ZIM has announced the creation of its new subsidiary, Ship4wd, a digital freight forwarding platform offering an online, simple and reliable self-service end to end shipping solution.
Ship4wd will launch on 18 October 2021 and will target US & Canadian small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) importing and exporting from China, Vietnam and Israel.
ZIM said that the new digital freight forwarding company will provide small and medium businesses, as well as entrepreneurs worldwide, a simple and direct solution for shipping cargo – through an advanced ‘one-stop-shop’ digital platform.
"Ship4wd undertakes to manage the entire logistic chain end to end, harnessing our core assets as a leading global carrier with a unique customer-centric approach to provide the optimal digital solution for the SMB segment, backed up by a wide network of vendors including ZIM," commented Eli Glickman, ZIM President & CEO.
The digital service offered by Ship4wd is based on one-stop-shop service covering all aspects of the complex international shipping process.
Additionally, it enables customers without previous experience in cross-border shipping to manage their import and export business simply and efficiently, with live chat 24/7 expert support throughout the process, according to a statement.
"Similar to the way other groundbreaking platforms such as Airbnb in tourism and Uber in transportation have transformed their industries, we are aiming to enable everyone to be a self-shipper, by simplifying and streamlining the transfer of goods worldwide down to its essence – a ‘few clicks’ shipping solution," pointed out Assaf Tiran, ZIM Vice President Global Customer Service, also heading Digital Innovation.
The platform offering consists of both sea and air shipping services up to the final destination, including land & rail transport, with associated logistic services, all backed up by a variety of professional vendors.
Headed by Carmit Hoshen-Glik, an entrepreneurial executive with experience in digital transportation and global freight forwarding solutions, Ship4wd is located in Herzliya, one of Israel’s main innovative startup hub.
"The global need for digital services via personal mobile phones and tablets is increasing, especially among small and medium businesses, and Ship4wd is the ultimate solution," said Glickman.
"We believe it’s time for international shipping to become simple, easy and trustworthy for SMBs," added Carmit Hoshen-Glik, Ship4wd CEO.
