News / APL opts for central control as carriers ponder how to stay ahead of the game

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To centralise or decentralise: that is the dilemma facing ocean carriers as they bid to be ahead of the pack in being able to react swiftly to market changes in the volatile world of liner shipping.

The latest liner organisation to change tack in its decision-making structure is Singapore-headquartered NOL’s container arm, APL, which announced last week that it would move from its “geographically-organised structure” to a “functional” one.

Kenneth Glenn, president of APL explained: “The container shipping industry is undergoing profound ...