Logistics

Why ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity Recommend Different Logistics Providers

Published

2 months ago

August 21, 2026

Futuristic illustration of a warehouse with digital packages stacked in a warehouse.

A procurement manager in Durban needs a bonded warehouse. A few years ago she would have searched Google, scanned the first page and made three phone calls. Today there is a reasonable chance she types the question into ChatGPT instead, reads a paragraph of considered-sounding advice, and works from the handful of companies it names.

That shift is quietly rewriting how supply chain businesses get found. And it comes with a complication most operators have not yet noticed: the answer she gets depends heavily on which tool she opens. Ask ChatGPT, Google’s AI Overviews and Perplexity the same sourcing question and you will often get three different sets of cited companies, sometimes with barely any overlap.

This is not one of the systems getting it wrong. As a recent analysis by Johannesburg digital agency IMS sets out, each platform runs a genuinely different process for deciding which sources are trustworthy enough to name. Understanding those differences matters more to a freight forwarder or 3PL than knowing the acronym for it.

ChatGPT: Being Read Is Not the Same as Being Named

When ChatGPT searches the web, it reads far more than it credits. Independent analysis of its browsing behaviour has found that only a fraction of the pages it retrieves end up cited in the final answer. The rest inform the response without ever being named. For a logistics company, that is the difference between a shipper seeing your name and a shipper seeing a competitor’s while your website quietly supplied the background.

ChatGPT also does not search the live web on every question. It is far more likely to go looking when the query carries commercial or comparative intent; “best cold chain provider,” “Transnet vs road freight costs,” “cheapest customs clearance Cape Town 2026”, than when someone asks it to explain what a bill of lading is. Which is convenient, because commercial intent is exactly where supply chain buyers sit.

The pages that survive the cut tend to share the same traits: they answer the specific question directly, they carry concrete figures rather than general claims about service excellence, and they are structured so a passage can be lifted out cleanly.

Google AI Overviews: A Page One Ranking Is Not Enough

AI Overviews sits on top of Google’s existing search index, but qualifying for the AI panel is a separate process from ranking. A logistics site can hold position two for a competitive term and still be skipped, while a page sitting at position eight gets quoted because it states the answer in two clean sentences with a number attached.

Researchers studying AI Overview outputs describe the process as a funnel: a large pool of candidate pages narrowed through semantic relevance matching, then authority and expertise filtering, then a final re-ranking before a small number of sources are stitched into the summary. Depth counts here in a way it does not for ChatGPT. Google appears to favour sites showing sustained expertise across several interlinked pages on a subject, rather than one strong article standing alone.

For an operator, that has a practical translation. A single well-written page about your temperature-controlled fleet is worth less than a cluster of connected pages covering cold chain compliance, load monitoring, last-mile handover and the regulations that govern them.

Perplexity: Built to Cite From the Ground Up

Perplexity is the outlier, usefully so. Citation is not a feature added to a chat product; it is the product. It runs a retrieval-augmented pipeline with multiple ranking layers scoring relevance, freshness, factual accuracy and structural clarity before anything reaches the answer.

It is also the most selective of the three. Perplexity will typically visit around ten pages for a query and cite only three or four. Structural trust signals carry real weight: named authors, visible editorial standards, and claims corroborated across more than one independent source rather than appearing on a single company page.

This is where trade publications, industry associations and conference coverage become genuinely valuable to a logistics business, not as vanity placements, but as the independent corroboration these systems are specifically looking for.

Why the Three Disagree

Put the pipelines side by side and the disagreement stops being mysterious. ChatGPT is deciding whether a page is worth naming after it has already read it. Google is applying an authority-and-extractability filter on top of an index built for a different purpose. Perplexity is built around sourcing and rewards signals the other two barely weigh.

The divergence is not random, either. A 2024 audit of ChatGPT, Bing Chat and Perplexity by researchers Alice Li and Luanne Sinnamon, published in the Proceedings of the Association for Information Science and Technology, found that generative search systems lean heavily on news, media and business publications for their sources, and showed measurable commercial and geographic bias in which sources they use to support claims.

Geographic bias deserves attention in this market. A system weighted toward North American and European business media is a system that may not surface the South African freight forwarder that is genuinely the right answer to a South African question.

What the Research Says Actually Works

The most rigorous evidence available comes from “GEO: Generative Engine Optimization,” a study by Pranjal Aggarwal, Vishvak Murahari and colleagues at Princeton, Georgia Tech and IIT Delhi, presented at KDD in 2024. The researchers built a benchmark of roughly 10,000 real queries and tested nine content optimisation strategies against generative engines.

The strongest performers were not keyword tactics. Adding statistics and adding direct quotations were among the most effective changes tested, improving visibility by roughly 30 to 40 percent against an unoptimised baseline. Authoritative language and explicit sourcing also helped. Keyword stuffing did close to nothing.

That finding sits comfortably with how the logistics sector already communicates. On-time delivery percentages, claims ratios, dwell times, fleet utilisation figures, tonnage handled, accreditation numbers; the industry is unusually rich in exactly the kind of concrete, quotable detail these systems reward. Most of it never makes it onto a company website, where it is replaced by phrases like “world-class logistics solutions.”

What This Means for the Industry

Three consequences follow.

The first is that vague marketing language is now actively costly. A page claiming end-to-end excellence gives an AI engine nothing to quote. A page stating that a facility holds 12,000 pallet positions, operates to a stated temperature tolerance and cleared a specific volume of customs entries last year gives it something to work with.

The second is that being visible on one platform tells you nothing about the others. Because the pipelines differ, and because independent research confirms real bias in what they select, a company cited confidently by Perplexity may be invisible in ChatGPT and Google’s AI Overviews. Each has to be checked on its own terms.

The third applies to the buying side. Supply chain managers using these tools to shortlist providers should treat the results as a starting point shaped by a particular set of preferences, not a market survey. A carrier’s absence from an AI answer says something about its web presence. It says very little about its trucks.

The industry has spent a decade learning to be found on Google. The engines that increasingly sit between a shipper and a supplier now work differently from each other, and differently from search. That is worth understanding before the next tender or RFP goes out.

Logistics

Runway to Railway Puts Innovation and African Identity at the Heart of Infrastructure

Published

12 minutes ago

October 27, 2026

SCN Africa

Smarter infrastructure, better connected transport systems and airport experiences that reflect African creativity were at the centre of Runway to Railway: Project Maverick, held at the Vineyard Hotel in Cape Town on 22 October 2026. The gathering brought aviation, technology and creative perspectives into a discussion about how innovation can improve infrastructure and the experience of the people who use it.

Held under the theme Simply Connect Africa, the event forms part of the Runway to Railway vision conceived by Anna K Hecart, founder and director of Connected Group. The platform brings different sectors together to explore connections between infrastructure, business and opportunity across the continent.

Panel discussion, from right to feft at Project Maverick: Dirk Ackerman, moderator; Nicholas Ferguson, Executive Managing Director, RSA Aero; Hasnain Motlekar, Acting Chief Executive Officer, BCX; and York Ning, Director, ICT Marketing & Solution Sales Department, Huawei South Africa.

Raising the Bar for African Infrastructure. Panel participants: Dirk Ackerman, moderator; Nicholas Ferguson, Executive Managing Director, RSA Aero; Hasnain Motlekar, Acting Chief Executive Officer, BCX; and York Ning, Director, ICT Marketing & Solution Sales Department, Huawei South Africa.

“Runway to Railway began with a belief that Africa’s progress depends on the connections we make between people, industries and ideas,” said Hecart. “We are pleased to announce the Runway to Railway Expo for November 2027. Our ambition is to bring the people shaping transport, infrastructure and technology together with investors and creative businesses to explore practical solutions and build partnerships that move Africa forward.”

The Expo is being developed as a meeting place for aviation, rail, logistics, infrastructure, technology, tourism and design professionals, alongside investors and public-sector stakeholders. Partners can expect opportunities to showcase their capabilities and connect with potential collaborators. Attendees can look forward to discovering innovations, exchanging ideas and exploring how better connected infrastructure can support African business and communities.

Anna K Hecart, Founder and Director of Connected Group and visionary behind Runway to Railway, addresses the attendees at Runway to Rail.

Anna K Hecart, Founder and Director of Connected Group and visionary behind Runway to Railway, addresses the gathering.

The infrastructure conversation brought the airport development perspective together with the technology expertise of BCX and Huawei. It considered how closer collaboration can support better passenger experiences, reliable operations and the practical delivery of connected infrastructure.

“The decisions that shape a passenger’s journey are made across many different organisations,” said Ackerman. “Bringing developers, operators and technology partners together early helps us see how those decisions fit together and where collaboration can make infrastructure work better.”

“An airport is part of a much wider economic network,” said Ferguson. “Its development needs to consider how people arrive, how businesses connect and how the surrounding region benefits. Innovation should support that wider purpose while making the everyday experience more efficient and welcoming.”

“The value of connected infrastructure lies in what it enables people and businesses to do,” said Motlekar. “Reliable networks, secure systems and useful information need to work together. Planning these capabilities from the outset helps organisations improve services and respond as demand changes.”

Gavin Rajah delivered the closing remarks, extending the conversation to the quality and character of retail experiences at African airports. He highlighted the opportunity to bring greater creativity and a stronger expression of African identity into spaces that shape travellers’ first and last impressions of a destination.

“An African airport should give travellers a real sense of place,” said Rajah. “Our retail spaces can do far more to showcase the continent’s design, fashion, food and craft. We have the talent and the stories. The opportunity is to present them with imagination and the quality they deserve, while creating space for African creative businesses to grow.”

Gavin Rajah, closing speaker, at the Runway to Railway conference, addresses creativity and African identity in the airport experience.

Gavin Rajah, closing speaker, addresses creativity and African identity in the airport experience.

Event photographs

The Raising the Bar for African Infrastructure panel at Runway to Railway: Project Maverick.

Panelists discuss the Bar for African Infrastructure panel at the Runway to Railway conference.

An exchange during the infrastructure panel discussion.

A panellist contributes discussing Project Maverick at the Runway to Railway conference.

A panellist contributes to the infrastructure discussion.

Presentation at the Runway to Railway conference.

An on-stage presentation during Runway to Railway: Project Maverick.

Guests exchange ideas during the luncheon at the Runway to Railway conference at the Vineyard Hotel.

Guests exchange ideas during the luncheon at the Vineyard Hotel.

Guests following the conference programme at Runway to Railway: Project Maverick.

Guests follow the programme at Runway to Railway: Project Maverick.

Guests enjoying a lunch at the Runway to Railway conference.

Guests seated during the event programme.

Guest listening to a presentation during lunch.

A guest listens during the luncheon.

Guests networking at the Runway to Railway conference.

Guests in conversation during the event.

Guests enjoying the opportunity to network at the Runway

Networking at Runway to Railway: Project Maverick.

Attendees at the Runway to Railway conference standing

Guests gather for a photograph at the Vineyard Hotel.

Guests attending the Runway to Railway conference, while networking outside.

Guests connect outside the event venue.

Attendees at the Runway to Railway conference networking inside the Vineyard Hotel.

Conversations continue between programme sessions.

Focused shot of a man and woman networking at the Runway to Railway conference.

A conversation during the event reception.

Two women networking in a lounge area at the Runway to Railway conference.

A conversation at Runway to Railway: Project Maverick.

*All photographs featured in this article were captured by: Elvis Nyelenzi

Logistics

SAFLA Launches Gauteng Region With Eric Pillay Appointed As Chairperson

Published

5 days ago

October 22, 2026

SCN Africa

Group photo of: Arend du Preez: Vice Chair of SAFLA, Gavin Kelly: CEO of the Road Freight Association, Jonathan McDonald: Vice Chair of SAFLA’s and Freek van Rooyen - Partner: Shipping & Logistics at Shepstone & Wylie.

The South African Freight and Logistics Association (SAFLA) has launched its Gauteng region, appointing Eric Pillay as regional chairperson and placing stakeholder engagement, border delays and port bottlenecks at the centre of its agenda.

Pillay, owner of Pro-Active Shipping & Freight Solutions, will lead the region’s efforts to strengthen industry representation and improve engagement with the organisations that influence cargo movement. “We work closely with SAFLA nationally to ensure that our issues are addressed,” Pillay stated, outlining how the Gauteng chapter will connect regional concerns with SAFLA’s countrywide advocacy and engagement.

The official launch breakfast at the Johannesburg Country Club in Woodmead, brought together freight and logistics colleagues and key stakeholders to mark the establishment of a regional platform supported by SAFLA’s national structures.

A Collective Voice for Gauteng

Pillay said the chapter responds to clearing and forwarding companies’ need for a collective voice in their dealings with organisations such as the Border Management Authority and other state-owned enterprises and shipping lines. Its first-year priorities centre on improving stakeholder relationships to boost trade and support regional growth, with border and port delays receiving immediate attention.

Pillay’s longer-term vision focuses on stronger partnerships and efficient cargo movement across Gauteng’s supply chains. “Transport is key to keeping the economy going and I would like to see increased cargo volumes moving efficiently, freely and safely.”

SAFLA Gauteng welcomes companies operating in clearing, forwarding and transport in Gauteng. Smaller and emerging operators can use its platform to raise concerns and access support in navigating industry challenges.

Regional Action Supporting National Reform

SAFLA chair Arend du Preez highlighted the association’s commitment to strengthening regional representation within a unified national framework. “By strengthening our regional representation, we ensure that local concerns are heard, local expertise is utilised, and local solutions can be developed while still benefiting from national support and coordination,” du Preez explained.

He emphasised constructive engagement between industry participants to identify the causes of disruption and resolve operational pressure points. “At the end of the day, our objective remains simple,” he said. “Cargo must move.”

Economic Regulation, Fair Access and Transparent Pricing Highlighted

Guest speaker Ian Bird, Transport & Logistics Focal Area Lead at Business for South Africa, addressed the business-government partnership and progress on logistics reforms, placing the regional launch within the broader effort to improve South Africa’s freight system.

Bird’s presentation highlighted the importance of effective economic regulation, fair access and transparent pricing in encouraging investment. “Effective regulation builds confidence and unlocks investment,” Bird highlighted in his presentation.

Ian Bird: Transport & Logistics Focal Area Lead – Business for South Africa

He also stressed that to deliver the freight volumes so urgently needed by the economy will require both improving the rail network for Transnet and private Train Operating Companies, as well as implementing a comprehensive program of structural reform. The growth in rail volumes will be driven by general freight, which by it’s very nature requires more complex supply chains being developed, operated and managed.

For SAFLA Gauteng, these national priorities reinforce the value of sustained regional engagement with supply chain stakeholders and coordinated escalation of members’ concerns.

SAFLA’s Gauteng chapter aims to help remove bottlenecks, reduce the costs associated with delayed cargo and support trade competitiveness through practical collaboration. Members can also raise local operational issues through SAFLA’s national structures.

Commenting on the launch, Road Freight Association (RFA) CEO Gavin Kelly said the RFA’s MoU with SAFLA means a “stronger, more coordinated industry voice,” while Warwick Lord, chairperson of the Multimodal Inland Port Association (MIPA), added that MIPA “looks forward to working with the association for the benefit of its members and the industry.” Paul Matthew, CEO of the African Meat Importers and Exporters Association added: “Importers and exporters depend on efficient, well-represented freight forwarders. We are proud to partner with SAFLA”.

Warwick Lord: Chairperson – Multimodal Inland Port Association (MIPA)

“It means a great deal to me to be part of SAFLA,” continued Pillay. “The industry has been longing for a voice to air their issues and now we have it.”

Eric Pillay: Owner – Pro-Active Shipping & Freight Solutions

Paul Matthew: CEO – African Meat Importers and Exporters Association

Logistics

Behind Every Life-Saving Treatment is a Reliable Logistics Network

Published

1 week ago

October 20, 2026

SCN Africa

Focused shot of a surgeon in scrubs walking away in scrubs carrying a cooler with life-saving treatment.

A surgical procedure was scheduled for the following morning when healthcare company Cardaxes urgently needed to move a critical vascular shipment into Namibia. A public holiday and customs-related delays left little room for error.

FedEx teams assessed the options, coordinated an air solution and stayed in close contact with the customer. The shipment arrived in time for the procedure.

Healthcare logistics requires more than moving products from one location to another. It calls for careful coordination, specialised handling and the ability to respond when conditions change. For time-critical shipments, every part of the journey matters.

Meeting Time-Critical Healthcare Needs

In healthcare, delivery timelines can be tied directly to procedures and treatment plans. A delayed medicine shipment or medical device can disrupt care and have consequences beyond the supply chain.

“Healthcare logistics operates on a different level of urgency,” says Nelson Teixeira, Managing Director of Operations for Sub-Saharan Africa at FedEx. “You’re not just moving packages; you’re supporting patient outcomes. Every shipment matters.”

The Cardaxes shipment highlights the role of operational expertise in managing unexpected challenges. Assessing route options, working through customs-related delays and coordinating the movement helped get the shipment to its destination in time.

Protecting Product Integrity

For vaccines, biologics, clinical samples and other temperature-sensitive products, maintaining the required temperature throughout transit is critical. Speed alone is not enough if product integrity is compromised.

FedEx offers temperature-controlled packaging designed to maintain temperatures of 2°C to 8°C for either 48 or 96 hours, depending on the option selected. Actual performance can vary with external temperatures, making it important to match packaging to the shipment and expected conditions.

A second shipment over the same weekend involved life-saving stem cells for a patient with blood cancer. FedEx Special Services helped coordinate the movement and provided updates throughout the journey.

Both cases highlight the importance of matching operational planning and shipment handling to the requirements of each healthcare shipment.

Using Visibility to Support Timely Decisions

Healthcare customers need information that helps them monitor critical shipments, identify potential risks and determine when intervention may be needed.

FedEx Surround combines near-real-time monitoring and predictive analytics to help teams identify potential disruptions and prioritise intervention. Sense Aware provides shipment information, including real-time location and temperature data, with alerts for selected conditions.

These capabilities support teams in assessing changing conditions and determining the appropriate response. This is particularly relevant across Sub-Saharan Africa, where customs processes, transport infrastructure and regulatory requirements can vary across markets.

The World Bank has highlighted the importance of improving connectivity and reducing barriers to trade across African markets. For healthcare businesses, effective cross-border logistics is an important consideration when planning the movement of sensitive products.

Planning for Reliable Delivery

Healthcare logistics depends on network capability, specialised handling and timely operational decisions. Involving logistics teams early can help healthcare businesses account for regulatory requirements, assess route options and determine the handling and visibility needed for each shipment.

As healthcare supply chains expand across Africa, these capabilities will remain important to moving medicines, medical equipment and other sensitive products across borders.

Reliable healthcare logistics means delivering the right product, within the required timeframe and in the right condition.