Abstract: Shipping logistics are managed by monitoring the location and at least one operational characteristic of the mobile shipping unit, the operational characteristic selected from the group consisting of internal temperature, external temperature, acceleration, weight, hatch status and combinations thereof; communicating at scheduled intervals data comprising the location and monitored characteristic from the mobile shipping unit to a receiving device that is remote from the mobile shipping unit; storing the data received by the receiving device in a status database, wherein the status database is in electronic communication with a data processing unit; processing the data stored in the status database with the data processing unit to generate at least one report on the mobile shipping unit and to determine if an alert condition exists, wherein an alert condition exists when any data point is outside predetermined limits; determining a nature and severity of any existing alert condition; generating an alert notif