Danish-owned line Maersk has acknowledged that competition in the logistics sector is intensifying, particularly as it expands its integration strategy into other areas of end-to-end supply chain services such as freight forwarding.
More than one shipping news source in Europe, including Lloyds List, has reported that the managing director of Maersk North Europe, Ole Trumpfheller, addressed the company’s evolving role in the logistics industry, especially as it pertains to the line’s “integrator strategy”.
Speaking at the naming event of a methanol-fuelled vessel in Rotterdam, he confirmed that Maersk was competing directly with freight forwarders for cargo volumes.
Although freight forwarding is traditionally independent of shipping, to negotiate best-practice rates for clients, Trumpfheller described the impending rivalry as fair and beneficial to the market.
When asked whether Maersk aimed to replace traditional forwarders, he said the line was positioning itself as an integrator rather than a conventional carrier.
He pointed to the recent appointment of Xavier Urbain, a seasoned logistics executive, to Maersk’s board as a strategic move to reinforce its presence in the forwarding sector.
Trumpfheller stressed that competition between Maersk and forwarders was based on price and service quality, without unethical practices.
He said what set Maersk apart was its control over critical logistics assets, including vessels, terminals and software systems.
This control provided enhanced data insights and operational efficiencies that forwarders, lacking physical assets, could not match, Trumpfheller reportedly said.
Moreover, Maersk’s ability to prioritise container unloading offers a significant advantage over its forwarding rivals.
Trumpfheller suggested that traditional forwarders might evolve into niche service providers, catering for specific market segments, as other carriers follow Maersk’s lead in offering end-to-end logistics solutions.
While this transition might not be welcomed by forwarders, he described it as a natural evolution of market competition.
He also raised the question of whether customers prioritised cost savings or reliability, noting that forwarders’ limited control over assets affected their ability to offer dependable service.
Trumpfheller, who once served as DB Schenker’s contract logistics division, argued that a less fragmented supply chain – relying on fewer vendors – would be advantageous in tackling global challenges such as tariff disputes, geopolitical tensions and climate concerns.
He reiterated that Maersk’s ability to own and manage the entire supply chain, including digital infrastructure, was a core strategic strength. While acknowledging that Maersk had yet to reach the scale of logistics giants such as DHL, he underscored that the company was far more than just a shipping line.
