Automating the freight forwarding journey

Building a smarter, faster, and more transparent supply chain through innovation – this is what companies in the supply chain can accomplish through the integration of artificial intelligence into the freight forwarding sector, a historically paper-heavy industry.

“By embedding AI into freight forwarding workflows, we aim to automate the entire freight journey, providing complete transparency and control to freight forwarders and customs brokers,” James Coombes, CEO of Raft, stated.

This ambition is not theoretical—it is already changing how forwarders operate. By automating repetitive and error-prone processes, logistics teams are able to focus on strategic execution rather than data entry.

The impact is tangible. Take Navia Freight, for example. “Navia Freight, one of Raft’s clients, has seen substantial efficiency gains since implementing Raft’s AI for invoice automation,” Coombes noted. “The team now saves over 3,000 minutes per week—equivalent to 50 working hours—on manual processing. This not only lightens the administrative load but allows staff to focus on higher-value tasks, ultimately improving service quality and operational oversight.”

That kind of time savings translates into faster workflows, fewer errors, and improved client service. And Raft is not stopping there. The platform currently automates crucial aspects of freight forwarding such as accounts payable, customs documentation, and shipment operations.

However, Coombes is candid about AI’s current limitations: “More complex scenarios that require nuanced human judgement—such as dispute resolution or exception handling—remain less amenable to full automation. In these cases, Raft’s technology augments rather than replaces human input.”

Document intelligence

Freight forwarding runs on documents—bills of lading, invoices, customs declarations—all of which vary by region, language, and format. Managing these documents manually is slow, error-prone, and expensive. That is exactly the problem Raft’s AI was designed to solve.

“Raft’s AI is trained to recognise and interpret a vast array of document types across formats and languages,” Coombes explained. “It can accurately identify content, extract relevant data, and validate information automatically—ensuring that everything from bills of lading to customs forms is processed with speed and precision, regardless of regional variation or formatting differences.”

This flexibility is crucial, as global logistics increasingly demands systems that can adapt to regulatory and cultural differences.

“Raft’s system is capable of recognising regional and regulatory nuances—whether that is metric versus imperial measurements, currency formats, or ISO code standards,” Coombes said. “Its adaptability enables it to operate effectively in different jurisdictions, making it a strong fit for global forwarders managing complex cross-border movements.”

These capabilities directly tackle some of the top operational bottlenecks forwarders face. “Raft frequently addresses issues such as labour-intensive data entry, slow document turnaround, and compliance risks,” Coombes noted. “By automating data extraction and validation, Raft reduces processing times and human error, ensuring critical documents are handled swiftly and accurately.”

Clients like Navia Freight have seen not only improved speed but also a reduction in errors—errors that could result in costly delays or fines. “Navia Freight reported not only time savings but also greater data integrity and fewer processing errors after adopting Raft. Automated checks reduce the likelihood of omissions or incorrect entries, helping clients maintain compliance and improve customer satisfaction.”

Augmenting human intelligence

In an industry where judgement and experience matter, a human-centric approach to automation is key. The goal is not to replace humans—it is to remove the repetitive tasks that prevent them from doing their best work.

“Raft takes a human-centric approach, using AI to handle routine tasks while preserving human oversight for decisions requiring judgement,” Coombes stated. “The platform is designed to complement—not replace—human expertise, freeing up professionals to focus on complex scenarios where human intuition and contextual understanding remain essential.”

This philosophy also informs how Raft is integrated into existing systems. Recognising the fragmented tech landscape of freight forwarding, the company has built its platform to be system-agnostic. “Raft is designed for seamless integration with existing systems, including major platforms like the CargoWise customs module,” Coombes highlighted. “Clients can connect via API, email ingestion, or manual uploads, ensuring accessibility regardless of technical infrastructure. For companies without modern API capabilities, Raft offers alternative integration paths to avoid disruption.”

The AI powering this integration is anything but static. “Raft’s AI models are built on extensive datasets specific to freight forwarding,” he explained. “The system is continually refined through real-world usage, human feedback, and quality assurance loops. This approach enables the platform to adapt to a wide range of client workflows while maintaining high levels of accuracy, even as conditions evolve.”

Insight to advantage

While the value of Raft’s AI is obvious at the task level, its real power lies in the broader strategic intelligence it delivers. As usage grows, Raft’s AI is uncovering patterns, behaviours, and insights that were previously invisible to human teams.

“With platform volumes crossing significant thresholds, Raft’s AI is able to surface trends and operational insights that may otherwise go unnoticed,” Coombes stated. “These learnings are shared through dashboards and analytics tools, offering clients strategic insights that inform planning, resource allocation, and process optimisation.”

These insights are particularly valuable in an industry still coming to grips with digital transformation. Yet, the path to AI adoption is not without hurdles. “Challenges often include resistance to change, lack of internal expertise, and concerns around system compatibility,” Coombes acknowledged. “Raft supports its clients through these transitions with tailored onboarding, training resources, and dedicated support—ensuring that teams are not only prepared but confident in adopting new technology.”