Freight forwarder expands AI quoting for ocean and air shipments

Global logistics provider C.H. Robinson is expanding artificial-intelligence tools into international freight forwarding, including ocean shipping, air freight and customs-related work. An October 26 report from Inside Logistics describes a system that the company says can reduce some quoting processes from a day or more to only a few minutes.

According to the company's figures reported by the publication, its system has generated more than 80,000 ocean and air quotes for more than 3,600 customers. Rates for some air shipments that once took about a day and ocean freight quotes that required two or three days can reportedly be prepared in two to three minutes. Those are the company's claims and should be assessed against performance in real operations.

The tools also cover portions of ocean-booking requests and customs documentation. International freight pricing often depends on shipment size, routing, capacity, terminal charges, service requirements and changes in schedules. Automating information gathering may help shippers compare options more quickly, but accuracy and accountability still matter when documents are submitted and shipments are booked.

The company has expanded from earlier deployments in North America to customers across other regions and says it is preparing additional rollouts. For Canadian importers, exporters and carriers, the development illustrates how AI is moving from experimentation into commercial logistics administration. The practical test will be whether faster quotations are reliable, transparent about assumptions and backed by staff able to resolve exceptions. Automated systems may reduce routine work, but they do not eliminate the need for human review of prices, compliance information and customer commitments.