For decades, the shipping and container leasing industry has relied on Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) as the primary communication protocol between lessors and lessees. While this approach served the industry well for many years, evolving customer expectations and global operational complexity highlighted opportunities for improvement.

One key area was visibility. “Legacy EDI systems offered limited real-time monitoring, which meant issues were often identified only after customer feedback,” explains Damian Leach, Chief Information Officer at Seaco. To address this, Seaco set out to transform its processes, moving from reactive error detection to proactive monitoring—strengthening customer relationships and accelerating critical workflows.

The company also recognized the need to streamline fragmented processes. Previously, container inspection photos and repair requests were managed through multiple channels, including email and FTP, creating delays and inefficiencies. “Our goal was to simplify and standardize these workflows, enabling faster decisions and improved turnaround times,” notes Lawrence Coelho, Director of Big Data and Analytics.

With 350 depot partners worldwide operating on diverse technology platforms, Seaco sought a solution that could unify communications without imposing major changes on partners. By introducing centralized governance, enhanced monitoring, and advanced analytics, Seaco is building a foundation for consistent performance and continuous improvement across its global network.

Seaco has advanced its digital transformation strategy by modernizing its API infrastructure to enhance scalability, security, and operational efficiency across its global network. As part of this initiative, the company adopted a cloud-based API management solution to unify governance and streamline communications with partners worldwide.

By implementing a centralized API gateway, Seaco gained real-time visibility into API performance and improved monitoring and analytics capabilities. “These capabilities have become integral to how we operate, enabling us to deliver faster and more reliable services,” says Karthik Rajarathinam, Integration Specialist at Seaco.

The modernization initiative replaced traditional data exchange processes with secure, flexible APIs capable of handling rich data payloads, including container inspection images. This eliminated fragmented workflows and enabled faster, more consistent communication across Seaco’s global operations.

The platform’s governance and security features allow Seaco to standardize connections with external partners while accommodating diverse technological environments and authentication requirements. This approach ensures secure, efficient integration without the need for custom solutions for each partner.

Looking ahead, Seaco is exploring advanced capabilities such as AI-driven workflows, including computer vision for automated damage assessment and predictive models for depot capacity planning. These innovations aim to accelerate decision-making and free operational teams to focus on strategic priorities.

Seaco’s API modernization has delivered significant improvements in efficiency and responsiveness. The company streamlined workflows that previously required multiple steps and manual coordination, enabling container information to flow in real time through its new API infrastructure. This shift allows faster decisions on repairs, re-leasing, and sales, improving overall asset utilization.

“With our modern API framework, we can process requests instantly,” says Lawrence Coelho, Director of Big Data and Analytics at Seaco. This enhanced speed helps reduce delays and ensures containers move through the process without unnecessary downtime.

The unified approach to image handling marks another major advancement. Instead of managing inspection photos across multiple channels, Seaco now consolidates image transfers through a single, secure API process. This efficiency not only accelerates inspections but also creates a strong foundation for future AI-driven enhancements, such as automated damage assessment and predictive analytics.

Seaco now benefits from enhanced visibility across its integration landscape through advanced API analytics and monitoring capabilities. Real-time notifications alert the team to potential issues immediately, enabling a proactive approach to API performance management and improving customer experience. Leadership also gains greater insight into API activity and reliability through comprehensive dashboards and reporting. These capabilities go beyond what traditional EDI systems could provide.

Centralized API governance has become a key enabler for managing Seaco’s global operations. The company can deploy, manage, and monitor APIs consistently across its worldwide network, ensuring secure and efficient integration regardless of regional variations in technology or security requirements.

Seaco’s API modernization strategy has strengthened its position as a leader in advancing digital capabilities within the container leasing industry. By adopting a comprehensive API-driven approach, the company has streamlined operations and enhanced collaboration with customers and partners—reflecting its commitment to innovation and continuous improvement.

This progress has earned recognition from industry stakeholders for collaborative efforts in API integration, underscoring Seaco’s role in driving modernization across the sector.

Building on this foundation, Seaco is exploring advanced technologies to further optimize operations. Initiatives include AI-driven enhancements such as computer vision for automated damage assessment, predictive models for capacity planning, and semantic AI capabilities to improve data processing. These developments aim to accelerate decision-making and create new efficiencies, supporting Seaco’s long-term digital strategy.

Seaco’s API transformation initiative is ongoing, with plans to expand deployment across its global network and gradually transition from traditional EDI systems to modern, API-driven processes. Additional priorities include enhancing analytics capabilities, integrating AI into key workflows, and introducing a mobile application to improve operational efficiency.

“Our focus is on modernizing data exchange to enable faster, more reliable processes,” says Damian Leach, CIO at Seaco. “By leveraging real-time API calls, we aim to improve agility and create efficiencies that support our long-term digital strategy.”

Looking ahead, Seaco is building a foundation for secure, scalable connectivity across its worldwide operations. These efforts are designed to streamline workflows, accelerate asset turnaround, and empower teams to focus on strategic initiatives rather than manual tasks. By embracing API-first principles, Seaco is setting new benchmarks for innovation in the container leasing industry.