last week and are operated in partnership with GB Railfreight. Both services have been introduced in response to growing volumes at DP World London Gateway – where a £1bn expansion is set to begin this month to increase capacity at the Port – and reflect Maritime’s continued investment in expanding its rail network and infrastructure, improving inland connectivity, and driving modal shift across key UK routes.
John Bailey, Managing Director – Intermodal, Maritime Transport:
‘London Gateway is seeing strong growth in container volumes, supported by its role in the Gemini Cooperation’s Asia–Europe network and a major expansion project that will further strengthen its position as one of the UK’s leading deep-sea ports. As throughput increases, so too does the need for reliable inland connections. These new rail services provide the additional capacity needed to support that growth, enhance our national network, and enable a more meaningful shift from road to rail as part of a lower-carbon, more efficient UK supply chain.’
Maritime plans to introduce additional services in the coming weeks, expanding connectivity between major UK ports and its network of nine strategic rail freight terminals. New routes currently in development include Felixstowe to Manchester, DP World London Gateway to the East Midlands, and Southampton to Maritime’s SRFI at SEGRO Logistics Park Northampton – the latest addition to the company’s growing rail terminal portfolio which is now fully integrated into the national rail network.
Julie Garn, Intermodal Director, GB Railfreight:
‘Rail plays a hugely important role in our national supply chains. In addition to driving our economy, moving goods by rail reduces emissions and supports the UK’s transition to more sustainable transport. Using rail freight reduces carbon emissions by c.76% compared to road. These new services are a great example of what long-term collaboration can achieve, delivering practical, lower-carbon alternatives to road that benefit the wider supply chain.’
Vanderlande has been selected by Kmart to automate its new logistics facility at the Moorebank Intermodal Precinct in Sydney. To meet the complex needs and demands of one of Australia’s most iconic retail brands, the state-of-the-art warehouse will feature Vanderlande’s FASTPICK goods-to-person
order fulfilment system.
The Kmart Group serves millions of customers per week in over 450 Kmart and Targetstores across Australia and New Zealand, as well as through its online platforms and mobile apps. Kmart’s long-term growth ambitions will focus on this omni-channel approach, and address the current challenges of labour availability, rising order volumes, and increasing customer expectations.
The partnership reflects Kmart’s commitment to enhancing operational efficiency and future-proofing its supply chain as it continues to expand across the region. The new 100,000m² omni-channel facility will be equipped with Vanderlande’s advanced FASTPICK solution, combining the intelligent ADAPTO automated storage and retrieval system (AS/RS) with ten ergonomic goods-to-person (GtP) workstations.
The system has been designed to maximise picking speed, flexibility and efficiency, so that the full complexity of both business-to-business (store deliveries) and business-toconsumer (online orders) operations can be seamlessly integrated within a single omnichannel fulfilment centre. For retail distribution, a high-speed crossbelt sorter will handle both cartons and polybags with a high level of precision.
In addition, the Moorebank site will deploy a large fleet of Toyota AGVs and VNA (very narrow aisle) trucks to support internal pallet transport and high-density storage. The entire operation will be controlled by Vanderlande’s VISION warehouse control system, ensuring the intelligent coordination and
management of all processes. Together, these integrated technologies will form a scalable, future-ready platform that is tailored to meet Kmart’s operational requirements.
“The investment in the new Moorebank omni-channel fulfilment centre will be an important part of our long-term strategy to modernise our supply chain and simplify store operations,” explains Phillip Irvine, Kmart’s General Manager – Next Generation Supply Chain. “Ultimately, this approach is about delivering even more value to our customers, which is central to who we are.”
“We are excited to join Kmart on this journey to optimise its supply chain and ensure that this is ready for the future,” says Jordan Thrupp, Vanderlande’s Managing Director Australia. “The strong partnership we’ve built with their team has been instrumental in delivering the best possible solution, and we remain committed to supporting Kmart’s ongoing success.”
Stephan Heessels, Vanderlande’s Executive Vice President for Warehouse Solutions adds: “This project reflects our dedication to delivering scalable systems with fast and efficient order fulfilment. FASTPICK is the optimal solution for leading retailers, such as Kmart, facing unpredictable long-term growth across their store and e-commerce operations.”
As a critical part of its overall strategy to optimise and modernise a large portion of its B2B and B2C storage and distribution operations, Eram Group’s Fashion division has selected Dematic to automate the company’s new distribution centre in Chemillé-en–Anjou in the department of Main-et-Loire.
The family-owned company, based in France and operating internationally, wants to consolidate the flows of its footwear activities for its various brands, including Gémo, Eram, Bocage and Mellow Yellow in its new facility covering more than 40,000 square metres in the Loire Valley region.
“Dematic has demonstrated its strong expertise when it comes to delivering solutions featuring AutoStore™ systems and has also clearly shown us the benefits from Dematic and its fellow KION Group brands,” explains Jean-Louis Borde, the director of logistics activities for Eram Group. In fact, a decisive factor in selecting Dematic’s solution over other proposals was the compact design of the AutoStore system to be integrated into the new centre. The solution offers more space for the same surface area and can be expanded in future if the need arises.
The Dematic solution features several advanced technologies with a compact and scalable design. The automation covers both picking and palletising processes and includes a large AutoStore system to enhance Eram’s Group order processing. The system contains 80,000 bins, 84 robots and 16 workstations for order processing. Additionally, a receiving conveyor with two unloaders will unload trucks or containers and a conveyor will sort packages for palletising.
A robot will open cartons while another robot loads totes into the system. For the order picking process, a packing station with a conveyor forwards orders to the dispatch area. Dematic Software manages all order fulfilment and picking operations to meet transportation and customer satisfaction requirements. It can seamlessly interface with the software currently installed and managed by the Eram Group.
The project is now underway and scheduled to be completed and ready for commissioning in Q4 2026. “We are very pleased to be working with the Eram Group, a major French family-run organisation and an iconic brand. This project marks the beginning of a promising partnership based on common values and a shared vision of excellence,” adds Alain Bussod, President of Dematic France.
Geek+ has been awarded the contract by UK-based warehouse automation integrator Logistex, to deploy 165 Shelf-to-Person robots at Yusen Logistics’ 1.2 million square foot distribution centre in Northampton (UK). The project marks a major milestone in warehouse automation for the 3PL industry and it’s designed for B2B and B2C multiuser operations for chilled and ambient activities.
The scalable solution will be implemented in two different phases to ensure business continuity throughout the transformation. Geek+’s P800 V6.0 solution – for pallets and shelves movement – significantly enhances picking efficiency, inventory accuracy, and space utilisation — key advantages for third-party logistics providers facing growing customer demands.
“This project demonstrates the power of flexible automation,” said Simon Houghton, Sales Director UKI at Geek+ . “Our Shelf-to-Person system enables scalable growth without disruption. We’re proud to support Yusen Logistics in their first of this kind automation project in the UK but also in the Europe region”
For Yusen Logistics, the deployment aligns with a broader digitalisation strategy aimed at increasing efficiency and responsiveness across its operations.
“By integrating Geek+’s robots, we will be able to improve accuracy, agility, and throughput,” said Ben Bird, Business Development and Solutions Design Director at Yusen Logistics. “The system will give us the flexibility to scale alongside our customers’ evolving needs while gaining a great customer experience”.
The implementation will be delivered as part of a wider warehouse automation project led by Logistex, ensuring seamless integration with Yusen’s infrastructure and business processes.
“It’s a pleasure working with Yusen and Geek+ on such a forward-thinking project,” said Justin Saw, Business Development Director at Logistex. “Together, we look forward to delivering a future-ready solution with immediate results.”
The project highlights how Goods-to-Person robotics are reshaping the logistics landscape, offering 3PLs fast ROI, reduced labour reliance, and high safety standard. With this deployment, Yusen Logistics is well-positioned to lead in a rapidly changing market.
Order picking is complex and cost-intensive, whether in e-commerce or at OEMs. Traditional automation technology reaches its limits here. The Stuttgart-based company Sereact solves this challenge with a complete solution consisting of AI software and robotics: robots understand their environment situationally, develop solution strategies for an efficient pick and place process and implement these autonomously.
Sereact Pick and Place identifies products in real time based on their appearance and selects the appropriate picking method, taking into account object characteristics such as shape, colour or texture – even for complex products such as food, textiles or fragile objects. It then automatically switches between different gripper types such as suction cup or two-finger grippers.
One of Sereact’s own new developments is a patented gripper consisting of three individually functioning vacuum grippers with which the robots can pick up a wide range of products of different dimensions. In addition, the software determines a sensible order for the picks so that they are picked according to size, weight and fragility. The placement algorithm ensures optimum space utilization in the target containers.
Even in complex environments, the software detects the scope and context of tasks. If objects are on top of each other or too close to the edge of the container, the robot moves them into a position where it can grip them ideally. The technology also detects anomalies and can therefore recognize and sort out damaged items. It is also possible to differentiate between packaging material and products. This makes the solution suitable for quality assurance during order processing and also enables it to be used in the areas of inventory optimization and returns processing.
The Sereact Pick and Place product is based on a Vision Language Action Model that enables robots to analyze, understand and act. It is designed to recognize and interpret unknown situations without prior training. This also makes it possible to control the robots in natural language using voice or text commands, which simplifies interaction with the robot and can be implemented without programming knowledge.
As a total solution provider for turnkey robot cells, Sereact selects the optimum system for the specific application. The software is compatible with a wide range of hardware components and robots that can be seamlessly integrated into existing warehouse systems. The result is full flexibility of the entire pick and place process as well as highly efficient and fully automated order processing.
Supply chain volatility is nothing that a fixed-price contract can’t fix, write Sarah Rutnah, Thomas Winstanley and Sonia Vilar of Dentons Law Firm.
In times of economic and political volatility, fixed-price contracts offer welcome protection for businesses seeking certainty in and control of their supply chain costs. Such contracts are typically used in circumstances where the buyer feels there is a significant risk of price volatility, such as in the supply of certain raw materials like minerals and metals, and some soft commodities like grain, coffee, cocoa or fruit.
Sarah Rutnah, counsel in the dispute resolution team
They may also be useful for organisations that cannot afford to run out of particular products, or for consumer-facing businesses like retailers where price certainty and availability are essential to competitive positioning and customer trust. Having been widely adopted during the Covid-19 pandemic, when supply chains were severely disrupted leading to sudden and major price spikes, the popularity of fixed-price supply chain contracts ebbed as Covid-related restrictions eased and global prices came back down.
But while many have sought ways out of fixed-price agreements, volatility has not gone away. The persistence of conflicts that have affected shipping routes, extreme weather events that have impacted harvests, and the introduction and escalation of tariffs in some international trading relationships, are among factors that have refocused attention on how contracts can be used to mitigate against unpredictability in global trade.
By their nature, fixed price contracts tend to be inflexible. They do not usually contain the price adjustment mechanisms or price escalation clauses used in standard contracts that allow for price increases by the supplier in response to rising costs of third-party elements in the supply chain.
Which party in a trading relationship is responsible for what tasks, risks and costs are generally dictated by standard International Commercial Terms – or ‘incoterms’ – agreed by parties as part of the contract. Unless the contract expressly addresses tariffs – for example in a tariff-specific adjustment mechanism – as a general principle, the legal obligation to pay import tariffs rests with the importer (buyer).
Sonia Vilar, senior associate in the dispute resolution team at Dentons
Ten of the 11 recognised incoterms place responsibility for tariffs (and other customs duties) onto the buyer, the exception being Delivered Duty Paid (DDP), which obliges the seller to cover these costs. Where contracts are silent on incoterms, the default assumption is that the buyer will bear the import costs.
Even in fixed price contracts where tariffs are explicitly covered, it is unlikely that the supplier would agree to cover the full extent of any tariff increases subsequent to the agreement of the contract – such as those on the scale seen in the US in 2025. It is more likely that the supplier will only agree to pay a fixed amount in respect of tariffs – for example covering the tariff rate in place at the time the contract is agreed – meaning the buyer would need to pay the rest if rates increase.
In contracts that do allow for flexibility in respect of who covers changes in import duties and tariffs, what is agreed will likely depend on which party has more negotiating power in a particular commercial situation. If contracts make explicit reference to the actions of governments or administrations, then importers can potentially look to invoke “change in law” provisions to argue that tariff increases qualify as governmental action entitling them to price adjustments or cost-sharing.
Thomas Winstanley, senior associate in the technology, media and telecoms team
Parties may agree to split the cost of tariff rises if, for instance, the only alternative to sharing the impact of tariffs would be to cancel the contract altogether. From a contractual perspective, variations in tariffs and other import costs are generally treated separately from other supply chain issues – such as increases in the cost of the product or the cost of transporting it.
Such situations may arise where the source of a product is located in a country where war breaks out or is hit by a natural disaster – for example – meaning the supplier has to source from another location which may be more costly (or invoke force majeure if it is impossible to fulfil the contract). In these cases, it is usually up to the supplier to resolve their own supply chain and there is no obligation to involve the buyer unless they are changing the specifications of the product supplied.
While stretching the concept of fixed-price supply chain contracts to cover tariff instability is unlikely to be accepted by most suppliers, the broader picture of volatility means there are still advantages to fixing the costs of supply. Although locking in a guaranteed purchase price usually means paying a premium above the market rate, businesses that know the price they will be paying for a product for a specified duration can plan ahead.
Nevertheless, it is sensible to include routes to exit fixed-price contracts in case changes to the commercial context render such agreements uncompetitive. Escalation mechanisms, such as alternative dispute resolution mechanisms, can also be useful ways of getting parties to revisit terms.
