Gravity Supply Chain Solutions partnered with Spire to enhance the level of visibility it could provide to its customers. With Spire, Gravity can offer data on the visibility of vessels while they are in transit, enabling users to manage their supply chains better using data-driven decisions.
Core Business Challenge
The objective of Gravity is to provide our clients with end-to-end visibility of their supply chains, from product concept, sourcing, and ordering through to receipt at the destination warehouse. The biggest challenge we faced was ensuring there were no blind spots or gaps in the visibility we provided. To obtain visibility, we made the decision not to rely on the data provided by third-party logistics (3PLs) for vessel positions. While 3PL data is easy to obtain, it is often out of date and prone to error since it is mostly keyed in manually by a human operative. Furthermore, 3PL data typically only tells you when a vessel has departed or arrived at a destination, and rarely provides visibility while a vessel is in transit.
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We wanted Gravity to be an agnostic platform that did not depend on 3PL data. Instead, we wanted accurate data from a reliable source, which was frequently updated and provided visibility of goods in transit. This level of connectivity was paramount to ensure there were no gaps or inaccuracies in the visibility we offered to our customers. AIS data, specifically satellite AIS data, picks up signals from ships across the world’s marine channels with an average latency of 45 minutes. This speed and unrivaled accuracy, enables our customers to track their cargo across the high-seas, not just port arrivals and departures.
How Spire Helped
Spire Maritime, provides us with an external, valid source of decoded satellite AIS data through a simple API. The messages API integrates seamlessly with our proprietary solution allowing data to get filtered by several essential fields such as:
- IMO number.
- Last port of call.
- Where the vessel gets headed.
- The speed at which it’s travelling.
- Next destination.
We use that data to provide our users with true end-to-end supply chain visibility, enabling them to track where their cargo is at any time, including when it is in transit.
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This data empowers our users to predict ETA times accurately and make proactive, data-driven decisions to efficiently manage their supply chains to ensure complete and on time deliveries. Users’ administrative work gets significantly reduced due to not having to spend time contacting their 3PL asking about where their vessel is or when it will arrive.
Proven Customer Value
In one case, a Gravity customer was able to capture 100 percent of ETA changes to inbound vessels, versus 43 percent using a previous system that relied heavily on manual updates. In another case, the user significantly reduced their administrative work, resulting in a six percent reduction in labor costs.
Results, Return On Investment And Future Plans
Our collaboration with Spire has hugely benefited Gravity. Being able to provide accurate end-to-end visibility is a powerful selling point for us, and the ease-of-use of their API allowed us to get up and running in no time.
“We view Spire as a long term partner and look forward to continuing to work together to provide our customers with the most accurate and reliable shipment data available,” said Gavin Webber, Head of Product, Gravity Supply Chain Solutions.
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“Gravity is seeing more and more customers understanding and valuing the impact of supply chain visibility and risk mitigation. This understanding plays a pivotal role in the overall value chain proposition we provide our customers. By working closely with hand-picked, collaborative data providers, Gravity mitigates risk by providing clients with full visibility, and complete transparency on what is happening in their supply chain. Essentially, this enables decision-making with certainty. Spire is one of these chosen, vital partners,” said Graham Parker, CEO, Gravity Supply Chain Solutions
