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DSGX - Descartes Launches Ocean Shipment Management Suite
Wednesday May 16, 7:30 am ET


WATERLOO, ONTARIO--(MARKET WIRE)--May 16, 2007 -- Descartes Systems Group (Toronto:DSG.TO - News)(NasdaqGM:DSGX - News), a global on-demand software-as-a-service (SaaS) logistics solutions provider, announced the latest release of its Descartes Ocean Shipment Management Suite. This release integrates Descartes' Rate Builder solution with customs compliance services, a central database for global rate and shipment information, and Descartes Global Logistics Network (GLN) messaging capabilities to deliver an end-to-end solution for managing ocean shipments.



The Descartes Ocean Shipment Management Suite provides extensive services for the end-to-end book-to-bill process including quoting, booking, freight audit, customs compliance and status messaging, data management services, document workflow and carrier connectivity, as well as track and trace. The following modules are included in the Suite and can be deployed one at a time, or as an integrated solution:

- Descartes Rate Builder Core: Includes rate retrieval, analysis and bottom line rate calculation, rate quoting and data management -the core functions that drive the shipment management solution.

- Quote Management Workflow: Manages the internal workflow between pricing and sales departments at ocean carriers to manage Rate Requests, Service Contracts or NVOCC Service Arrangements and Amendment requests. Transactions are managed from initial request through to customer quote and acceptance, and the status of work items is tracked and managed. By assigning an electronic status to rate requests, reports can be run and used to establish key performance indicators (KPI) around the rate acquisition and procurement process, including estimating profitability by lane and contract.

- Mass Update: Rates and contracts can be quickly and easily updated from a single screen. It can also be used to manage the GRI General Rate Increase, Decrease and Extension processes.

- Data Management Services (DMS): Descartes offers a highly skilled workforce that provides flexible outsourced services for data entry and maintenance of rates and contracts. By leveraging a team that has been helping customers manage their data for over 18 years, Descartes clients can concentrate on their core business and effectively integrate effective shipping management into their processes.

- Booking Workflow: Once ocean carrier cost and service comparisons have been completed, this module can be used to make electronic shipment bookings. Users can execute bookings directly with the carrier, and send a copy of the EDI or XML message into their back office system for even greater control. The module generates several messages associated with the booking process, including the booking message, a message receipt confirmation and booking confirmation message from the carrier.

- Freight Audit: Automates the auditing of ocean bills of lading. Since bills of lading are received electronically over the Descartes GLN, the amounts billed from each carrier can be audited against contracts, enabling users to identify overcharges and undercharges.

- Messaging Services: Users are connected to the GLN, which enables the delivery of shipment status messages from ocean carriers and increases visibility into inbound shipments. Customers can quickly take advantage of the GLN's extensive base of connected carriers to begin the flow of statuses and ocean related transactions.

- Import2000 / Customs Compliance Services: While Import2000 is used to create automated manifest system (AMS) filings for ocean shipments, users can also create shipping instructions to ocean carriers for import shipments and receive customs status updates and alerts.

- Export2000 / Customs Compliance Services: Export2000 enables users to file Shipper's Export Declaration (SED) information to US Customs, screen for whether shipments include any Denied Parties and create shipping instructions for transmission to ocean carriers for export shipments.

"Customers that select our Ocean Shipment Management Suite have the advantage of working with a single technology partner that has integrated extensive experience in ocean transportation and regulatory requirements into an end-to-end solution for managing the shipment process," said Cindy Yamamoto, Vice President, Global Logistics Network Solutions at Descartes.

About Descartes

Descartes (Toronto:DSG.TO - News)(NasdaqGM:DSGX - News), a leading provider of software-as-a-service (SaaS) logistics solutions, is delivering results across the globe today for organizations that operate logistics-intensive businesses. Descartes' logistics management solutions combine a multi-modal network, the Descartes Global Logistics Network, with component-based 'nano' sized applications to provide messaging services between logistics trading partners, "book-to-bill" services for contract carriers and private fleet management services for organizations of all sizes. These solutions and services help Descartes' customers reduce administrative costs, billing cycles, fleet size, contract carrier costs, and mileage driven and improve pick up and delivery reliability. Our hosted, transactional and packaged solutions deliver repeatable, measurable results and fast time-to-value. Descartes customers include an estimated 1,600 ground carriers and more than 90 airlines, 30 ocean carriers, 900 freight forwarders and third-party providers of logistics services, and hundreds of manufacturers, retailers, distributors, private fleet owners and regulatory agencies. The company has over 300 employees and is based in Waterloo, Ontario, with operations in Atlanta, Pittsburgh, Ottawa, Washington DC, Derby, Stockholm, Shanghai, Singapore and Melbourne. For more information, visit www.descartes.com.

This release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws ("forward-looking statements") that relate to Descartes' solution offering and potential benefits derived therefrom; and other matters. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from the anticipated results, performance or achievements or developments expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to, the factors and assumptions discussed in the section entitled, "Certain Factors That May Affect Future Results" in documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Ontario Securities Commission and other securities commissions across Canada. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance upon any such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. We do not undertake or accept any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements to reflect any change in our expectations or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based.



Contact:
Contacts:
Descartes Systems Group
Nicole German
Media Contact
[phone] ext. 298
Email: [e-mail]
Website: http://www.descartes.com



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Source: The Descartes Systems Group Inc.