From digital learning to AI and delay insurance: how should Vietnamese forwarders upgrade their capabilities?

One of the clearest signals from the 2026 FIATA HQ Meeting is that competition in freight forwarding is moving beyond the basic question of whether to digitise. The real question now is how deeply firms digitise, with what capabilities, and under which standards of trust, implementation and governance. This was visible across the session on “Building Effective Digital Learning”, the eFBL User Clinic and the panel “Unlocking Value with Emerging Technologies in Freight Forwarding”. In other words, international logistics has already passed the awareness stage of digital transformation. The challenge now is large-scale implementation, structured training, data protection and turning technology into measurable business value. For Vietnamese freight forwarders, the message is clear: advantage no longer comes from owning a piece of software, but from learning faster, integrating faster and managing risk better.

Digital learning is no longer optional - it is the base layer of capability

The fact that FIATA devoted a dedicated session to “Building Effective Digital Learning” is telling. In a world where supply chains keep changing rules, procedures and data standards, traditional training models built mainly around face-to-face teaching increasingly struggle with update speed, coverage and delivery cost. At the same time, the FIATA Logistics Institute continues to consolidate its role as the umbrella for training and education initiatives, while updated FIATA Minimum Standards for all training programmes took effect on 1 January 2026. This shows that the largest international professional body in the sector sees human capability standardisation as a precondition for successful digitalisation.

For Vietnam, that signal is highly practical. An industry with a large base of small and medium-sized logistics firms will find it hard to move quickly if training remains fragmented, occasional and overly dependent on physical classrooms. Digital learning does not mean replacing in-person teaching altogether. It means building a more flexible learning ecosystem: core knowledge delivered online, operational cases handled through workshops, international standards updated in modular form, and competency assessment linked to actual job functions. Done well, this could narrow the capability gap between large firms and SMEs in access to new knowledge.

The eFBL shows that successful digitalisation must come with implementation guidance

One of the most useful developments in Geneva was that FIATA did not discuss digitalisation as a slogan. It moved directly into implementation support. The eFBL User Clinic was designed as a practical session for current users, potential users and association members, helping them understand how to use the eFBL in daily operations. At the same time, FIATA released its Practical Guide to the electronic FIATA Multimodal Bill of Lading, covering onboarding, the Digital Identity framework, liability insurance, the Insured eFBL option, third-party verification mechanisms and the possibility for customs authorities to access eFBL data through the FIATA API.

The lesson for Vietnamese forwarders is important: digital transformation creates value only when firms move from owning tools to using them effectively in live operations. Many firms invest in systems while leaving internal workflows unchanged, tolerating poor input data, undertraining staff and failing to show customers a clear benefit. FIATA appears to be taking the opposite route: standardise how the tool is used first, then expand the trusted ecosystem around it. That is a logic Vietnam can learn from if it wants to scale electronic documents, standardised transport data and digital logistics services.

Emerging technologies are moving from automation into risk modelling

The “Unlocking Value with Emerging Technologies in Freight Forwarding” session pointed to a new stage in logistics technology. In earlier years, technology was often discussed mainly as a tool for document optimisation, shipment visibility or operational efficiency. Now it is going further: turning data into financial products and risk-management instruments. Otonomi is a notable example. In its official 1 April 2026 announcement, FIATA said it had partnered with Otonomi to make cargo and delay insurance solutions accessible to FIATA members globally. By entering core shipment data such as an airway bill or bill of lading, users can obtain rapid digital quotations for protection against delay-related disruption across air, ocean and e-commerce parcel flows.

This is highly relevant for Vietnamese forwarders. For many years, technology value was often understood mainly in terms of labour savings and faster document handling. But in a more volatile supply-chain environment, the bigger value may lie in the ability to predict, price and allocate risk. When a forwarder is able not only to move cargo but also to help customers secure a suitable layer of protection against delayed flights, vessels or delivery chains, its role shifts closer to that of a solution architect rather than a purely operational intermediary.

Data governance and trust will become the next battleground

As technology becomes more powerful, the data question becomes more urgent. Also in Geneva, FIATA and the Global Shippers Forum launched a signable version of the Data Governance Charter, highlighting core principles such as data ownership, permission requirements for storage and analysis, duty of care in protection, breach reporting obligations and fair-market responsibilities for large platform operators. This indicates that logistics digitalisation is not only about automating transactions. It is also about establishing digital trust across trade ecosystems.

Vietnam cannot afford to ignore this issue. As more small and mid-sized logistics firms begin using digital platforms, the risk of overdependence on software providers, loss of control over customer data, or secondary commercial use of data becomes very real. The next phase of digital transformation, therefore, cannot be limited to purchasing solutions. It must also involve the capacity to read platform contracts, understand data clauses and define governance principles from the beginning. In the new environment, trust will not come only from brand reputation; it will come from the ability to prove that data is handled responsibly and transparently.

Geneva points toward a fairly clear conclusion: the future of freight forwarding does not depend on merely “having AI” or “having software”. It depends on turning technology into organisational capability. That requires structured digital learning, deployable digital tools, new data-based service models and a trustworthy framework for data governance. For Vietnamese logistics firms, this is the time to move from a technology-investment mindset to a digital-capability mindset. Once that shift happens, emerging technology stops being just another cost centre and becomes a strategic asset that can widen margins and raise a company’s position in the supply chain.

Sources:

- FIATA, “2026 FIATA HQ Meeting”, official programme.

- FIATA Logistics Institute.

- FIATA, “Professional Development & Sustainability Special”, 6 January 2025.

- FIATA, “FIATA Launches eFBL Guide: A roadmap to Digital Freight Forwarding and Trusted Trade”, 1 April 2026.

- FIATA, “FIATA and Otonomi Partner to Bring Cargo and Delay Insurance to Freight Forwarders Worldwide”, 1 April 2026.