The logistics industry has been forced to reinvent itself during Covid-19 – and this has been accelerated by the 4th Industrial Revolution (4IR) and facilitated by advances in technology in both the software and hardware realms, says Michael Henning, sales manager at Easyclear.“Autonomous clearing was something suggested as possible when the South African Association of Freight Forwarders (Saaff ) began to explore the topic of 4IR at their trade conference in 2017 – and that has now become a reality. We have already seen the impact of robotics in the logistics sector in automated warehouses, and machine learning is fast becoming the norm, replacing functions that are repetitive and laborious and can be completed faster and more efficiently with zero error.”According to Henning, Easyclear has implemented a solution that can customs clear a shipment through an integrated system from placement of the order by the purchaser on the supplier, right through to the submission of the customs declaration and subsequent release from the South African Revenue Service (Sars), with no human intervention, other than if required or requested, in order to quality check the documentation produced as a product of this process.“This process has the benefit of reducing the margin for error by reducing human interaction, reducing the overheads and costs as a result of a repurposed workforce and dramatically increased productivity, resulting in increased revenue – all through the digitalisation of a previously time-consuming process,” he says. “The same data can be democratised and made available to the client, or in fact the supply chain, in real time via the SaaS (Software as a Service) client portal where the documents can be accessed and printed if required. Alternatively, since they are stored digitally, they can be archived for record purposes. Industry 4.0, which encompasses the Internet of Things (IoT), is already impacting the industry through robotic and AI machine learning, again some of which has already been implemented with success for the submission of cargo reporting (RCG). The IoT is being explored and discussed in an effort to leverage off and incorporate various data and access points in the supply chain across modalities to make more information available in real time.“Imagine if you could tell that the temperature was rising in an airfreight temperature-controlled container that was standing on the tarmac waiting to be loaded into a wide-bodied aircraft in real time,” said Henning. “It would mean a decision could be made to move that container immediately and thus save the temperature-sensitive cargo inside – all simply though greater connectivity enabled by t h e IoT.”Henning said Industry 4.0 brought with it a smarter supply chain and an opportunity to proactively manage cargo. “If we as role players within the supply chain cooperate and collaborate we can empower people and create a sustainable and equitable future for everyone, including the farmers whose produce is being sold and the crafter whose product needs to reach a purchaser anywhere in the world.”According to Henning, there is no ceiling for the advancement of technology and it is evolving at such a pace that to stand still for even a moment is to be left behind. However the current environment is not without challenges, says Henning. This includes accessibility to technology, often due to affordability. As digitisation takes hold, it is imperative to continue to find ways to bring technology to everyone on a scalable and affordable level. “I believe this to be the challenge – not only for the logistics sector but humanity as a whole.”Easyclear has implemented a solution that can customs clear a shipment through an integrated system from placement of the order by the purchaser on the supplier, right through to the submission of the customs declaration and subsequent release from Sars with no human intervention.– Michael Henning“