Abstract: A system for facilitating freight transactions that includes a secure portal for receiving users’ (carriers, forwarders, shippers, and market makers) data that includes orders and capacity postings between destinations. The system also includes a back-end modules configured for collecting capacity/shipping volume data to generate forecast data, managing derivative contracts, determining best possible routing given the orders and capacity postings, breaking the best possible routing into component segments that is then traded as derivative contracts, providing report, managing settlement and clearinghouse functions, and receiving risk assessment about the forecast data. The system further includes an interface layer for facilitating communications between the portal and the back-end modules. The system moreover includes a contract and capacity management module configured for enabling the carriers and the forwarders to strategically position their capacity.

Abstract: A system for facilitating freight transactions that includes a secure portal for receiving users' (carriers, forwarders, shippers, and market makers) data that includes orders and capacity postings between destinations. The system also includes a back-end modules configured for collecting capacity/shipping volume data to generate forecast data, managing derivative contracts, determining best possible routing given the orders and capacity postings, breaking the best possible routing into component segments that is then traded as derivative contracts, providing report, managing settlement and clearinghouse functions, and receiving risk assessment about the forecast data. The system further includes an interface layer for facilitating communications between the portal and the back-end modules. The system moreover includes a contract and capacity management module configured for enabling the carriers and the forwarders to strategically position their capacity.

Abstract: A system for facilitating freight transactions that includes a secure portal for receiving users' (carriers, forwarders, shippers, and market makers) data that includes orders and capacity postings between destinations. The system also includes a back-end modules configured for collecting capacity/shipping volume data to generate forecast data, managing derivative contracts, determining best possible routing given the orders and capacity postings, breaking the best possible routing into component segments that is then traded as derivative contracts, providing report, managing settlement and clearinghouse functions, and receiving risk assessment about the forecast data. The system further includes an interface layer for facilitating communications between the portal and the back-end modules. The system moreover includes a contract and capacity management module configured for enabling the carriers and the forwarders to strategically position their capacity.

Abstract: A system for facilitating freight transactions that includes a secure portal for receiving users' (carriers, forwarders, shippers, and market makers) data that includes orders and capacity postings between destinations. The system also includes a back-end modules configured for collecting capacity/shipping volume data to generate forecast data, managing derivative contracts, determining best possible routing, given the orders and capacity postings, breaking the best possible routing into component segments that is then traded as derivative contracts, providing report, managing settlement and clearinghouse functions, and receiving risk assessment about the forecast data. The system further includes an interface layer for facilitating communications between the portal and the back-end modules. The system moreover includes a contract and capacity management module configured for enabling the carriers and the forwarders to strategically position their capacity.

Abstract: A system for facilitating freight transactions that includes a secure portal for receiving users' (carriers, forwarders, shippers, and market makers) data that includes orders and capacity postings between destinations. The system also includes a back-end modules configured for collecting capacity/shipping volume data to generate forecast data, managing derivative contracts, determining best possible routing, given the orders and capacity postings, breaking the best possible routing into component segments that is then traded as derivative contracts, providing report, managing settlement and clearinghouse functions, and receiving risk assessment about the forecast data. The system further includes an interface layer for facilitating communications between the portal and the back-end modules. The system moreover includes a contract and capacity management module configured for enabling the carriers and the forwarders to strategically position their capacity.

Abstract: A system for facilitating freight transactions that includes a secure portal for receiving users' (carriers, forwarders, shippers, and market makers) data that includes orders and capacity postings between destinations. The system also includes a back-end modules configured for collecting capacity/shipping volume data to generate forecast data, managing derivative contracts, determining best possible routing given the orders and capacity postings, breaking the best possible routing into component segments that is then traded as derivative contracts, providing report, managing settlement and clearinghouse functions, and receiving risk assessment about the forecast data. The system further includes an interface layer for facilitating communications between the portal and the back-end modules. The system moreover includes a contract and capacity management module configured for enabling the carriers and the forwarders to strategically position their capacity.

Abstract: A system for facilitating freight transactions that includes a secure portal for receiving users' (carriers, forwarders, shippers, and market makers) data that includes orders and capacity postings between destinations. The system also includes a back-end modules configured for collecting capacity/shipping volume data to generate forecast data, managing derivative contracts, determining best possible routing given the orders and capacity postings, breaking the best possible routing into component segments that is then traded as derivative contracts, providing report, managing settlement and clearinghouse functions, and receiving risk assessment about the forecast data. The system further includes an interface layer for facilitating communications between the portal and the back-end modules. The system moreover includes a contract and capacity management module configured for enabling the carriers and the forwarders to strategically position their capacity.

Abstract: A method for facilitating freight shipment between a first geographic location and a second geographic location is disclosed. The method comprising displaying in a first data section of a browser window derivative contract data pertaining to shipment capacity offered by carriers between the first geographic location and the second geographic location, the derivative contract data being associated with at least shipping mode. The method further comprising displaying in a second data section of a browser window forecast data pertaining to demand forecasts between the first geographic location and the second geographic location, the forecast data being provided by shippers, the second data section being configured to be viewed simultaneously with said first data section, the browser window being configured to be accessible via a computer network. The method further comprising receiving shipper assessment of accuracy of the forecast data from the shippers.

Abstract: A method for facilitating freight shipment between a first geographic location and a second geographic location is disclosed. The method comprising displaying in a first data section of a browser window derivative contract data pertaining to shipment capacity offered by carriers between the first geographic location and the second geographic location, the derivative contract data being associated with at least shipping mode. The method further comprising displaying in a second data section of a browser window forecast data pertaining to demand forecasts between the first geographic location and the second geographic location, the forecast data being provided by shippers, the second data section being configured to be viewed simultaneously with said first data section, the browser window being configured to be accessible via a computer network. The method further comprising receiving shipper assessment of accuracy of the forecast data from the shippers.

Abstract: A system that facilitates freight shipment between a first geographic location and a second geographic location is disclosed. The system includes computer hardware and computer software readable by the computer hardware for displaying a browser window. The browser window is accessible via a computer network. The browser window includes a first data section configured to display derivative contract data pertaining to shipment capacity offered by carriers between the first geographic location and the second geographic location, the derivative contract data being associated with at least two of a air mode, a sea mode, a train mode, and a truck mode. The browser window also includes a second data section configured to be viewed simultaneously with the first data section, the second data section displaying forecast data provided by shippers and pertaining to demand forecasts between the first geographic location and the second geographic location.

Abstract: Network-based, computer-implemented techniques and arrangements for fulfilling multi-modal freight shipment involving at least two transportation modes between a first location and a second location are disclosed. In one implementation, there is included receiving a derivative purchase request for capacity between the first location and the second location, the derivative purchase request having contract requirements that specify at least a shipment volume and a performance time. There is further included ascertaining from a database of available derivative contracts a plurality of potentially suitable derivative contracts that satisfy the contract requirements. There is also included selecting a subset of the plurality of potentially suitable derivative contracts to satisfy the derivative purchase request, the subset including at least a first derivative contract for a first mode of the two transportation modes and a second derivative contract for a second mode of the two transportation modes.

Abstract: Computer-implemented techniques via a computer network for allowing freight industry participants, including shippers, forwarders, carriers, and market makers to securely and conveniently trade in freight capacity, which is destined to be transported via a plurality of transportation modes, are disclosed. Trading is enhanced by providing user-appropriate forecast data and rating data to traders, while various data display restrictions are imposed to achieve security and to respect the confidentiality needs of the freight industry participants.

Abstract: Network-based, computer-implemented techniques and arrangements for fulfilling multi-modal freight shipment involving at least two transportation modes between a first location and a second location are disclosed. In one implementation, there is included receiving a derivative purchase request for capacity between the first location and the second location, the derivative purchase request having contract requirements that specify at least a shipment volume and a performance time. There is further included ascertaining from a database of available derivative contracts a plurality of potentially suitable derivative contracts that satisfy the contract requirements. There is also included selecting a subset of the plurality of potentially suitable derivative contracts to satisfy the derivative purchase request, the subset including at least a first derivative contract for a first mode of the two transportation modes and a second derivative contract for a second mode of the two transportation modes.

Abstract: A browser window configured to display on a display screen data that facilitates freight shipment between a first geographic location and a second geographic location is disclosed. The browser window is accessible via a computer network. There is included a first data section configured to display derivative contract data pertaining to shipment capacity offered by carriers between the first geographic location and the second geographic location, the derivative contract data being associated with at least two of a air mode, a sea mode, a train mode, and a truck mode. There is also included a second data section configured to be viewed simultaneously with the first data section, the second data section displaying forecast data pertaining to demand forecasts between the first geographic location and the second geographic location by shippers.

Abstract: Computer-implemented techniques via a computer network for allowing freight industry participants, including shippers, forwarders, carriers, and market makers to securely and conveniently trade in freight capacity, which is destined to be transported via a plurality of transportation modes, are disclosed. Trading is enhanced by providing user-appropriate forecast data and rating data to traders, while various data display restrictions are imposed to achieve security and to respect the confidentiality needs of the freight industry participants.