For many global shippers and BCOs, booking freight still feels more complicated than it should be. Every carrier has its own system, its own way of structuring data, its own technology standards, and is constantly developing new APIs and interfaces. The challenge intensifies when multiple modes are involved, as goods move from ocean to air, or from road to parcel. What should be a seamless process instead becomes a fragmented flow of information, reduced to a patchwork of logins, spreadsheets, and manual data entry.
The impact is felt across the supply chain: slower bookings, more errors, and reduced visibility, all of which hinder decision-making and efficiency. In addition, vendor management becomes more complex, as multiple companies are typically involved to cover multi-modal needs and a wide range of use cases, from schedules to invoices.
In this article, we want to share how Coneksion helps address the challenge of multimodal logistics connectivity.
Did you know?
Many know Coneksion for the efficiency we bring to data connectivity in the ocean leg, yet our technology was designed from the very beginning to work seamlessly across every mode of transportation. Today, our customers include global leaders such as Amazon and Alibaba, whom we’ve supported for years in connecting data across road, parcel, and ocean networks, helping them navigate the complexities of multimodal logistics.
The Puzzle of Logistics Data Connectivity
Talk to any shipper, and a recurring theme emerges: connecting with carriers on their own terms is far harder than it should be. Some still rely on decades-old EDI systems that are rigid and expensive to adjust. Others provide booking portals that demand constant manual entry. Newer carriers may offer APIs (which are constantly evolving), but with each one defining its own standard, even “modern” integration quickly becomes messy. Add in regional differences, and global rollouts become daunting.
For shippers and BCOs, this fragmented environment creates a heavy burden. Integrations must be built and maintained one by one. Workarounds are common, and manual processes too often hold everything together. Instead of driving efficiency, connectivity itself becomes another source of cost and delay.
A Smarter Way Forward
Coneksion’s Common Carrier Layer (CCL) was designed to overcome this complexity. Rather than forcing shippers to adapt to each carrier’s preferred format, CCL adapts to the carriers themselves. Whether a partner uses EDI, XML, API, CSV, or a proprietary standard, the data is automatically translated into a consistent, usable flow. Coneksion makes extensive use of modern AI (artificial intelligence) and ML (machine learning) capabilities to optimize data and processes.
The result is powerful. Bookings that once required separate connections can now be managed through a single interface. Information moves accurately between systems, reducing errors and eliminating the need for endless reconciliation. Because CCL spans all modes, this consistency extends from ocean to air, road, and parcel. For shippers, it means less time spent managing complexity and more time focusing on moving goods competitively and reliably.
While CCL provides consistency across all modes, its impact is particularly visible in road and parcel networks, the areas where fragmentation has long frustrated shippers.
Why Road & Parcel Matters
Among all transport modes, road and parcel carriers are often the most overlooked in discussions about digital connectivity. Yet they are essential: linking inland origins to ports and terminals, handling last-mile delivery, and bridging gaps in global supply chains.
Fragmentation is most severe here. Unlike the relatively consolidated air and ocean markets, road and parcel are highly fragmented. Shippers may need to work with dozens, sometimes hundreds, of local and regional carriers. Some still operate through rigid legacy systems, others rely on manual booking portals, and while many newer carriers offer APIs, the lack of standardization often creates more complexity than it resolves.
Coneksion addresses this head-on. By providing a single connection point that adapts to each carrier’s preferred format, CCL removes the integration burden from shippers while respecting the systems carriers already rely on. What was once fragmented becomes unified: smoother bookings, fewer errors, and predictable execution across the supply chain.
Our expertise in ocean logistics laid the groundwork for this capability, giving us the insights and credibility needed to extend CCL’s reach across all modes.
From Ocean Strength to Multimodal Identity
Coneksion built its reputation on ocean logistics, earning the trust of an ever-growing list of satisfied customers. These successes provided a proven track record and established Coneksion (formerly Youredi) as a recognized and credible name in global shipping.
But the ocean leg is only part of the story. It became the foundation for something broader — our Common Carrier Layer. Developed to enhance our proprietary iPaaS, CCL is technology- and brand-agnostic, capable of working with any carrier in any modality while connecting with any system or stakeholder across the industry.
Our footprint in ocean logistics was foundational — a springboard that made CCL truly universal: a technology capable of translating, harmonizing, and exchanging data across any format and environment.
Moving Together Toward Seamless Logistics Connectivity
As supply chains evolve, the demand for seamless multimodal connectivity will only intensify. Relying on mode-specific platforms or costly custom-built integrations is no longer sustainable. The future belongs to solutions that can adapt to every carrier, every mode, and every data format, all managed through a single system and unified interface.
Coneksion’s Common Carrier Layer delivers exactly that. By eliminating the friction of legacy systems and fragmented standards, we help shippers and BCOs move from patchwork processes to truly connected logistics. Supply chains don’t stop at the port, and neither do we.
Would you like to learn more? Book a discovery call with our team!
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Want to dive deeper into the carrier connectivity challenges shippers face?
Watch this on-demand webinar: “Ocean Booking APIs: Breaking Through the Carrier Connectivity Bottleneck.”
