In an industry that is slowly becoming that much more reliant on technology after being initially hesitant to become more automated, this attack came as a huge shock to the freight industry. What’s more obvious in events such as this is just how unprepared the industry is when it comes to dealing or having protocol in place to ensure the issue is solved quickly.

The attack was first noticed as servers across the continent of Europe and India were hit by ransomware. The global cyber-attack was supposedly put in place to have an effect on multiple businesses with Moller-Maersk being the largest organisation hit. The attack was so ferocious that it actually affected every single unit at the Maersk head office. This meant that almost every part of the business was affected including:

• Oil tankers
• Shipping containers
• Tug boat and port operations
• Gas and oil production
• Drilling services

As the world’s largest shipping company, Maersk handles a total of more than 600 vessels and this is part of the reason why they take up around 16% of the overall market share in this industry. It is believed that the ransomware infected computers and encrypted hard drives. The virus was more centrally focused on Ukraine with the worry being that its impact could be felt in other parts of the world should the correct precautions not be taken in the future.

The situation in Ukraine did in fact also prompt the freight giant to close offices in Los Angeles and New York which ultimately would have created further problems down the line in terms of processing shipments. The disruption to supply chains was significant enough to stifle operations in areas such as finance, energy and transportation which is significant when it comes to leaving a lasting and global footprint in terms of dealing with cyber hacking.

It is understood that what actually destructive wiper malware was covered up and presented in the form of ransomware which was created with the aim of destroying data in the event that the ransom was not received. The threat of losing irretrievable data is what the hackers used to attempt to have a damaging financial impact on the company.

Something that is being argued among experts is the fact that the situation may have been entirely avoidable had the freight forwarding company invested in a blockchain enabled platform as opposed to their existing EDI (or electronic data interchange) platform currently being used. Ultimately this situation has placed further emphasis on the fact that industrial organisations and companies should be working far more towards keeping their online systems safe and protected from the increasingly complex cyber hacking threats.

If you have any questions or concerns when it comes to arranging a freight forwarding service with us, we recommend that you get in touch with us for further advice.

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High Security And High Value

In order to delivery you most precious, high value and high security goods, Freight Company’s use a variety of transportations methods. Through trusted and innovative logistics methods you can rest assured that all types of items can be delivered safely.

Healthcare

Some of the biggest threats to the transfer of pharmaceuticals and healthcare items is capacity and theft. Trucks or containers that are not temperature regulated or controlled can result in a loss of the product and could mean that you lose money as a result. The use of cool and ambient supply chains is so important when it comes to pharmaceuticals.

Energy and Industry

One of the most in demand services when it comes to the handling of speciality freight is the need to transport oil, coke, pipeline, refinery and other energy industry related products. Rest assured that there are freight forwarding solutions for even the most time sensitive and over-dimensional shipments.

Chemicals

Chemicals, both hazardous and non-hazardous, need to be carefully handled by professionals who are comfortable with dealing with such materials. Shipping expertise really comes into play when it comes to the delivery of items such as this. Chemicals can be aggressive and sometimes toxic which is why there will be certain requirements of safety put in place to keep personnel and the environment as safe as possible during both the packaging and forwarding state of the procedure.

Delicate Freight

From old works of art to signs and antennas, the handling and shipment of delicate freight comes down to the type of carrier chosen as well as the ability to relay the correct instructions and requirements to the shipping company at the same time. The logistics company you choose should also seek to reduce the amount of time that the goods are handled and exposed to the potential of damage.

Fragile freight must always be handled in a different way to other types of freight and the various shapes, sizes and fragility of various items is what makes shipping them so challenging. There is certainly an art form when it comes to the successful delivery of something that requires the coordination of fragile deliveries to certain sites that are not necessarily in the best location to complete such a task.

From the high profile to the high security and more delicate items that need shipping, rest assured that Logistics Consult will be able to provide you with the most reliable and affordable solution possible. And, while we do not transport hazardous or frozen materials, for example, we are always happy to help find the most valid solution of transportation for you. Check out our FAQ’s page for more information about what kind of materials we ship.

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