Melbourne-based Fluent Cargo has launched an AI-powered search capability that enables natural language queries against live logistics and transport data.

Ask Fluent connects users to real-time shipping schedules, routing intelligence, market index pricing, disruptions, certified emissions and cargo tracking through conversational interface.

The chat agent provides real-time access to all the curated data from its platform. This includes shipping schedules, routing options, container tracking, and market intelligence, provided through a conversational interface.

According to Fluent, while logistics professionals increasingly expect AI-powered tools, existing solutions are often built on static data that’s out of date and lacks the real-time context essential for cargo operations. By contrast, Fluent Cargo’s Ask Fluent provides real-time information that dynamically adapts as the supply chain landscape changes.

Customers can query “What’s the best way to get two shipping containers from Japan to the West Coast of the United States?” and receive specific routing recommendations, such as the most efficient route through Yokohama to the Port of Los Angeles, followed by schedule availability and departure times. Direct and indirect shipment schedules are provided, and Ask Fluent considers recent port calls to provide insight if the vessels are running as per their schedules.

“We’re solving a fundamental problem in logistics technology – the gap between what professionals need and what current AI tools actually deliver,” said Andy Greig, CTO of Fluent Cargo. “Ask Fluent transforms how our customers access critical shipping intelligence by putting real-time, contextual data at their fingertips through simple conversation.”

“Ask Fluent is not just chatbot technology – we’re providing timely information with context, which is fundamentally different from what currently exists in the market,” said Greig. “Instead of jumping between 10 different systems, users just need to know how to use a keyboard. Ask Fluent becomes the engine sitting in the middle of everything, with a powerful but simple interface that makes sense to everyone.”

“Whether I’m tracking a container, PO, Workorder, product type or BOL, I just want to simply ask the question and get an accurate answer. We’ve worked very hard on making our User Interface easily accessible but with the depth of the platform, users want faster access,” said Archival Garcia, CEO of Fluent Cargo.

Ask Fluent’s capabilities are built on Fluent Cargo having standardised and cleansed data over the past five years. This has greatly simplified use of the data, such as finding schedules for shipments that need to arrive by specific dates. This data foundation has made the transition to AI-powered capabilities straightforward, with the real power lying in the “unique data sets” they’ve been able to generate, collect, cleanse and extrapolate.