A decade ago, consumers accepted waiting a week for their product but now with the infusion of companies such as Amazon and Alibaba, consumers are making their purchase decisions based on how quickly they will receive the product. In order to stay competitive in the marketplace, companies are turning to 3D printing to create their products quicker.

Weft has developed a real-time ranking of global container ports. It is intended to provide companies with data related to such processes as procurement, contract negotiations and other shipment-planning decisions.

The transportation and warehousing industry suffered more than 95,000 industrial accidents and illnesses in 2014, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor. That works out to 225 per 10,000 workers - one of the highest rates of any industry. Most estimates put the annual cost of workplace injuries at more than $50bn, so it makes sense from a business as well as a moral point of view to make safety a priority. The following are some proven ways to increase safety.

Without question, technology has been a boon to global trade. But it's also responsible for raising the risk factor at every stage of the supply chain - and especially at ports and terminals.