New Opportunities: Digital Freight Alliance Membership
Within freight forwarding and logistics, Logistics Memberships are often a popular topic yet remain unfamiliar to many professionals.
Which one is a worthwhile investment? Why are the terminology and regulations different for each option?
The complexities of supply chain intricacies and transportation issues initially seemed overwhelming.
However, the value that can be gained by joining a global community of professionals is attractive: shared insights spanning inventory control, societal trends, and LinkedIn group discussions and webinars focused on emerging markets and expansion.
In this article, we reveal just how easy it is to join the Digital Freight Alliance. We will summarise the free and premium membership benefits and features that our global community can access, including best-in-class support, trade finance options, and our cutting-edge digital tools.
Embracing the Global Reach of Digital Freight Alliance
The Digital Freight Alliance (DFA) spans a massive network across more than 197 countries, connecting 6,000+ freight forwarders, NVOCCs, and logistics providers in an unparalleled global community.
This remarkable reach lets DFA play an increasingly significant role in the global supply chain.
Our Membership Tiers
Digital Freight Alliance offers two membership tiers, both of which provide you with membership in an innovative association supported by DP World, a leading enabler of logistics and trade.
Digital Transformation with DFA
Through our offering of innovative digital logistics tools that streamline operations while supporting members to maintain a competitive edge, DFA is unique in redefining the norms for what is expected from a logistics membership.
These innovative solutions are revolutionising the logistics and transportation industries, as recently showcased at the Global Freight Summit 2023, supported by DP World.
Leveraging DFA's Partner Platforms
Logistics providers have a golden opportunity to streamline their operations using the digital platforms that the Digital Freight Alliance (DFA) partners with. These include SeaRates.com, LandRates.com, and AirRates.com, but also DP World Trade Finance.
Exploring the Benefits of SeaRates.com, LandRates.com, and AirRates.com
The benefits are numerous. Let’s start with SeaRates, which lets logistics providers search and compare freight rates in real-time from over 50 carriers. No more guesswork or wasted time on phone calls.
Moving on to land transportation? Land Rates is your answer. This platform provides instant shipping quotes for road transport across multiple countries.
If air cargo is your game, you'll find that Air Rates makes life easier by offering quick access to international airfreight prices. Just like its sister sites, this one also saves you tons of research time.
DFA brings together logistics providers through these digital platforms, which cater to all facets of the logistics engineering profession – be it sea freight forwarding or warehouse management.
Exploring the International Networking Opportunities
The increasing size of DFA's network offers exceptional opportunities for both local and international networking among freight forwarders, NVOCCs, and logistics providers.
Being part of the expansive alliance that is DFA provides chances to develop relationships on a global scale, no matter what continent you are located in.
This collaborative mind set of our members is what makes DFA unique - it transcends borders, uniting professionals within the transportation industry through shared experiences and common goals.
And it's not just about building connections; our community serves as a knowledge-sharing platform where everyone benefits from collective wisdom.
Financial Support for DFA Members
As a valued DFA member, you gain access to additional financial solutions and DP World Trade Finance, providing a range of invaluable resources to elevate your trade operations, including:
Ship Now, Pay Later: Available for both standard and premium members, Access a simple financial solution for your FCL, LCL, FTL, LTL, and Air freight shipping. Facilitate delivery processes and expand your supply chain globally.
DP World Trade Finance: Access streamlined processes and cutting-edge technology to empower your business to be able to seize growth opportunities through solutions for Invoice Factoring, Invoice Discounting, Reverse Factoring, Trade Payables Financing, and Inventory Financing.
Payment Protection: DFA premium members enjoy automatic coverage with top-tier credit risk insurance ranging from $10,000 to $100,000 annually. This comprehensive protection provides premium participants with the confidence to conduct their business transactions, offering assurance that dealings with fellow premium members are secured, safeguarding against non-payment. The coverage specifically extends to ocean freight invoices pertaining to the offices and cities outlined in the DFA Directory.
The Impact of DFA's Business Development Opportunities
As part of the Digital Freight Alliance (DFA), members have a chance to supercharge their growth. DFA is not just an alliance, it’s a hub for business development opportunities. Let's talk about how this can benefit your logistics business.
Boosting Business Growth with DFA's Opportunities
A major advantage is access to free digital tools that revolutionise freight forwarding operations. Our tools help businesses become more efficient and productive by automating manual processes. DFA’s digital tools and other benefits become accessible immediately after a simple KYC procedure.
Logistics Explorer: The Standard Package grants web-integrated access to SeaRates Logistics Explorer. Offer your customers the ability to compare and book quotes, along with using the Quick Request form. Seamlessly integrated into your website or used on SeaRates, this tool expands your reach and business prospects.
Members Directory Access: Standard Package members join DFA's Members Directory, enhancing visibility and credibility within the network. A recent upgrade allows email domain-based search among DFA members.
While the Standard Package provides essential features for starting your journey with DFA, businesses with more advanced needs or a broader scope find greater value in upgrading to the Premium Package for an enhanced experience.
Switching from Standard to Premium is seamless, even immediately after registration. With advanced KYC verification, Premium members can access:
SeaRates ERP: A premier multimodal ERP for our premium members, designed to streamline end-to-end shipping and cargo processes for all vendors, large or small- crucial for efficiently managing items transported from source to destination.
Access to Shippers' Requests: Premium members exclusively engage with potential clients by viewing and responding to shippers' requests, expanding their clientele and business opportunities.
CARGOES Flow: Access to real-time visibility with an enterprise, multi-vendor tracking tool for sea, air, and land. It benefits large companies working with multiple logistics vendors, providing a single window view. Integration with 3rd party GIS available.
Premium Member Chat: Enjoy direct communication with fellow premium members via a dedicated chat feature, streamlining negotiations, logistics discussions, and information sharing.
White-Label Use of Logistics Explorer: Customise and brand the Logistics Explorer tool with your company's identity, enhancing your freight rates and user experience.
Ship Schedules Web Integration: Provide advanced logistics services by placing the Ship Schedule widget on your website, with 600 free monthly searches for Premium users.
Container Tracking Web Integration: Offer transparency and trust with the Container Tracking tool, allowing you to track up to 300 containers monthly within the Premium package.
Integration and Customisation of Widgets: Customise SeaRates widgets like Container Tracking, Logistics Explorer, and Ship Schedule to seamlessly integrate them into your systems and platforms.
Start Your Journey: Join DF Alliance
DFA Membership provides you with so much more than a badge and certificate; it's an exclusive gateway to a growing global logistics community.
With our extensive logistics network, the world is at your fingertips- in just three simple steps:
1. Sign up - Via the ‘Join Now’ button using your business email and verify your account.
2. Enter your contact information and details to complete your profile.
3. Complete the Know Your Customer Form, easily upload the required documents, and a member of the DFA team will be in touch.
The team at DFA look forward to supporting your business growth. For questions and enquiries reach out to us directly: Contact Us.
