Dive Brief:
- The Freight Logistics Optimizations Works platform is now publishing additional types of data for a more enhanced view of container import volumes and traffic, the Department of Transportation said in a press release on Wednesday.
- Published data will now cover inland freight hubs, including rail terminal and warehouse end destinations, to help users make informed capacity decisions to avoid delays and other supply chain challenges. Participating rail carriers include BNSF and Union Pacific.
- Participants share data on inbound containerized freight, starting with import purchase orders, and the federal platform aligns future demand volumes against current regional capacity to move ocean containers. It already has data on bookings, marine terminal slots, chassis availability and gate moves.
Dive Insight:
The Biden administration has been heavily investing in improving supply chains after the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated shortages, ship backups and other delays.
On the second anniversary of its launch, FLOW has gained significant interest in the industry attracting members like PetSmart, Albertsons, TrueValue and Walmart. Other FLOW members include U.S. container ports, ocean carriers and retailers, and it now has sixty companies in the onboarding process.
The U.S. government has also launched several other initiatives to combat supply chain challenges, including the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill in 2021. Earlier this week, the Port Infrastructure Development Program announced a $450 million grant as part of the $17 billion included in the infrastructure law to strengthen coastal and inland waterway ports.
PetSmart, for instance, plans to leverage the platform by using the data to manage delays and make informed decisions, SVP and Chief Supply Chain Officer Ed Oldham said at TPM24 by S&P Global earlier this month.
“In our world that’s what it’ll wind up being: Avoiding very reactionary decisions that drive a lot of extra expense and don’t really make the business better,” Oldham said. “We’ll manage the delay, we’ll inform them with the data that is in the FLOW initiative and life will be easier to work through.”
The DOT plans to continue working with industry partners to further grow the FLOW platform to improve the U.S. supply chain, according to the release. This includes collaborating with FLOW members and interested parties at the upcoming FLOW Annual Meeting at the DOT headquarters in May.
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