Smart Containerization as a Determinant of Supply Chain Visibility in Sea Freight Cargo: A Case Study of Apparel Industry in Sri Lanka

Abstract

As a prominent exporter, the apparel sector draws considerable attention in the Sri Lankan economy. As most apparel supply chain occurs through sea freight, there is a significant demand for more visibility for end-to-end movements. Due to technological innovations, smart containerization has become popular with the prevailing problems in apparel supply chains to enhance its visibility, reliability, and efficient demands. The study aims to understand the concept and the related influencing factors in enhancing the supply chain process performance. The study followed the qualitative approach, and the case study strategy was used by conducting in-depth interviews selecting six experienced professionals from the logistics & supply chain sector in the selected leading apparel export organization in Sri Lanka. NVivo software assisted in the transcript coding process of the analysis while deriving the influencing factors. The study explored technological, financial, and social avenues and influences as contributions to the inbound and outbound logistics process of the apparel industry.