Opening up a world of possibilities with Maersk’s end-to-end logistics solutions

The Maersk legacy

From electronics to eels, from medicine to men’s fashion retail, Maersk transports everything.

Grey containers stacked neatly atop each other, huge container vessels crossing the vast oceans, and the seven-pointed white star. All these come to mind when you think of global container shipping company Maersk. This is Maersk’s legacy, a legacy that is nearly 100 years old.

Over the last four years, though, the company has taken a strategic decision to change course. Forward-looking as always, Maersk has pivoted around next-gen technologies, big data, and innovation to transform into an end-to-end integrated logistics company. This is having a positive impact on the global supply chain and logistics ecosystem.

Importers, for instance, are benefiting from Maersk’s Destination Supply Chain Management (DSCM) solution, which provides greater visibility into the entire supply chain. An importer can now get a clear view of all stages in the supply chain – from cargo planning to delivery – making it possible to overcome typical blind spots that often pose a challenge, especially to control costs and plan inventory more efficiently.

The tectonic shift

Consumer behavior has undergone a dramatic shift over the past few years due to e-commerce. Key reasons for this change include convenience of shopping online, extensive product choices, seamless omnichannel experience, and same day delivery options. For importers, this change meant they needed to put in place just-in-time inventory and forecast demand around ever evolving customer behavior and needs.

The pandemic-induced lockdowns and social distancing norms in 2020, which accelerated this digital adoption, upended global supply chains. Importers that were reliant on a sole supplier saw their inventory dry up. Others with decentralized operations had to cope with goods being stuck at different ports across the world as the pandemic played out. Disruptions such as these highlight the importance of forging partnerships with technology-driven integrated logistics players that can provide end-to-end visibility into all aspects of your supply chain.

The digital imperative

Today, Maersk can manage your entire product journey, including booking, customs clearance, warehousing, inter-modal transport, cargo insurance etc. An importer based in a remote location near Chennai can now get real-time insights into their cargo (for example, semi-finished electronic goods).

DSCM provides a dashboard view tracing cargo movement through and through. From creating invoices and other documentation to exception management to customs clearances at ports of call during the transit to efficient in-country logistics, technology and the Maersk team of specialized experts seamlessly come together to ensure there is no bottleneck along the journey.

Maersk understands the challenges and characteristics of your industry, whether it is fashion and lifestyle or toys or high-end electronics or chemicals. Irrespective of your industry domain, Maersk DSCM provides the sort of visibility that makes accurate inventory planning a reality, besides helping you optimize costs.

Solutions such as spot rates reduce overbooking cycles while also providing a price and cargo loading assurance. Given the challenge with space, customers now certainly have an advantage in terms of their logistics planning when they partner with Maersk. The integrated logistics company simplifies the overall booking experience of EXIM traders. Decisions such as integrating APM Terminals Inland Services into Maersk Logistics and Services has paved the way for end-to-end solutions to its customers.

The customer advantage

Maersk’s network of subsidiaries, which is spread across the globe, enables it to offer dedicated end-to-end supply chain expertise across different industries and different geographies. Using Maersk DSCM, you immediately gain benefits as an importer that include the ability to:

• Decentralize your network and experiment with alternative procurement strategies.
• Build just-in-time inventory.
• Forge stronger relationships with your suppliers due to the clear visibility that begins from the place of the product’s origin.
• Let Maersk be your extended team in remote locations where you don’t have any physical presence.
• Ensure that the compliance process is hassle-free as the Maersk team single-handedly take care of customs clearance, by having the right documentation and the right quantity and quality.
• Upgrade your supply chain with Maersk technology capabilities, which will help you to transform your supply chain digitally.

As sourcing patterns become diversified, supply chains need to become more resilient. Now, more than ever, it is imperative for you to have a globally spread supplier network. With Maersk as your end-to-end supply chain and logistics partner, you can confidently focus on your business, decentralize your supplier network, and gear up for greater growth.