CargoWise
The end-to-end freight management platform used by global freight forwarders to execute, track, and document every shipment across every mode.
What it is
About CargoWise
CargoWise (developed by WiseTech Global, ASX: WTC) is the dominant freight management system (FMS) used by large global freight forwarders — Kuehne+Nagel, DSV, DB Schenker, DHL, Expeditors, and the majority of the top 25 global forwarders run operations on CargoWise. The platform covers the complete forwarding workflow across all transport modes (air, sea, road, rail), all geographies, and all customs regimes: booking and rating, operations execution (shipment management, document generation, track-and-trace), customs declarations across 50+ countries, accounting and billing, CRM, and compliance. Its single-database global architecture means a freight forwarding business with offices in 20 countries works in one system — the Singapore office can see the London booking, the Rotterdam drayage leg, and the Chicago customs clearance in a single shipment record with no data re-entry between offices. CargoWise introduced a transaction-based Value Pack pricing model in December 2025, replacing the previous per-seat licence model — businesses now pay per transaction automation rather than per user, with pricing around $9.95 per standalone import customs entry and $19.95 per full import container with inland leg, with unlimited user access across 216+ modules. The previous STL model ran $500–$2,000+ per user plus transaction fees. Enterprise implementations require 6–12+ months and $50,000–$100,000+ in professional services. CargoWise has a very high learning curve — its depth and configurability are both its strength and its barrier to entry. The WACA (WiseTech Global Accredited CargoWise Administrator) certification is the recognised qualification for power users, and CargoWise-experienced operators are a sought-after segment of the freight operations job market.
What you can do with it
Capabilities
Create a new import sea freight shipment in CargoWise — entering the consignee, origin, destination, commodity, and Incoterms, linking the supplier purchase order, assigning the job to the correct branch and operator, and generating the pre-alert documentation pack for the receiving agent
Track a shipment exception in real time using the CargoWise milestone monitor — identifying a vessel departure delay at origin, updating the estimated arrival date, sending an automated exception notification to the consignee via the integrated messaging module, and logging the action against the job record
Process a UK import customs entry in CargoWise CDS — entering the commodity code, origin, customs value, and applicable tariff reliefs, running the duty calculation, submitting the declaration to HMRC via the integrated CDS connection, and receiving the E2 release message confirming clearance
Run a shipment profitability report in CargoWise for a specific customer account — comparing accrued revenues against accrued costs across all jobs in the period, identifying which lanes or service types are below target margin, and exporting the report to Excel for customer review
Set up a rate card for a new carrier lane in CargoWise — entering the agreed FCL buy rates, surcharges, and validity dates, publishing the rates to the quotation module, and testing the auto-rate functionality on a new booking to confirm the correct tariff is applied
How to learn it
Learning Resources
CargoWise eLearning (elearning.cargowise.com) — the official WiseTech training platform with self-paced modules covering every CargoWise function; free access with a CargoWise licence; WACA certification exams are completed here
WiseTech Global YouTube channel — workflow demonstration videos and product update announcements covering the core CargoWise modules in practical freight scenarios
CargoWise Community portal (community.cargowise.com) — the official user community with Q&A, best practice guides, and module-specific discussion; the best resource for specific configuration questions
On-the-job training under an experienced CargoWise operator — CargoWise's depth means the fastest learning route is working alongside someone who has used it for 3–5 years, observing how they structure jobs, configure custom workflows, and resolve exceptions across the full shipment lifecycle
Pro Tip
Learn CargoWise's "job" data model before touching any other function — every transaction in the system is a job, every job has an origin branch, a local client, and a controlling branch, and misassigning any of these makes the job invisible to the wrong team and unsearchable from the right branch. The single most common CargoWise error that creates operational chaos is booking a job to the wrong branch because the operator skipped the branch assignment on creation.
Skills that use this tool
Roles that use this tool
Alternatives