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Big Data has been trending for a couple of years and can prove to be immensely helpful in improving the supply chain. It has been confirmed that the statistical science and data analytics can aid any organization in acquiring historical measurements and produces actionable information that in turn, will enhance the visibility factor of a supply chain. The introduction of the term “Big Data” can be traced back to the 1990s when John Mashey coined the term and made it quite popular. In the broader sense, the term refers to the large and complex data sets that are difficult to be processed by the conventional data-processing application software. The big sets of data can be analyzed through computation to reveal associations, patterns and trends. In fact, any voluminous quantity of structured, unstructured or semi-structured data that harbor the potential of being mined in future. Generally, the Big Data is classified into 3Vs, which are denoted by the wide Variety of data, the Volume of data and the Velocity of data. The Big Data can be derived from countless sources like the business sales records, real-time sensors or the assembled results of scientific experiments. This data type may be available in pre-processed or raw state using different software tools before the application of analytics. How Can Big Data Increase the Growth of an Organization? Big Data can also be used to boost the operational efficiency and increase the overall growth of an organization, irrespective of its size and type. However, having access to data is not everything as the organizations need to employ the correct strategy or procedure to further analyze it then make it worthy of sustainable action. If you are targeting on how to utilize Big Data in your organization, you have to first focus on assembling the necessary information. For that matter, you have to possess a clear understanding of the various data gathering and data tracking procedures. This is highly significant because capturing accurate data has the power to improve cooperation and can also highlight a holistic view of the organization. Once that is completed, you can now leverage the Big Data to obtain substantial results. The Big Data shows its true worth when it readily creates an agile supply chain and initiates a meaningful change in the organization. How to Make the Big Data Actionable? Undoubtedly, the first step is to access the necessary information and then analyze it. It is recommended that you use different Business Intelligence (BI) tools to transform the data into an actionable state. Listed below are some required steps that will help you in making good use of the Big Data for the betterment of the supply chain operations in the shipping industry. Transportation Planning You should always aim for a better system of transportation planning as an advanced logistics technology can easily track important data and then use it to ensure a smooth flow of goods throughout the entire supply chain. A transportation management system (TMS) is well-equipped with precise inbound and outbound statistics that can detect the shipment frequency or detect the endpoint destinations. Therefore, the Big Data can promptly provide you with a clear, comprehensive picture and that will allow you to predict the long-term shipping patterns, build suitable inventory levels and the secure the required capacity. End-to-End Visibility The tracking and tracing of an end-to-end movement for is a compulsory requirement for maintaining a perfect supply chain. Using the data derived from a Transportation Management System (TMS), you can immediately track the location status of each cargo. In case something unpredictable occurs during a shipment making a multi-stop delivery, the real-time load locations come into play. These real-time load locations allow you to adjust the route locations and avoid paying for a penalty due to delay. If shippers are well-informed about the potential route delays, then they can take early action and change routes. Forecasting and Planning In order to conduct a hassle-free supply chain operation, one needs to plan and prepare for the future. For this matter, a proactive strategy is recommended instead of just “ dialing ” for daily capacity. The Big Data can assist you in advanced planning as to what might be in store in the coming 12 months, or perhaps 18 months. This can be achieved by carefully planning out “what if” scenarios, which will help the organization in risk management when unforeseen disruptions like extreme weather conditions or capacity shortage occur. Some shippers also believe in sharing this information with the transportation providers so that they can prepare for everything beforehand. Capacity Planning You must be aware of how advanced analytics create an optimal network during the procurement or bidding process. So, if you are able to predict these activities much earlier, it can decrease the carrier costs and simultaneously manage variations. Shippers must create bid packages that consist of continuous tours, loops, multi-stop movements etc. in an attempt to acquire the optimal bid results. Taking the help of advanced planning, the shippers can prepare the carriers to bid against historical lane data or versus static. If a forecast signal states that there will a steady rise in volume at a given distribution center (DC), you can decide as to how your network and transport providers will accordingly adjust to the alterations. Customer Service The intricate process of data analysis demands transparency with the clients, which will allow them to derive knowledge regarding any fluctuations in cost or alterations in service. if you wish to improve the customer service in your organization, you must utilize the benefits of predictive analytics to automate processes. Hence, this will provide the customers with a far better delivery tracking or an appointment setting system. As a happy consequence, the customer will definitely receive the shipment delivery on the decided time. The contribution of Big Data to an organization is undeniably high on significance. However, we must always keep in mind that leveraging the data is not as easy as it seems. One should always plan ahead and devise a strategic approach to access it. This is achievable through the active implementation of specific goals or by using key performance indicators (KPI).  Moreover, the importance of a 3PL partner with respect to a supply chain can never be undermined. A 3PL partner allows shippers to gain insights and manage the supply chain in a dexterous manner. This preferred pairing of deep industry expertise and Big Data leads one to clearly validate and predict the future outcomes in the vast maritime world.