Maersk Line has taken further steps towards simplifying the supply chains of its customers by expanding the service scope on its online platform ship.maerskline.com to cover more major trades and addressing customers’ pain points.
The new scope on the platform will cover customers exporting from ports of Shanghai and Ningbo in Eastern China and Qingdao in North China, to all Mediterranean destinations; expanding from the current three Northern China ports (Qingdao, Xingang and Dalian) to West Africa, South Africa and East Coast South America. The offering will be available for customers located in China, placing bookings either directly or through a booking agent.
Ms Silvia Ding, Senior Vice-President and Head of Trade Management of Maersk Line, explains: “The digital service offered on ship.maerskline.com is different from the traditional offline services as it ensures a mutual commitment at the time of booking by providing a secured space and container. It also provides competitive and fixed prices which give customers a stable service delivery. Through the steady volumes booked per week on this platform, we are happy to see that our customers are embracing the increased transparency in pricing and visibility of service delivery.”
Mr Lu, General Manager of Qingdao Haohong Intl. Freight Co., who is a frequent user of ship.maerskline.com comments: “I am very pleased to have this online option. With the instantly available price as well as space and equipment commitment, I can better serve my customers and help them to better manage their supply chain.”
Maersk Line has expanded the service scope to more trades, echoing the customers’ positive feedback on the platform. Booking cancellations and no shows have been a challenge for the shipping industry for years. With the new online model, Maersk Line aims to reduce downfalls through customer commitment via a no-show payment. “The mutual commitment is also a great benefit for us, as we get new market insights and have managed to reduce downfall significantly on our digital platform. This allows us to improve our planning and vessel optimisation which ultimately enhances the customer experience,” says Ms Ding.
ship.maerskline.com is a Maersk Line-owned online platform launched last November, offering instant booking solutions on different trade lanes with select origins and destinations. It is an initiative to support Maersk’s global digital transformation journey.
