APM Terminals? port integrator vision takes shape

Company Chief Commercial Officer explains plans to optimize supply chains near port.

Long Beach, California – While attending the JOC Transpacific Maritime conference in Long Beach, California on March 6 - one of the transportation industry’s premier customer events - APM Terminals Chief Commercial Officer Henrik Lundgaard Pedersen met with media to give an update on the commercial environment and how the company’s strategic direction will broaden its commercial service profile.

An October 2017 company survey of shipping line and landside customers identified their interest in a partner who could deliver higher vessel productivity, optimize their business, offer more flexibility at the port and beyond the gate and improve truck turnaround times at the container terminal.

“We are moving from a portfolio-driven growth company to a more customer-centric, product-driven company with lean operations at its core. We are getting ready for a digital future, working closer with all our shipping line customers and developing our product line for our landside customers,” said Mr. Pedersen.

The commercial plan for shipping line customers is designed to deliver port performance goals that optimize their liner networks, creating more flexibility at the port to manage the inherent constant change of vessel schedules and finding ways to handle the complete range of vessel support services while in port. This combination will enable faster port stays through reduced complexity and handoffs.

The commercial plan for landside customers is focused on finding new, unique solutions to their supply chain challenges. Supply chains can always be improved at ports – a pivotal location that experiences many changes in cargo availability, triggering multiple communications and orchestration of many handoffs. In July 2016, a new regulatory requirement was added to weigh all containers to ensure no overweight loads.

There are plans for digital services that offer customers more self-service products such as truck appointment systems, where truckers can book a specific time slot for arrival or use a fast lane.

“We see the opportunities to make the port segment in every customer’s supply chain work better with more efficiency, reliability and less handoffs. We already have scale with one of the largest port and inland networks in the world,” added Mr. Pedersen.