Two major freight-tech logistics startups are linking their networks to provide seamless shipping across land, sea, and air – which will offer fleets working with them access to more loads.

A new partnership between digital-freight-network provider Convoy and global-logistics digital freight forwarder Flexport draws on Flexport’s international client base and Convoy’s North American carrier network. The partnership will give shippers an integrated ocean and truckload service by connecting their respective technology platforms.

With Flexport gaining direct access to the carrier network Convoy created for inbound shippers, it provides more opportunities for the carriers in that network as the transportation provider of choice.  

Traditionally, according to the Convoy announcement, it’s been a challenge for shippers to track shipments across a patchwork of logistics providers and digital solutions, as their freight moves from international to domestic endpoints such as distribution centers.

Through this partnership, customers will be able to move their goods via international and domestic transportation, all through the Flexport platform. Capturing all communication, data and reporting in one place will yield greater operational efficiencies, provide customers with an end-to-end view of their supply chain, and help them better understand cost from purchase order to inception to final delivery.

“This partnership represents a shift in the logistics ecosystem, fueled by an increase in collaboration and visibility, thanks to technology,” said Ryan Petersen, CEO and Founder of Flexport. “We’re thrilled to work with Convoy to make what has historically been a complex, fragmented industry more connected and in doing so, progress in our mission to make shipping easier for everyone.”

Through a multi-phased approach to achieve full system integration, both companies have committed to contributing to the centralized platform. Under the partnership:

• Flexport gains access to Convoy’s broad network of carriers as well as deeper integration with Convoy’s products and services, enabling Flexport to scale its truckload service offerings and provide visibility to clients once goods reach domestic ports. 

• Convoy will integrate directly with Flexport’s operational dashboard, Transmission, and its network of international clients to further grow its domestic marketplace. 

• Shippers will gain the ability to book end-to-end loads directly on the Flexport platform, with Convoy powering truckload delivery services. 

The two technology companies first collaborated in 2018 with Flexport’s adoption of Convoy’s self-serve shipper platform for transactional freight. Over time, Convoy developed dedicated support for Flexport to deploy Convoy’s technology and services for both contractual and non contractual freight, for both drop-and-hook and live loads. In turn, Convoy has adopted Transmission to communicate with Flexport's internal operations teams and clients, ultimately providing a seamless experience and end-to-end supply chain visibility.