Navigating Uncertainty: Key Takeaways from the 2024 Xeneta Summit in Amsterdam

Last month, I had the privilege of attending the Xeneta Summit in Amsterdam, where industry leaders gathered to tackle some of the most pressing challenges facing global supply chains. As someone who’s deeply immersed in the world of freight technology, the Summit confirmed the direction we need to take this industry – more accessible data for more types of organisations.

Pricing is still at the heart of most shipping decisions but market volatility is forcing customers and service providers to look at how better planning and collaboration can impact spending. Xeneta Summit confirmed to attendees that disruption events are now standard – the need for better tools will be critical for cargo supply chain management in the immediate future.

The New Reality of Market Volatility

One theme resonated throughout every conversation: uncertainty. With spot markets spiralling across major trade routes – Xeneta seeing increases of over 450% from the Far East to North Europe – it’s clear that traditional approaches to freight procurement are no longer working. This reality hit home during multiple sessions, where stakeholders from across the industry shared their struggles with market unpredictability.

Xeneta’s Chief Product Officer Fabio Brocca’s opened the conference by introducing Xeneta’s Ocean Market Rate Outlook, a machine-learning model that leverages 500+ million ocean freight rate data points in the Xeneta platform. Brocca emphasised that while we can’t predict events like the Red Sea Crisis or port strikes, we can build better tools for strategic decision-making and help organisations understand how the market is likely to develop.

The Human Element in Digital Transformation

A standout panel featured Eric Topp, Head of AWS Transportation & Logistics Solutions and Strategy, who made a point that resonates deeply with our work at Fluent Cargo: data alone isn’t enough.

“You need to turn that data into usable information," he said. This perfectly aligns with our philosophy that technology should simplify, not complicate, the freight planning process.

The conversation reminded me of why we recently added several new features to the Fluent Cargo platform, including shipment tagging, saved views and timeline layout. By creating the most useable interface, we can overcome the challenge of cluttered shipment lists and confused layouts.

Index-Linked Contracts

One of the most enlightening sessions featured Sami Nazar, Category Manager International Transportation at Decathlon sharing their journey with index-linked contracts. His tennis analogy – "playing with a hole in our racket" – captured the frustration many feel with traditional contracting methods. What struck me most was his emphasis on how indexing creates stronger carrier relationships, shifting conversations from rate negotiations to strategic partnerships.

Looking Ahead

The combination of advanced AI tools, index-linked contracts, and real-time market data is creating new possibilities for managing supply chain complexity. Our time at this year’s Summit made me excited for Fluent Cargo’s partnership with Xeneta, which will help more customers access trustworthy, market-accepted datasets that support innovative procurement strategies. The collaboration addresses a pressing industry need for greater clarity in long-term planning, particularly crucial for minimising the impact of unpredictable market movements.

The 2024 Xeneta Summit affirmed why businesses need better access to trustworthy, market-accepted datasets – it’s our job now to make that happen.