Shipping portals battle heats up

Shipping portals battle heats up    A patent battle between two of the leading providers of e-commerce services to the shipping industry has taken another turn.
   Shipping portal INTTRA has filed counterclaims against rival GT Nexus in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, Oakland division, alleging GT Nexus’ supply chain management platform infringes four patents.
   “We regret that we are forced to respond to the patent infringement and corresponding litigation initiated by GT Nexus,” said Ken Bloom, chief executive officer of INTTRA. “Our competitive advantage today is a direct result of our significant investment in research and development, which is now compromised by GT Nexus’ illegal action. We will vigorously defend our intellectual property to promote the continued creation of innovative logistics solutions for the benefit of our customers, carriers and shippers.”
   INTTRA said its claims are brought as counterclaims to a lawsuit filed by GT Nexus on May 2.
   In that complaint, filed in U.S. District Court in San Jose, Calif., GT Nexus complained INTTRA was attempting to pressure it, as well as GT Nexus customers and partners, by asserting that GT Nexus requires a license to INTTRA patents. GT Nexus said it believed no such license was needed, saying it was not infringing INTTRA’s patents. It asked the court to declare four INTTRA patents invalid, declare GT Nexus had not infringed on them, and enjoin INTTRA from enforcing the patents or claiming GT Nexus is infringing on them, Bloom said.
   INTTRA had “attempted on numerous occasions to resolve this issue with GT Nexus without resorting to litigation. Despite our best efforts, GT Nexus has chosen to unlawfully infringe on our patents and has demonstrated complete disregard for the U.S. patent system,” he said.
   INTTRA    said it has an “alliance program” that provides many advantages and efficiencies for carriers, shippers and the shipping industry. It said more than 40 technology companies have recognized these advantages, and have become INTTRA alliance partners.
   INTTRA said it has offered the same nondiscriminatory alliance program to GT Nexus, providing an inexpensive solution for GT Nexus and its customers. It said some customers today already use the combined services of INTTRA and GT Nexus via an existing connection between the two. INTTRA said it also offers a licensing program for its patented technology for carriers and shippers that wish to use the ocean shipping services of other vendors.