Multiple routings facilitate tailor-made solutions

Experience makes all the
difference when operating
in Africa, says the Maersk
Line cross-border team whose
collective experience adds up to
more than 21 years.
Covering Zimbabwe, Zambia,
Malawi and Lesotho, the
team is headed by John Reid,
Maersk Line cross-border
country manager, who favours
an approach he calls ‘solution
selling’.
“Clients in the hinterland
countries such as Zimbabwe,
Zambia and Malawi require
personalised solutions for
their unique requirements.
This involves Maersk Line
recommending to each client
which routing will work best for
their cargo,” he said.
Offering multiple routings
for the hinterland via Maputo,
Nacala, Walvis Bay, Dar-es-
Salaam, Durban and now also a
direct weekly sailing into Beira,
it is important to see a client as
an individual and tailor-make
solutions for their needs.
“On top of this wide choice of
entry and exit ports, other factors
such as through bills of lading vs
merchant haulage or conventional
trucking need to be considered in
each circumstance in order for us
to propose the optimal solution
for each and every client,” says
Reid. “The same considerations
need to be applied at the origin or
destination country in order for us
to offer unique shipping solutions
to our clients – which is why
solution selling is a prerequisite
to servicing the cross border
countries.”
He says by providing these
solutions one constantly improves
customer service across Africa.
Irene Maina-Ndhlovu, Maersk
Line sales executive in Zambia,
says this kind of personal
approach has led to a more
reliable service being offered.
“Over the past four years
we have seen the demand for
shipping and inland logistics in
Zambia more than double. It is
for this reason that we are able to
offer a more reliable through bill
of lading service to Zambia via
the ports of Dar es Salaam, Beira
and Durban. We are also working
with key stakeholders in order to
also connect to and from Zambia
via the Walvis Bay Corridor.”
Evas Muranzi, the Maersk Line
sales executive in Zimbabwe,
agrees with her colleagues saying
it is about being able to meet the
needs of clients.
“No shipment is too large or
too small and the client’s needs
are met in the most cost-effective
manner possible.”
With this in mind the company
has designed its webpage to
ensure that customers have all
the resources and information
available to make the best
possible decision regarding
their cargo.
According to Antoninho
Silvino Pio, Maersk Line sales
executive based in Beira, the site
provides up-to-date information
to customers regardless of where
they are in the world.
The Beira corridor, that Pio
represents, has also seen major
growth in recent years and feeds
cargo to and from Malawi.
“With the launch of the direct
service into Beira we will be able
to better serve these customers
with an improved and reliable
service to further meet their
business requirements.”