Hapag-Lloyd and HERE improve container tracking visibility on AWS

Hapag-Lloyd operates a fleet of 2 million shipping containers, serving global trade routes and connecting major ports worldwide. The company manages complex multimodal logistics networks that span ocean, rail, truck, and barge transportation, and it developed the Live Position tracking system to monitor dry-container locations.

When containers move from ocean vessels to trucks, trains, or barges for inland delivery, visibility is a challenge. In extreme cases, containers go missing and seemingly vanish. Operational delays, traffic congestion, weather, construction work, and other real-world factors create uncertainty for shippers. With containers worth hundreds of thousands and even millions of dollars each, Hapag-Lloyd’s customers expect precise tracking for peace of mind and maintain business continuity. 

To address the visibility gap, Hapag-Lloyd turned to HERE for its extensive knowledge in ground transportation and proven ability to deliver solutions for barge and rail movements. AWS Partner Deloitte joined the collaboration to provide implementation guidance and coordinate the multiparty project. “The foundation of the four parties creates the right solution for the transportation and logistics industry,” says Max Evers, lead account executive at HERE. “AWS contributes IT infrastructure, Deloitte strategic advisory capabilities, Hapag-Lloyd domain knowledge, and HERE location intelligence.”

Hapag-Lloyd enhanced Live Position by incorporating HERE’s routing and tracking APIs, alongside its geofencing capabilities, with support from HERE’s professional services team. The solution works by combining HERE Map Data, HERE Tracking, and HERE Geocoding and Search with NRT positioning data from container tracking devices. It collects and processes location updates from 2 million containers using Amazon Kinesis DataStreams, which helps users easily stream data at nearly any scale. Amazon Relational Database Service (Amazon RDS)—which provides easy-to-manage relational databases—serves as the foundation for structured data storage, managing complex relationships between containers, routes, and operational data. The solution incorporates advanced AI capabilities through Amazon SageMaker AI, a fully managed service that brings together a broad set of tools to provide high-performance, low-cost machine learning. Live Position also uses Amazon Bedrock, a comprehensive, secure, and flexible service for building generative AI applications and agents.

When containers transition from ocean vessels to inland transportation modes, HERE’s system analyzes traffic patterns, weather conditions, and other data points to generate predictive estimated times of arrival (ETAs).These ETAs are updated throughout the transportation journey for maximum accuracy. With an API-first approach, Hapag-Lloyd seamlessly accesses HERE’s predictive intelligence without disrupting established workflows. Customers can continue to use Hapag-Lloyd’s existing APIs to access tracking data through their own enterprise systems. “Using HERE products on AWS, customers like Hapag-Lloyd gain accuracy and precision by combining their data with location context from HERE to develop fleet, transportation, and auto solutions quickly in a secure environment,” said Ronak Amin, transportation and logistics product marketing manager at HERE Technologies. “HERE products are built to run on AWS, with reduced latency and the scalability needed to right size workloads, along with the performance, power, and efficiency that AWS offers.” 

The Live Position system now provides Hapag-Lloyd customers with greater visibility and efficiency, but the benefits don’t end with speed. Smarter routes cut fuel use, and geofenced zones for high-value goods add an extra layer of security. The solution delivers accurate predictive ETAs across all transportation modes, empowering the company to shift from reactive to proactive operational planning. This visibility has reduced operational uncertainties and improved customer satisfaction by providing the precise timing information that customers demand for their high-value cargo.

“As the first carrier to offer near real-time visibility of our container locations through our Live Position product, Hapag-Lloyd is taking the next step with HERE to enhance inland ETA predictions,” says Karsten Schmidt, product owner, Live Position / Track and Trace at Hapag-Lloyd. “This capability significantly boosts our operational planning and supports our customers with great precision in shipment timing.”