The freight industry is moving toward the model of a Logistics Integrator - a company or platform that orchestrates all stages of a shipment within one unified ecosystem.

‍

What it is:

A Logistics Integrator manages planning, quoting, execution, and even freight finance in a single operational framework. In other words, instead of just providing a rate or just handling the transport, an integrator links every step: it combines the rate with the schedule and aligns the responsible parties in real time, so nothing falls through the cracks.

‍

How it works:

Rather than handing off between separate providers or systems at each stage (where miscommunications often happen), the integrator bridges them. For example, an integrator’s platform might use APIs to connect ocean carrier systems directly with the forwarder’s workflow and the shipper’s information. If a booking is made, the trucking pickup, the ocean leg, and the customs clearance all live inone connected sequence. Skypace, for instance, integrates a door-to-door ocean shipment with the inland transport legs and the required documentation in one environment, effectively playing the role of planner, broker, and operator all at once.

‍

Examples:

- A Logistics Integrator can serve as an API bridge between different players. For instance, it can pull a carrier’s sailing schedule and space availability directly into the forwarder’s planning tool, so that when a forwarder schedules a shipment, they are choosing from live data and the booking can be confirmed instantly.

- Skypace functions this way: it links an exporter’s trucking from an inland warehouseto the ocean vessel and then to the destination handling, coordinating between multiple parties through a single platform. An example is how Skypace integrated its system with a partner in China: pickups,consolidations, and documents from the origin side are fully synchronized with the ocean booking and destination delivery in the Skypace platform. The result is that a shipment handoff between, say, a Chinese agent and the U.S. team doesn’t cause a delay; the platform already connected their workflows.

‍

Facts:

- It’s estimated that about 85% of global shipment delays occur during handovers between organizations when one company finishes its part and another picks up. These are points whereinformation can get lost or queues form (e.g. waiting for documents or confirmations). By integrating those handovers into a single system, an integrator drastically cuts down these delay points.

- The freight world isextremely fragmented, which is why integration is needed. There are thousands of forwarders and carriers globally, each with their own systems; a true integrator brings some order by linking multiple processes together. (For example, the top five forwarders control only ~30% of the market, and the other 70% isserved by numerous smaller players showing how many handovers and intermediaries exist.)

‍

Misinterpretations:

Don’t confuse integration with outsourcing. When a forwarder integrates services(through technology and partnerships), they maintain control and visibility over the shipment; they’re just doing it in a streamlined way. Outsourcing, on the other hand, would mean handing off responsibility entirely to another entity (losing control). Integration is about connectivity and coordination, making disparate parts function as one, rather than relinquishing any responsibility.

‍

Who solves it:

Companies like Skypace have positioned themselves as Logistics Integrators. Skypace’s Integration and Product teams focus on orchestrating data, carriers, and agents into one workflow. The Skypace platform is built to support this: it covers everything from route planning and instant pricing to booking execution and tracking, all in the same system. Advanced engines (like Skypace’s High Tact Performance Engine) and product integrations ensure that each shipment’s data flows through planning,pricing, and operations without breaking context. This means an origin office, a carrier, and a destination agent are effectively working in one coordinated process, rather than siloed steps. By acting as a Logistics Integrator, Skypace reduces the friction at every handover point, resulting in fewer delays and a more transparent, controlled shipping process for all parties involved.