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Why One Cancelled Data Center Matters to Every Supply Chain Executive

Published

3 heures ago

6 juillet 2026

Blackstone-owned QTS has terminated its planned Digital Gateway data center project in Prince William County, Virginia, ending one of the most closely watched data center developments in the United States. Reuters reported that QTS withdrew the associated filings after years of local opposition and litigation, despite prior approval from the Prince William Board of County Supervisors. (Reuters)

At first glance, this looks like a real estate and zoning story. It is not.

It is an AI infrastructure story. It is a power story. It is a supply chain story.

The Digital Gateway project was planned as a massive data center campus near Manassas, Virginia, in the heart of one of the world’s most important data center markets. Local reporting said QTS withdrew its final appeal to the Virginia Supreme Court, effectively ending the proposed campus near Manassas National Battlefield Park. (Potomac Local)

For supply chain leaders, the lesson is straightforward: the AI economy depends on physical infrastructure, and that infrastructure is becoming harder to build.

AI Needs More Than Algorithms

Most AI discussions focus on models, chips, and software. But AI also depends on land, power, cooling, transformers, switchgear, fiber, skilled labor, permitting, and community acceptance.

That matters because enterprise AI is moving from experimentation to operational deployment. Supply chain organizations are beginning to explore AI-enabled planning, autonomous agents, dynamic transportation optimization, digital twins, Graph RAG, and control-tower intelligence. These systems require compute capacity, and compute capacity requires data centers.

In prior ARC research on AI in the supply chain, we argued that the next generation of logistics intelligence will depend on connected systems that can reason across functions, data sources, and operational constraints. Those systems cannot scale without the infrastructure to support them.

The Bottleneck Is Becoming Physical

The Digital Gateway case shows that AI infrastructure is not constrained only by capital or demand. It is constrained by execution.

Large data center campuses require enormous amounts of electricity. They place pressure on regional grids. They require long-lead electrical equipment. They often need utility upgrades, water access, road improvements, and local approvals.

They also create visible local impacts.

Communities are increasingly raising concerns about land use, noise, power consumption, water use, environmental effects, and utility costs. The Financial Times reported that the QTS decision came amid growing public opposition to data centers and noted that Virginia has introduced a tax on data center electricity use. (Financial Times)

This is a major shift. Data centers were once viewed mostly as quiet commercial infrastructure. Increasingly, they are being treated like major industrial facilities.

Public Opposition Is Now a Strategic Factor

The Digital Gateway project did not fail because demand for AI disappeared. Demand for cloud and AI infrastructure remains substantial. The project failed because local, legal, regulatory, and political barriers became too difficult to overcome.

FOX 5 DC reported that the project was halted after a Virginia appeals court upheld a ruling that the approval process was flawed. (FOX 5 DC) Bisnow also reported that QTS abandoned the project and ended its legal fight. (Bisnow)

This matters nationally because opposition to data centers is no longer isolated. Gallup found that 71 percent of Americans oppose constructing AI data centers in their local area, with concerns including energy use, water use, pollution, traffic, land use, and higher utility bills. (Gallup)

For developers, hyperscalers, utilities, and investors, community acceptance is now part of the infrastructure equation.

Supply Chain Implications

The cancellation of a major data center campus affects more than developers and cloud companies.

These projects drive demand for electrical transformers, switchgear, backup power systems, cooling equipment, fiber optic infrastructure, structural steel, concrete, construction labor, networking equipment, and power management systems.

When projects are delayed or cancelled, suppliers may face shifting order patterns, changing production schedules, and uncertainty around capacity planning.

At the same time, companies that depend on AI-enabled tools may need to consider whether compute capacity, power availability, and regional permitting constraints could slow deployment timelines.

AI strategy can no longer be treated purely as an IT initiative. It is becoming linked to industrial infrastructure, utility planning, and supply chain resilience.

Capital Is Likely to Become More Selective

Blackstone remains a major investor in digital infrastructure. Reuters separately reported that Digital Realty agreed to pay Blackstone $3.5 billion for stakes in three Virginia data centers, reinforcing the continued value of operating data center assets in Northern Virginia. (Reuters)

So the issue is not a simple retreat from data centers.

QTS and Blackstone have not framed the decision as a broad retreat from AI infrastructure. A better interpretation is that capital may become more selective. Investors may continue to favor built, leased, power-secured assets while becoming more cautious about large speculative campuses that face zoning, utility, litigation, or community risks.

That distinction is important. AI infrastructure demand remains real. But the ability to convert that demand into operating capacity is becoming less certain.

The Next Phase of AI Competition

The AI race is increasingly becoming an infrastructure race.

Companies once competed primarily on models, software, and data. Increasingly, competitive advantage will also depend on access to reliable power, scalable data center capacity, cooling technology, grid interconnections, favorable permitting environments, and local political support.

For supply chain executives, this has two implications.

First, AI adoption plans should include realistic assumptions about infrastructure availability. If data center capacity grows more slowly than expected, some advanced AI deployments may face higher costs or longer timelines.

Second, infrastructure constraints may create new opportunities for supply chain technology vendors, utilities, manufacturers, and logistics providers that can help build, supply, power, or optimize the AI infrastructure layer.

Looking Ahead

The QTS Digital Gateway cancellation is not proof that the AI infrastructure buildout is ending. It is proof that the buildout will be more complicated than many assumed.

The future of AI will not be determined only by model quality or GPU availability. It will also be shaped by power markets, permitting regimes, supply chain capacity, community resistance, and the practical difficulty of building industrial-scale computing infrastructure.

For supply chain leaders, the message is clear: AI is not just digital. It is physical.

The companies that understand this first will be better prepared for the next phase of AI-driven competition.

The post Why One Cancelled Data Center Matters to Every Supply Chain Executive appeared first on Logistics Viewpoints.

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FBA Calculator: Amazon Shipping Calculator

Published

1 heure ago

6 juillet 2026

How to Estimate Amazon Freight Rates

Calculating potential Amazon FBA freight costs? This Amazon FBA shipping calculator returns shipping estimates from the supplier address, or nearest port, shipping directly to Amazon fulfillment centers. This tool is perfect for freight forwarders. Not shipping to an Amazon warehouse? Use our general freight rate calculator. Check estimated transit times with our freight transit time calculator. Find a list of Amazon FBA Fulfillment Centers with this map of Amazon FBA warehouse locations.

Select whether you are shipping full containers or boxes/pallets.

Enter your load dimensions, weight, quantities, origin, and Amazon fulfillment center.

Search!

About the Amazon FBA Shipping Calculator

Use this Amazon FBA Calculator, specially designed for Amazon FBA shipments, to calculate shipping costs from your supplier’s factory to an Amazon fulfillment center location. Amazon has strict requirements regarding international shipments and Freightos has built these requirements into its quoting process.

Unlike any other freight rate estimator, Freightos’ freight rate calculator and Amazon FBA calculator use real freight data to calculate instant, all-in freight quotes, including surcharges and freight costs. This calculation takes into account dimensional weight. Our data is based on live freight rates from dozens of global freight forwarders, helping us provide you with accurate, real-time quotes.

What’s Included in the Amazon FBA Shipping Calculator

The Amazon Shipping Calculator includes all fees and surcharges available for trucking, air and ocean shipping. It does not include customs duties associated with specific commodities. Since this estimator is unique in that it relies on live data from real freight companies, it may not have global coverage for every route you search.

If you’re looking for fully binding quotes that you can book online, check out the Freightos Marketplace.

The post FBA Calculator: Amazon Shipping Calculator appeared first on Freightos.

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Unifying the Freightos Identity – ONE Freightos: Building One Company

Published

2 heures ago

6 juillet 2026

Global supply chains are becoming increasingly digital, AI is accelerating how work gets done, and customers are no longer looking for standalone software to solve individual problems. They increasingly expect connected platforms that bring together data, workflows, and decision-making across the entire freight lifecycle.

That shift requires a different kind of technology partner.

Over the past several months, we have been evolving our operation as a company. We have simplified decision-making, strengthened accountability, aligned teams around shared priorities, and focused our investments behind a common vision. Internally, we call this ONE Freightos.

Today, our external identity is evolving to reflect that same reality.

Bringing our products together under a single Freightos brand is not simply a branding exercise. It is the natural next step in building one company, and delivering an interconnected digital ecosystem where data and workflows operate seamlessly. .

An Evolution of Scale: Matching the Industry’s Shifting Needs

Over the past decade, Freightos has built one of the world’s largest digital freight networks, connecting carriers, freight forwarders, importers, exporters, and logistics providers across global trade.

Along the way, we expanded our capabilities through innovation, strategic acquisitions, and the development of specialized products serving different parts of the freight ecosystem.

Those products have been successful because they solve meaningful customer problems.

But as the industry evolves, customers increasingly expect something bigger than individual solutions.

They want a trusted technology partner that helps them make better decisions, connect more easily with trading partners, automate more workflows, and operate more efficiently across the entire logistics journey.

That is exactly where Freightos is headed.

Our ambition is not simply to offer great logistics software. Our ambition is to build the connected platform where procurement, pricing, booking, payments, data, and decision intelligence work together to help customers move freight more efficiently.

Brand unification is an important milestone on that journey.

A Simpler Experience for Customers

As our capabilities have grown, so has the number of brands representing different parts of our business.

Each of these brands has built deep trust within its respective segment. However, as these capabilities become more interconnected, bringing our portfolio together under the Freightos name makes it easier for our partners to unlock the full value of our network. This creates a simpler and more consistent experience making it easier for customers to understand who we are, what we offer, and how our solutions work together as a platform.

To support that vision, our products will now clearly reflect the customers they serve:

Freightos for Forwarders – our digital platform for freight forwarders, bringing together Rate & Quote, Booking, Sales Portal, Payments, and other workflow solutions under a single experience.

Freightos for Airlines – our technology platform enabling airlines with digital distribution, interlining, eBooking, and payment capabilities.

7LFreight by Freightos – our North American domestic freight procurement platform. Given its strong market recognition, it will initially retain its identity while becoming more deeply connected to the Freightos platform before full integration.

Freightos Enterprise – our enterprise procurement, tender management, and market intelligence platform for multinational importers and exporters.

Freightos Marketplace – our marketplace connecting importers and exporters with freight forwarders through instant pricing, booking, and shipment management.

Our public digital presence is now centered around freightos.com, providing a single destination to discover our platform and solutions.

For existing customers, nothing changes operationally. Accounts, logins, integrations, contracts, and workflows remain exactly as they are today.

Built Around the Success of Forwarders

Throughout this evolution, one principle remains unchanged.

Freightos succeeds when our customers succeed.

That is especially true for the freight forwarding community, which remains at the center of our strategy.

Everything we build is designed to help forwarders work more efficiently, connect with more carriers, automate more of their operations, and deliver better experiences to their own customers.

By bringing our capabilities together, we can deliver greater value than any individual product could on its own.

More Than a New Brand

This announcement is about much more than a new name or a new website.

It reflects the company Freightos has become—and the company we are continuing to build.

ONE Freightos is our operating model. It is how we execute, how we innovate, and how we create value for customers.

By bringing our products, teams, and customer experience together under one identity, we can focus our investments, accelerate innovation, simplify engagement, and deliver an increasingly connected experience across global freight.

Our vision remains clear.

To build the platform that connects the global freight ecosystem through better data, smarter workflows, and more intelligent decision-making.

This brand evolution is another important milestone on that journey.

And we’re just getting started.

The post Unifying the Freightos Identity – ONE Freightos: Building One Company appeared first on Freightos.

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Air Waybill (AWB): Meaning, Number, Types, and Examples

Published

2 heures ago

6 juillet 2026

What is an air waybill (AWB)?

An air waybill, also called an air consignment note, is a required shipping document for air freight. It contains detailed information about your shipment and allows it to be tracked.

An AWB is a legally binding document when signed by all relevant parties.

Here is some of the information found in an AWB:

Carrier details
Consignor/shipper details
Consignee/receiver details
Origin airport code
Destination airport code
Quantity of items (number of packages or pallets)
Description of goods (weight, dimensions, condition)
HS code
Value of goods for customs clearance
Special handling instruction, if required
Payment information and shipping charges
Insurance details
Contract terms and conditions
Date, time, and place of contract execution
An 11-digit number

What is an air waybill used for?

Used for both domestic and international air freight forwarding, the AWB serves a number of functions:

Invoice or bill of freight
Contract between carrier and shipper
Proof of receipt by the carrier
Certificate of insurance for air freight
Essential document for customs declaration
Instrument to convey handling instructions

How can you get an air waybill?

For air shipments, the carrier and freight forwarders provide the air waybills. If you are an importer or exporter, your freight forwarder will share the air waybill with you.

Every international air waybill is issued in at least eight sets of different colors:

Green: Carrier’s copy
Blue: Shipper’s copy
Pink: Receiver’s copy
Yellow or Brown: Receipt of goods
White: 4 or more copies for various purposes, such as customs and airport

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What is an air waybill number?

An air waybill number (AWB number) is a unique identification code used to track your shipment. It is an 11-digit number divided into three parts. Here’s an air waybill example:

AWB NUMBER
11-digits
99953729071

First three digits
Carrier / Airline prefix
999

Next seven digits
Serial number of AWB
5372907

Last digit
Check digit. This number is equal to the remainder when the 7-digit serial number is divided by 7. For example, when 5372907 is divided by 7, the remainder is 1.
1

What are the different types of air waybills?

There are two types of air waybills: master air waybill (MAWB) and house air waybill (HAWB).

A MAWB is issued by a carrier to a freight forwarder. It can include a number of different shipments because when freight forwarders book freight with a carrier, they consolidate shipments and book them together. The MAWB is the forwarder’s contract with the carrier for all of those shipments.

A HAWB is issued by the freight forwarder to each individual importer or exporter after their shipment is picked up. It includes only their specific goods.

Here are some more details about these different types of air waybills:

Master Air Waybill (MAWB)
House Air Waybill (HAWB)

Has the airline or carrier’s logo
Does not have the carrier logo

Issued by the actual carrier or their agent
Issued by the freight forwarder

States the terms and conditions of the carrier
States the terms and conditions of the forwarding company

Contains only one number: the MAWB number
Contains two numbers: HAWB and MAWB

Adheres to IATA rules or any of the international air conventions
May or may not be subject to regulations put forth by IATA or other international air conventions

Air waybill vs bill of lading

An air waybill is similar to a bill of lading (BoL): both are contracts issued by freight carriers. However, air waybills are used only for air freight and bills of lading are used for ocean freight as well as rail and other freight.

Here are some more differences between an air waybill and bill of lading:

Air Waybill (AWB)
Bill of Lading (BoL)

Used for air freight
Used for ocean, road, and rail freight

Non-negotiable
Can be negotiable or non-negotiable

Signed by shipper and carrier
Signed by shipper, carrier, and receiver

Acts as a legal contract of carriage
Acts as a title and receipt of delivered goods

Not used with Incoterms: FAS, FOB, CIF, and CFR
Can be used with all incoterms