Maersk partners with GSA to share global logistics solutions

Florham Park, New Jersey - The Global Shippers Association (GSA), recently invited Maersk leaders to discuss Logistics & Solutions with their members via a virtual session. The GSA is a Fort Myers, Florida-based consortium of major corporations who combine their freight volumes to negotiate international transportation services with the world’s leading carriers.

Mark Chadwick, President of the GSA, opened the session by setting the context. “Maersk has been a key partner for many years and we have great connections to the leadership team in Copenhagen and the leaders here in North America – and one of the best account managers in the business - globally. Normally we don’t have these sessions, but Maersk has been so supportive this year. They’re branching out from ocean freight into other areas of logistics and we wanted to thank them for their partnership this year.”

Vincent Clerc, A.P. Moller - Maersk’s Ocean & Logistics CEO described how “Maersk is moving from selling ocean shipping services - to a company that listens and partners with its customers to offer an integrated logistics value proposition that can really benefit GSA’s strategic progression, making your supply chains work better and go faster.”

Maersk North America speakers included Mike Meierkort, Head of Logistics & Services, Faith Dennison, Head of Lead Logistics (formerly known as Supply Chain Management) and Melinda Damico, Head of Customs House Brokerage Growth.
Key topics tailored to the GSA members learning session were:

• Confronting supply chain disruptions due to COVID-19.
• Enabling resiliency in customers’ E2E supply chain.
• Driving digitization to enable transparency.
• Optimizing Customs and trade management.

During the session, Maersk announced they have begun a partnership with the UK-based, The Economist Intelligence Unit – who are working with a series of Maersk customers globally to identify short, medium and long term issues in supply chains.
The Economist Intelligence Unit has already performed a survey and identified the top three topics of these customers:

1. Traceability.
2. Making changes to global sourcing patterns.
3. Simplifying supply chains.

Faith Dennison of Maersk Lead Logistics recommends the following steps to address these issues:

Step 1 Creating transparency in your logistics visibility and planning. Figure out where you are now in your inventory cycle - getting transparency across your organization to get greater control. 
Step 2 Establish control in how you are executing enables you to get to step 3.
Step 3 End-to-end supply chain planning to address events and outcomes. The entire team must understand your vision and how you are leading the cargo flow.

When you get to this level of transparency, control and business integration level, companies are able to achieve improved planning and reliability.
As part of this process, Maersk IT has created solutions and platforms that connect data across multiple teams, using mobile channels, supply chain collaboration tools, advanced data analytics and AI built on a Maersk Data Lake.

Mike Meierkort explained the supply chain cycle from start to finish and how to connect and simplify supply chains using an integrator strategy approach. Maersk Logistics & Services encompasses Lead Logistics, Landside transportation, Customs House Brokerage, Cold Chain, ecommerce, TradeLens (neutral, third party digital platform with Blockchain capabilities), Destination Cargo Management (DCM), Air Freight, Less-thancontainer load (LCL), Depot Management and Value Protect.

In Warehousing & Distribution - in the North American market, Performance Team has 46 locations with DC Bypass programs, transload/deconsolidation services and last mile transportation services. Several warehouse facilities focus on e-commerce fulfillment that now comprises 40% of the current activities – and includes partnerships with UPS and FedEx for direct to consumer service. These services integrate with the global Maersk Warehousing & Distribution product.

In Maersk Customs House Brokerage, Melinda Damico emphasized the importance of building strong Customs compliance programs through the use of innovative technology, trade compliance, and client management. Meetings such as these are part of Maersk’s ongoing efforts to provide customers with optimal supply chain efficiency and best practices.

“These type of exchanges of ideas and expertise are at the core of Maersk’s commitment to customers and supply chain optimization,” said Kim Pedersen, Global Head of A.P. Moller-Maersk’s Sales & Marketing – who is the Executive Sponsor of GSA to the Maersk Ocean & Logistics Management Board, representing their interests in future supply chain value propositions.