INTTRA Realizes Booming Growth in the China Market Thanks to a Variety of Flexible Offerings

April 17, 2006

Parsippany, N.J. and Shanghai, China - INTTRA officials are attributing booming growth in the China/Korea region to a wide array of flexible products geared to meet the needs of the world's fastest-growing export market.

INTTRA, the world's largest e-commerce portal, noted 165 percent growth rate in the China/Korea market from 2004 to 2005, indicating a boom in e-commerce adoption for the ocean freight industry to match China's enormous growth spurt.  INTTRA is well positioned to assist the China market adapt to e-commerce and is already producing special products to meet regional needs, says Ken Bloom, INTTRA's President and Chief Executive Officer. He believes that "INTTRA's explosive growth in China and Korea reflects a willingness to produce special products for that market.  Hong Kong also has some unique characteristics, for which we are also building product, all within the portal," he said.

"Driving the standard is just one part of the equation for e-commerce in China. The most important part of the equation is developing a product that is customized to meet the market practice and culture, which INTTRA has accomplished with its Shipping Order. Key cargo agents using INTTRA for the last couple of years have offered us high praise and support for meeting those challenges," said Bobby Lim, INTTRA Managing Director, China and Korea region, who attributes INTTRA's lead in the market to "more than hard work. We've built relationships with key industry players in this market and strong collaborations."

Bevin Wu, ocean freight supervisor for CTS International Transportation Co., Ltd., an international freight forwarder based in Shanghai, China, says INTTRA's rapid growth in China is directly in line with the "growing needs of China import and export volumes that are being reflected in e-commerce transactions.  As an online portal with quality products, INTTRA provides the best channel for information exchange between CTS and our carriers. And INTTRA provides the best service and technical competency of all the e-commerce portals, from its Shipping Instruction products to track and trace messages, CTS has benefited from these products in our China market."

Wu says INTTRA's Shipping Order particularly meets "the intricate booking process for our shipments, which helps foster our business relationships with all INTTRA carriers. The electronic Shipping Order not only provides a single standard format for working with our carriers, but it also requires less investment for a higher performance on the best-integrated system.  INTTRA has worked with CTS to achieve the goals of e-commerce, which are cost savings and increased productivity."

In Hong Kong, China, Kevin Schellack, Managing Director, the Mediterranean Shipping Company S.A. (MSC), one of the largest container liners in the world, says MSC has collaborated with INTTRA to spur its growth in China. Along with deploying new mega vessels, Schellack says MSC is always concerned to invest in information technologies that will boost efficiencies as part of ongoing efforts "to strive for excellence."

"In INTTRA, MSC has found a common information platform for shippers to operate electronically or through the Internet. Working this way eliminates obstacles in different time zones and geographic locations while significantly improving efficiency and accuracy," said Schellack.

He says that MSC and other carriers are just at the beginning stages of marketing INTTRA in China, which he calls "a valuable tool."  We are sure INTTRA's popularity will mount in the near future, and all parties will gain from the result.

Yang Bing, head of IT Solutions for Bestway International Transport Co., Ltd, an international freight forwarder based in Shanghai, China, says that after five years of cooperation Bestway has enjoyed "the convenience of one platform that INTTRA provides for direct links with carriers and other EDI providers.  INTTRA is our preferred channel because it is both technologically superior and provides excellent service support with value-added products."

Furthermore, he says Bestway is also benefiting from INTTRA's Track and Trace product, which "has enhanced Bestway's services and commercial standing in China. We look forward to closer cooperation with INTTRA."

"The electronic Shipping Order provides a definite advantage in increased productivity," added Philippe Salles, E-Commerce Manager at CMA CGM Marseille based in Marseilles, France. "Thanks to INTTRA's EDI expertise and cooperation locally, we are guaranteed an efficient link with our customers."

INTTRA Shipping Order Version 1.1

INTTRA offers cargo agents the choice of submitting electronic bookings, shipping instructions or shipping orders no matter what carriers they do business with in the INTTRA carrier network. Now INTTRA is enhancing this service with an updated version of the Shipping Order.  INTTRA Shipping Order v1.1 leverages INTTRA's considerable local market expertise to extend core functionality currently available in its Shipping Order solution.  Version 1.1 delivers more than 35 new market-driven features and innovations to enhance the Shipping Order experience.

INTTRA Shipping Order is a complete Enterprise-to-Enterprise (E2E) solution that enables the automatic transformation of shipping order data into industry-standard booking and shipping instruction messages. Carriers have the choice of receiving region-specific shipping order details in INTTRA's benchmark Shipping Order or Booking and Shipping Instructions (via EDI messages.)  INTTRA will seamlessly and transparently receive and translate shipment details based on individual customer and carrier  preferences.

"This means that a single EDI connection to INTTRA will connect our customers to all participating carriers.  INTTRA will quickly and automatically translate and transmit time-sensitive commercial information while notifying the local carrier office, all based on existing commercial relationships. To support market requirements, shipment details are sent in both EDI and e-mail formats, in order to eliminate re-keying and to speed processing of a given shipment, which makes INTTRA Shipping Order v1.1 a key component in our regional strategy," said Yuji Furusawa, Manager, INTTRA Regional Product Development.

About INTTRA
INTTRA, founded in 2000 and headquartered in Parsippany, N.J., is a leading global provider of e-commerce solutions to ocean carriers and their customers. INTTRA professionals work with customers to streamline and standardize their shipping processes, applying their e-commerce knowledge of the shipping industry for customers in markets worldwide.

INTTRA's e-commerce platform offers a comprehensive range of e-commerce tools, including: Tender, Sailing Schedules, Booking, Shipping Instructions, Bill of Lading, Track & Trace, and Reports. Accessing the INTTRA platform is simple, using any combination of their channel solutions: INTTRA-Link (EDI-based, system-to-system connection), INTTRA-Desktop (off-line PC application), or INTTRA-Act (web-based application).

INTTRA's carrier network includes, Aliança, ANL, CMA CGM, CSAV, CSAV NORASIA, DAL, Deutsche Afrika-Linien, FESCO, Hamburg Süd, Hapag-Lloyd, "K" Line, Libra, Maersk Line, MCC Transport Pte Ltd., MISC,  Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company S.A., NYK Line, Safmarine, Senator Lines and United Arab Shipping Company. The INTTRA carrier network represents over 61% of the world's ocean container capacity.

For further information visit www.inttra.com.  Or contact Andy Barrons, INTTRA Vice President of Marketing, at 973.263.5100 or email him at: andy.barrons@inttra.com.