Thinking outside Ze Box

If you want to see a sampling of new ideas that could someday disrupt logistics operations, look no farther than Arlington, Virginia. That’s the site of the U.S. branch of “Zebox,” an innovation accelerator program run by containership giant CMA CGM Group. The facility was opened in 2021 as part of CMA CGM’s efforts to expand its U.S. presence. 

Backed by a $36 million investment from the company, the program recently took another step forward with the announcement that Zebox had created strategic partnerships with seven U.S. corporations: BNSF Railway, Cargomatic, Edray, Ingram Industries, the Port of Virginia, project44, and Trac Intermodal.

As an example of its early success, Zebox America points to Expedock, a San Francisco tech startup that has raised almost $8 million to accelerate the use of artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, and advanced data to streamline supply chain operations.

According to the group, its new partnerships will open the door to additional innovation. “Our corporate partners will get access to game-changing new technologies and processes,” Charley Dehoney, vice president of Zebox America, said in a release, “and our entrepreneurs and founders will gain vital expertise, funding opportunities, and the ability to rapidly scale in the U.S. and globally.”