‍

What We Heard at VMA25 and Why It’s Fueling Our Focus at BlueCargo

‍

We just got back from VMA25 in Norfolk, and the conversations were full of energy. You could feel it in every session: people are drowning in data but starving for answers.

We spent two full days talking with shippers, carriers, and drayage partners. Everyone came in with a different perspective, but by the end of the event, the themes connected in a way that was impossible to ignore.

Here’s what we heard, and how it’s shaping what we’re building at BlueCargo.

‍

1. Everyone wants to unify their data, but few can

It was striking how consistent this theme was. More than 80% of the BCOs we spoke with admitted that their data practices were, in their own words, “a mess.”

One shipper told us, half-jokingly:

“If we could just trust our data, we’d make decisions twice as fast.”

That line stayed with us because it perfectly captures where many supply chains are today. Teams have the tools, but not the trust.

This is exactly where BlueCargo has been investing: creating a single, reliable record of every container movement, charge, and exception. When data becomes clear and connected, it fuels better forecasting, sharper negotiations, and smarter decisions.

At the end of the day, clean data doesn’t just improve visibility. It gives people back their time and confidence.

‍

2. BI and AI aren’t differentiators anymore, they’re expectations

There was no debate about it this year: AI is now table stakes. If you are not leveraging it, you are falling behind. But here is what stood out. People are no longer chasing AI for the buzz; they are focused on how it empowers their teams.

The real excitement is about enabling better decisions. Teams want to use AI and BI not to automate, but to inform. Technology is most powerful when it helps people think faster and act smarter.

That is how we approach it at BlueCargo. AI should shorten the time between question and answer.
The kind of questions logistics teams ask every day include:

• Are we actually on plan?
• Which carrier helps us meet landed cost targets?
• Where are fees creeping in, and how do we stop them before they happen?

That kind of intelligence keeps teams agile and aligned instead of buried in spreadsheets.

‍

3. Decarbonization isn’t a buzzword, it’s a countdown

The sustainability discussions at VMA felt more grounded than ever. People were not debating if new fees are coming. They were asking when.

With the EU’s FuelEU Maritime rules tightening emissions standards and the IMO’s net-zero goals moving forward, carbon-linked surcharges are no longer a distant issue. They are an upcoming cost center.

We heard real concern about how to plan for this shift. The change will reshape landed cost models long before 2030.

At BlueCargo, we are preparing by tracking environmental surcharges line by line, tying them to specific voyages, and helping our customers forecast greener, cost-balanced choices now, before the 2028 inflection point.

‍

4. Tariffs, fees, and volatility are rewriting cost structures

If there was one word that summed up the week, it was volatility.

Between shifting tariffs, new customs fees, and unpredictable port surcharges, planning has become a moving target. One carrier executive told us:

“We used to plan around contracts. Now we plan around volatility.”

That's right, it is not just talk. Container fees are climbing past $200 per move in some lanes, and carriers such as COSCO are reportedly absorbing billions in added costs.

Our takeaway is that these impacts ripple quickly. BlueCargo is working to normalize these charges inside audits and forecasts, exposing risk lane by lane and service by service, so teams can test scenarios before costs catch them off guard.

‍

5. Capacity is back, but predictability isn’t

Even with supply ahead of demand, uncertainty remains.
With changing Suez and Red Sea conditions, capacity swings are unpredictable. The Gemini Cooperation between Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd sparked a lot of hallway debate. If transshipments can still deliver all containers within 30 days, does it really matter if it is direct or via another port?

It is a fair question, and one that highlights the value of reliable data.

When you can measure landed-inventory performance, you can prove the business case for flexibility. That is why BlueCargo is building tools that quantify what we call the reliability dividend, showing how on-time landed inventory directly reduces ocean cost per unit and strengthens resilience.

‍

What customers told us they need next

After dozens of conversations at VMA25, we came home with a clear picture of what logistics teams are asking for right now.

We’ve summarized those insights into a short 4-point action brief that outlines what shippers, BCOs, and carriers said they need most — and how we’re helping solve it.

If you’d like to see the breakdown or compare notes with your own priorities, let’s schedule a quick call.
It’s a great way to share perspectives, benchmark your current challenges, and see how others in the industry are approaching the same questions.

👉 Book a call with us to get the 4 key takeaways and discuss what they could mean for your operations.

‍

Our biggest takeaway

We left Norfolk both energized and humbled.

The smartest teams we met are not waiting for certainty; they are building clarity. They are not chasing more technology; they are fixing the foundation that everything depends on.

That is exactly what we are doubling down on at BlueCargo: turning messy, fragmented freight data into a single source of truth, empowering the people behind the operations, and giving supply chains the confidence they have been missing for too long.

When decisions move as fast as your containers, that is when the supply chain finally feels human again.

‍

---
Read our Blog

‍

‍