You might expect that transportation costs are one of the most expensive factors in logistics. However, it is time that is most valuable to shippers and logistics providers who strive to deliver quality services and digital solutions. The faster your customers receive data on the current container location or shipment schedules, the more efficient and profitable your supply chain will be.
For this reason, SeaRates APIs are designed not just as a set of tools but as sources of reliable info that can be easily integrated into your systems and apps.
In this article, we'll go over what you need to know about API from the SeaRates ecosystem: how the architecture works and what synchronous, asynchronous, and parallel API call types are. Let's discover how to customize APIs by SeaRates for yourself and your clients' needs.
Introducing the SeaRates API architecture
SeaRates APIs (REST, GraphQL) are designed for mostly synchronous calls that ensure instant results for each of your single requests, one after the other.
However, by integrating any of the APIs, you create your own freight management application and can customize the way your customers make API requests. Thus, you choose the synchronous, asynchronous, or parallel type to use in your applications.
Let's take a closer look at how these types of API calls work:
How do synchronous calls work?
Synchronous API calls are a method where requests go from the client program/system to the server, wait for a response, and only then move on to the next request. The possibility of further actions is blocked until a response with data is received from the server.
Thus, synchronous API calls are used in programs where the user needs to receive data only after the response progresses to the next step. In addition, the low traffic volume of the application can easily withstand this type of call. This is the most common type for the REST API.
How do asynchronous calls work?
With asynchronous calls, users also send a request to the server, but they don't have to wait for a response and can send several more requests. Tasks can continue uninterrupted until they receive a response from the server.
Asynchronous calls are more efficient than synchronous calls because they can withstand high application load and do not spend time waiting for the server to respond.
How do parallel calls work?
This is how to process multiple requests at the same time: the user can send many requests, and the server will respond to each one separately.
Parallel calls are also effective for high-traffic applications because they take less time due to parallel rather than sequential processing of requests. The server must be designed to process parallel requests, which means the API has no dependencies between requests.
How to choose? Cases for use
In general, different types of API calls are required for various cases:
- Synchronous — when the system load is low and there is a dependence between user steps
- Asynchronous — when there are numerous requests or heavy processing, to reduce the time spent waiting for requests to be processed
- Parallel — for collecting many data points at the same time
Let's take a closer look at a few examples of what types of API calls you can use for different needs of logistics operations:
| Your need — API request | API call type | Notes |
| Calculate rates/manage tariffs | Synchronous | Supported via REST/GraphQL (e.g., Rates API), instant data response |
| Tracking a container | Synchronous | Faster cargo tracking through tracking APIs |
| Multiple rate requests | Asynchronous/parallel | Faster searching for multiple rates through the Logistics Explorer API |
| Notifications of updates about tracking events | Asynchronous | Supported pooling to ensure automated updates per customer’s request through the tracking APIs |
What do you get from SeaRates APIs?
How will your work go when you synchronize various data and provide digital solutions to your customers?
“I need to track a container. → What API should I integrate? → What's the best way to call it?”
Let's examine how SeaRates APIs can be used in real life, depending on your daily needs in the logistics business. Find your needs, the right API for them, and what type of call to use in the table below:
| Need | SeaRates API | API call type | Value for your customers |
| Track container (by sea, air, road, rail, parcel, vessel, or at terminal) | Container Tracking, Air Tracking, Road Tracking, Rail Tracking, Parcel Tracking, Vessel Tracking, Terminal Tracking | Synchronous | Instant status, real-time updates, and AIS data |
| Calculate delivery costs/freight rates | Delivery API, Logistics Explorer | Synchronous/parallel | Instant or batch calculations, comparing tariffs |
| Estimate the cargo stuffing into the container or truck | Load Calculator API | Synchronous | Step-by-step loading plan tailored to the customer’s details |
| Mass tracking of containers or calculation of tariffs | Tracking APIs, Delivery API, Logistics Explorer | Parallel | Batch calculations and fast data collection |
| Get real-time schedules and shipping statuses | Ship Schedules API | Synchronous | Instant schedule updates for data-backed shipping planning |
| Create multiple routes/get historical tracking data | Route Planner API, Tracking APIs | Asynchronous | Processing large customers' requests |
Find other SeaRates API solutions at our Developer Portal to get acquainted with all details.
Integrating SeaRates APIs? Get extra tips
The SeaRates team develops API integrations to scale and create a flexible logistics system for each of our clients. To get the most out of SeaRates APIs, consider the following tips:
- Choose synchronous calls for fast responses in CRM and chatbots
- For high traffic, big data volume, or complex calculations, use asynchronous calls to process requests in the background
- Don't hesitate to scale the performance of your applications through parallel requests for more volume and speed
- Tailor to the needs of your own business logic, e.g., synchronous calls for real-time tracking of a single container and parallel calls for multiple containers at the same time
The smarter your integration is set up, the less routine work you have to do, and the higher the level of service you provide to your customers.
To sum up
By now, you have a clear understanding of how the SeaRates API architecture works and what customization options are available to you. Get your own real-time transportation tracker, load estimation engine, or freight calculator to develop and scale your logistics system.
Looking for the right solution to meet your needs? You are always welcome to contact the SeaRates team at [email protected] or by filling out the Request an IT Quote form for a great choice and easy integration of the best tool — your customized API.
