Supply chain visibility

Supply chain visibility (SCV) is the ability to track the location, status, and condition of orders, shipments, and inventory across the chain in near real time, from purchase order through final delivery. It is fed by EDI messages, carrier and forwarder APIs, port community systems, GPS and IoT sensor data, and event milestones standardized through DCSA track-and-trace interfaces for ocean freight. The value is in exception management: flagging a missed sailing, a customs hold, or a reefer temperature excursion early enough to act. SCV underpins control-tower operations and lets buyers verify estimated time of arrival rather than relying on the carrier’s static schedule.