Making shipping easy for customers is the underlying premise

In the past 12 years Maersk Line has
grown its presence in the Durban
shipping market from a relatively modest
start – deploying a feeder service between
Durban and Algeciras – to a 50-employeestrong
front office.
Although having its own peculiarities,
the approach to the market in Kwa Zulu
Natal shares in a universal business truth,
according to branch manager Carl Lorenz.
That is, for all the staff to unite behind the
common goal of making shipping easy for
the customers, and efficient for the line.
“We have access to an unparalleled
vessel network stretching to-and-from all
corners of the globe,” he told FTW. “This is
coupled with best-in-class global reliability
– with the line recently named by Londonbased
consultants, Drewry, as the most
reliable large carrier out of the world’s 20
largest for the fourth consecutive quarter
with 78% on-time arrivals.
“These lay the ideal foundations for the
Durban team to have confidence in the
product they sell and support.”
Lorenz pointed out that the company
based its thinking on well-researched
tactics.
In January 2008, after extensive
research into industry trends and market
needs, Maersk Line launched its global
strategy, “streamLINE”.
“This,” said Lorenz, “is based on four
strategic, but fundamentally simple, pillars.
Filling ships with profitable cargo; making
unmatched reliability of a standardised
product; shifting authority and decisionmaking
to the front line; and not accepting
unjustified cost.”
In talking to FTW, Lorenz found it
difficult to hide the sense of pride he had in
the KZN operation he pilots from Durban
– situated amidst all the major SA shipping
lines, battling for a share in SA’s largest
seafreight marketplace.
“All our teams realise the importance
of listening to, and understanding,
customer needs,” he said. “Employees
from all departments can often be spotted
in customers’ offices discussing any
challenges face-to-face, and going the
extra mile, to ensure they understand and
proactively address any issues that
may arise.
“If the most recent customer satisfaction
results are anything to go by, Maersk Line
Durban is delivering on its promises.”
Lorenz also pointed to a revamp of
Durban’s sales department.
“Among others,” he said, “the
modification means that the entire sales
team now reports directly to me as Durban
branch manager – meaning that front-line
sales is only separated by two reporting
levels from MD David Williams.”
Quizzed about the effects of the current
global crisis, which has slammed the
brakes on growth of cargo volumes and
shaved lines’ operating margins, Lorenz
stressed a positive approach.
In the midst of an economic crisis,
he told FTW, the Durban team takes
inspiration from Alan-Knott Craig, MD of
iBurst, echoing his sentiments that: “Life is
not about waiting for the storms to pass, it’s
about learning to dance in the rain.”