Industry Consensus Has Been Reached
Container intelligence is no longer an option — it is a mandatory requirement.
The 2026 INTERMODAL ASIA 2026 has successfully concluded. The two high-level forums hosted by BoxPlus drew strong industry attention, with full audiences and rich insights. Leaders from shipping lines, ports, terminals, cold-chain logistics, and international standard organizations collectively formed a clear consensus across the entire supply chain.
To help better understand the essence of the forums, we will break down the core insights into three themes:
- Industry Consensus: Intelligent transformation of containers has become an irreversible trend in shipping and logistics
- Standards & Ecosystem Co-Building
- Value Implementation: IBOX full-scenario empowerment and efficiency enhancement
In this issue, we begin with Theme 1 — Industry Consensus, to understand why digital transformation in maritime logistics is now an unavoidable direction. Across the two forums, heavyweight guests from shipping lines, ports, terminals, cold-chain logistics, and international standard bodies shared perspectives from different segments of the industry. A unified conclusion emerged: The shipping and logistics industry has fully moved beyond traditional, fragmented operations. Under the drive of IoT technologies, container intelligence is no longer optional — it is essential for survival and long-term development. From smart reefer containers to dry containers, from vessels to terminals, and from regional shipping to multimodal transportation, full IoT coverage has become the industry’s shared direction. Below are selected key insights from the speakers.
Ms. Afra Guo
Deputy General Manager of Enterprise Process & Information Department, COSCO SHIPPING Lines
Managing Director of BoxPlus
As the initiator of the forum and a key industry leader, Ms. Guo Jianfei delivered the opening keynote speech, setting the tone for the industry’s development trend. Drawing on the practical achievements of the full IBOX product portfolio, she presented a core judgment:
The industry is rapidly entering a new digital era driven by IoT and characterized by “autonomous information flow.”
Ms. Guo emphasized that smart reefer containers have become mainstream, while the intelligence upgrade of dry containers is accelerating. In particular, the trade growth across the RCEP region is further driving cross-border logistics operators to increase investment in IoT technologies, making end-to-end intelligent monitoring a mandatory requirement for high-quality transportation within the region.
Behind this trend lies a dual convergence of technological maturity and market demand:
On one hand, IoT has become the only core technology capable of enabling full-process connectivity and autonomous, controllable data flow. On the other hand, the market has already seen the emergence of solutions that are technologically robust, stable in performance, and cost-effective enough to support large-scale deployment across multiple scenarios.
The IBOX product family from Hailian Zhitong precisely aligns with this structural shift, serving as a key solution positioned at the center of this accelerating transformation.
Mr. Zhang Chenbo
General Manager, Operations Center, Sinotrans Container Lines Co., Ltd.
From the perspective of a central state-owned shipping operator’s real-world operations, Mr. Zhang Chenbo confirmed that digitalization has shifted from “pilot exploration” to “mandatory standard configuration.”
Sharing based on Sinotrans’ development journey and global service network, he noted:
“Adopting the IBOX product family and enabling IoT across multiple scenarios is not a technological experiment — it is a strategic decision made to enhance asset efficiency and optimize customer service. It represents an inevitable path for shipping companies’ digital transformation.”
He emphasized that IoT adoption is fundamentally reshaping asset management — shifting decision-making from experience-driven judgment to data-driven intelligence, fully integrating smart technologies into core shipping operations.
Mr. Xu Xiang
Deputy General Manager, Qingdao Port International Container Development Co., Ltd.
Head of Fanghou Intelligence Port & Logistics Services (Qingdao)
From the perspective of port digital transformation, Mr. Xu Xiang highlighted a clear industry consensus:
Traditional port operations cannot be solved by manual processes, while IoT enables seamless data connectivity across shipping lines, ports, and customs, unlocking end-to-end operational efficiency.
He introduced that Qingdao Port established Ark Intelligence in 2024 in response to national strategy, aiming to build a fully connected digital port ecosystem powered by intelligent technologies.
Focusing on three core directions, Ark Intelligence has developed multiple smart solutions. Among them, the jointly developed “Zhi Wen Xing” cold-chain monitoring project with Hailian Zhitong stands as a benchmark IoT application in port operations.
Through data-driven clearance processes, the solution reduces customs processing time by an average of 24–48 hours, truly enabling:
“Data flows more, enterprises move less.”
Ms. Marianna
Vice Chair, Smart Container Alliance
Senior Vice President, Hoopo Strategic Alliance
From a global perspective, Ms. Marianna added that while maritime shipping has achieved a certain level of visibility, inland logistics remains a global blind spot in supply chains.
IoT serves as the key technology to bridge this sea-land gap and eliminate information discontinuity across the entire logistics chain.
She emphasized that end-to-end IoT solutions not only provide container location and trajectory tracking, but also enable cargo condition monitoring within dry containers, offering real-time data support to all stakeholders including cargo owners, operators, terminals, and ports.
Mr. Luo Jian
Vice General Manager, COSCO SHIPPING (Qingdao) Co., Ltd.
General Manager, Yantai Zhonghan Ferry Co., Ltd.
Based on cross-border shipping operational excellence, Mr. Luo Jian delivered a firm industry judgment:
“100% smart dry container deployment is an inevitable path for efficient cross-border shipping operations.”
He highlighted that IoT enables full visibility and predictability of container journeys, becoming a core driver for cost reduction and efficiency improvement.
He further noted that his organization has already achieved 100% smart coverage of dry containers, while accelerating smart deployment for reefer containers.
He emphasized that building a full-process intelligent container management system represents not only a technological upgrade, but a transformation in management philosophy — from “container management” to “data management,” and from “experience-driven” to “algorithm-driven” decision-making.
He concluded:
“This will define the next competition in multimodal transportation — no longer about capacity scale, but about intelligence capability.”
Mr. Gong Dongbin
Deputy General Manager, Reefer Trade Division, COSCO SHIPPING Lines
From the perspective of cold-chain shipping, Mr. Gong Dongbin stressed that cold-chain logistics is fundamentally a race against time.
End-to-end IoT visibility is the most effective way to ensure freshness, efficiency, and reliability.
He noted that high-end cargo owners are already prioritizing “full-chain intelligent monitoring capability” when selecting carriers. As a result, smart reefer containers will inevitably become an industry entry threshold.
As adoption expands, solutions like the IBOX family will drive transformative upgrades not only for shipping companies, but also for upstream and downstream industries such as livestock, fresh produce, and food supply chains.
Mr. Wang Shuli
Assistant General Manager, Dual-Brand Container Management Center, COSCO SHIPPING
From an asset management perspective, Mr. Wang Shuli delivered a definitive judgment:
IoT is the future of container management.
IoT defines a new era of container operations.
IoT will become the “digital soul” of containers.
He shared that COSCO SHIPPING has already achieved 100% smart reefer container coverage and is rapidly advancing smart dry container deployment.
IoT brings transformative value by improving asset utilization, reducing loss rates, and optimizing empty container repositioning through big data analytics — saving billions in operational costs annually.
He concluded that leading global shipping companies are accelerating IoT adoption, and “no intelligence, no container management” has become an industry-wide consensus.
Consolidated Industry Consensus
BoxPlus Leads the New Era of Smart Container Transformation
A major industry forum has crystallized a shared vision. Through intensive dialogue and cross-sector exchange, one conclusion has become clear:
Container intelligence is no longer a trend — it is reality.
It is not an experiment — it is a system-wide transformation.
It is not a corporate choice — it is an industry-wide direction.
BoxPlus has already anticipated this shift and built a full-scenario IBOX product ecosystem, becoming a key partner in enabling smart logistics transformation.
IBOX Reefer: over 150,000 units deployed
IBOX Dry: over 120,000 units sold
IBOX Vessel: over 100 vessel contracts secured
IBOX Terminal: already deployed at major ports including Xiamen Ocean Gate
Through proven deployment at scale, BoxPlus not only validates industry consensus but also provides a replicable benchmark solution for global smart logistics transformation.
Coming Next
In the next chapter, we will focus on Theme 2: Standards Leadership & Ecosystem Co-Building, diving deeper into the foundational rules driving high-quality IoT development in maritime logistics.