GTNexus kicks off in April

GTNexus launched services April 2, 2001.
This is a maritime transportation e-commerce solution that twelve major ocean carriers, including Hyundai Merchant Marine (HMM) and Hanjin Shipping, joined forces together to form last December with Tradiant, a Silicon Valley technology company. The carriers in the partnership are: HMM, Hanjin, APL, Crowley, MOL, K-Line, Senator Lines, Zim, Contship Containerlines, Wanhai Lines, CSAV, and Yang Ming.

The shipping companies explained, "This is the first maritime portal based in the Silicon Valley, and is different from general informational sites or single shipping company operations. At GTNexus, shippers can search for the most appropriate carrier among the 12 member shipping firms, as well as handle shipments in one-stop on-line service, from cargo booking, rates negotiations, checking shipments, and B/L delivery to cargo tracking."

The service is freely available to shippers, and will allow shippers to get services that suit them best. Also, with only loading day and arrival port codes, shippers will be able to track cargo and shipping conditions through GTNexus without having to connect to each individual shipping company.

Meanwhile, the 'INTTRA' that was established with Maersk-Sealand, P&O Nedlloyd, MSC, CMA-CGM and so on, is also scheduled to launch services this year, causing severe competition between the two factions in the global cyber-shipping market.
HMM has been planning to cultivate e-business as a main potential business since last year, aiming at $1.2 billion in e-sales annually by 2010.

Hanjin Shipping also set up an e-business department and established a joint venture subsidiary company, 'cyber-logitec' last year.