Why Data Is the Blood of the Supply Chain
Every shipper trying to digitalise their supply chain wants one thing above all else: data.
Data points. References. Signals. Without them, you cannot monitor performance, understand delays or improve decisions. As the saying goes “data is the blood of the supply chain”. Without data, it’s difficult to make the right decisions.
Two types of data matter most:
a) Data from your own ecosystem
When you implement a TMS, GTM system or visibility platform, you want insights. Dashboards that show order fulfilment lead times, end to end transit times, landed costs etc; all supported by granular exception reporting. These, and other, internal data points help you understand your own efficiency.
b) Data from your broader network
Over time, internal data is not enough. You need to understand how your performance compares to peers, your wider industry and specific trade lanes. Only then can you see whether your service levels are high or falling behind. Many freight collaboration networks share this type of benchmarking data and some even offer insights for free. It is worth asking.
Five Useful Sources of Public Supply Chain Data
1. Ocean Shipping Index by E2open
E2open publishes a quarterly Shipping Index based largely on INTTRA data. INTTRAremains the largest booking platform in ocean shipping, handling around 25 percent of global bookings and having visibility to nearly 40 percent of shipped volumes. This dataset allows E2open to report on lead times, delays, capacity, port performance and route behaviour. What the index does not provide are price insights or vessel utilisation figures. However, when E2open merges the shipping data with Dun and Bradstreet’s entity database, the result is a powerful marketlevel view.
Q4 2024 sample report: https://files.site.site3.eu/51/e6/51e6a653-76e3-4952-93d2-c2d11c952c85.pdf
2. Baltic Index via Freightos Terminal
Freightos and WebCargo operate a major digital freight marketplace, covering both ocean and air. WebCargo in particular is one of the leading tools in the air cargo sector. Freightos Terminal offers a free version of its analytics platform which provides high level visibility into capacity, transit times and price movements for both modes.
For ocean, Freightos does not have the volume coverage of a platform like INTTRA, so its numbers may not represent the full market. For air, it is significantly more accurate. Paid plans are affordable for shippers wanting deeper intelligence.
3. Road Freight Market Index by E2open
E2open also produces a monthly Road Freight Market Index. This covers volumes, lead times, delays, equipment utilisation and pricing across North American tradelanes.
Why do they have this data? E2open acquired Lean Logistics, a TMS widely used across North America. It processes billions of dollars in transportation spend annually, giving E2open granular visibility into the trucking market.
December 2024 sample report: https://files.site.site3.eu/15/79/15792070-6ec3-4a4d867c 2f09ab5e46b4.pdf
4. European Trucking Insights from Transporeon
In Europe, Transporeon is one of the major digital platforms connecting shippers and carriers. Beyond freight collaboration, it offers real time visibility, cost control tools and a lightweight TMS.
Their Market Insights tool provides lanespecific intelligence including capacity, rate trends and performance data. A free 14day trial is available, and they also publish detailed analyses on their Substack channel. For European road freight, this is one of the best data sources available.
5. Global Supply Chain Insights from Descartes
Descartes offers a suite of compliance and multimodal logistics solutions and regularly publishes market insights. While they do not provide a dedicated network index, their reports offer valuable context on global supply chain disruptions, trade patterns and regulatory shifts.
One notable example is their late2024 report “Escalating Challenges for Global Supply Chain Leaders,” which includes eyeopening statistics on the pressures companies now face.
Why This Matters
Data is the bloodstream of a modern supply chain. Internal systems show you how you operate. External network data shows where you stand in the market. Combining both creates a realistic picture of performance and gives you the intelligence you need to improve service, reduce costs and stay ahead of disruptions.
Post courtesy of Jakub Ctvrtnicek, supply chain expert. View Jakub’s substack at
https://wisechainconsult.substack.com/