Introducing Cargo33: The Modern Platform for Customs Brokers and Freight Forwarders

We started Cargo33 because we lived the problem.

Between us — Max Posival and Lee Mosbacker — we've spent years watching customs brokers toggle between six browser tabs — one for ACE, one for each carrier portal, one for the spreadsheet tracking their ISF deadlines, one for email, and one praying nothing falls through the cracks. We've watched freight forwarders manually re-key the same shipment data into three different systems. We've seen compliance teams miss filing deadlines not because they didn't know the rules, but because their tools made it almost impossible to stay on top of them.

The maritime logistics industry moves $14 trillion in goods every year. The software most of it runs on was designed in the '90s.

We built Cargo33 to fix that.

What Cargo33 Does

Cargo33 is an all-in-one platform for customs brokers, freight forwarders, and NVOCCs. It replaces the patchwork of legacy systems, spreadsheets, and manual processes that the industry has been stuck with.

Compliance filings made simple. ISF 10+2, AES/EEI, VGM declarations — all filed from one interface with built-in deadline tracking and validation. No more toggling between ACE Portal and your own tracking spreadsheet. The system knows what's due, what's filed, and what's at risk.

Carrier integrations that actually work. Instead of logging into Maersk, Hapag-Lloyd, MSC, and CMA CGM separately, Cargo33 connects to carrier APIs directly. Book shipments, pull tracking updates, and manage containers from a single dashboard.

AI-powered document intelligence. Our platform uses AI to auto-classify HTS codes, extract data from commercial invoices and packing lists, detect anomalies before they become penalties, and even predict ETAs based on historical patterns. It's not a gimmick — it saves hours per day for a busy brokerage.

Real-time container tracking. Track every container across every carrier in one view. No more calling the steamship line or refreshing carrier websites. Status changes push to you automatically.

Documents and forms engine. Bills of lading, shipping instructions, arrival notices, customs entries, proof of delivery — all generated, managed, and stored in one system. We're building out 30+ document templates covering everything from commercial invoices to dangerous goods declarations.

Built-in financial tools. Wallet management, invoicing, and rate quoting — so you can handle the money side without switching to yet another system.

Why Now

Three things changed that make this the right time:

1. Carrier APIs are finally real. Five years ago, you couldn't programmatically book a container on most carriers. Now, thanks to DCSA standards and carrier digitization efforts, API-based booking and tracking is production-ready. Cargo33 is built DCSA-native from day one.

2. AI crossed the usefulness threshold. HTS classification, document parsing, anomaly detection — these were research projects two years ago. Today, they're reliable enough to run a brokerage on. We're using AI where it genuinely saves time, not where it makes a good demo.

3. The incumbents aren't moving. CargoWise and Descartes dominate the enterprise market, but they're expensive ($50K+/year), complex to implement, and slow to innovate. Small and mid-size brokerages — the 5-to-50-person shops that handle the majority of US customs entries — are underserved. That's exactly who we're building for.

Who We Are

Max Posival is Cargo33's CEO. Max Posival brings deep relationships in the freight and customs brokerage community and a clear-eyed understanding of what operators actually need day-to-day. He drives product direction, customer relationships, and go-to-market strategy.

Lee Mosbacker is Cargo33's CTO. Lee leads the technical vision, architecture, and AI integration across the platform. He built Cargo33's backend from the ground up — a modern NestJS architecture with 50+ modules covering every aspect of maritime logistics operations.

Together, we're building the platform we wished existed when we were on the operations side of the business.

Where We Are Today

Cargo33 is live and in active pilot with our first customer, a full-service freight forwarder and customs broker. The core platform is about 70% complete, with new modules shipping every week.

What's live today:

Full booking management with carrier integrations
ISF, AES, and VGM compliance filing
Real-time container tracking across carriers
Document management and forms engine
AI-powered HTS classification and document verification
CRM and customer management
Bill of lading, shipping instructions, and arrival notice workflows
Customs entry management
Wallet and invoicing
Role-based access control for teams

What's coming next:

9-step booking wizard for streamlined shipment creation
30+ document type templates
Advanced reporting and analytics
Houston port integration
Mobile app

Our Bet

We believe the customs brokerage and freight forwarding industry is at an inflection point. The brokerages that adopt modern, AI-powered tools will process more entries with fewer errors, close compliance gaps before they become penalties, and ultimately win more business from importers and exporters who demand real-time visibility.

The ones that don't will keep losing ground to the shops that moved faster.

Cargo33 is the tool that lets you move faster.

If you're a customs broker, freight forwarder, or NVOCC and you're tired of your current stack — we'd love to show you what we've built. Reach out to us at cargo33.com or connect with Max Posival or Lee Mosbacker on LinkedIn.

Max Posival is the Co-Founder and CEO of Cargo33. Lee Mosbacker is the Co-Founder and CTO of Cargo33. Cargo33 is a maritime logistics platform headquartered in the United States.