Real test of Gemini hub and spoke model yet to come, says Maersk
Early signs may be positive for the Gemini Cooperation’s “hub and spoke” model, but head ...
Freight forwarders in Australia fear shipping major lines, including Hapag-Lloyd and Maersk subsidiary Hamburg Süd, are planning to build a database of their clients to deal with the shippers directly.
According to one forwarder The Loadstar spoke to, some carriers are refusing to accept cargo unless the forwarder agrees to book the domestic inland trucking with the carrier, thereby providing the shipper details.
Desperate forwarders fighting for space have no alternative but to agree to these terms, but on the understanding that the ...
Comment on this article
Eduard Winkelmann
July 21, 2021 at 1:05 pmHI, in my view it seems not very clever to only accept bookings under a carrier’s haulage arrangement. But how would Forwarders react, if Lines quote end-to-end directly to BCO’s? The arguement is not “sharing revenue” but the reduction of logistic expense to the benefit of the BCO. Without any doubt, the bill will be much less without intermediaries. MAERSK new strategy “integrated logistics provider.”
Any views please?
Best regards Eduard
Marc Mahle
July 21, 2021 at 5:46 pmHi Eduard,
you are right in thinking lower costs/ bills without any intermediaries and talking about “integrated logistics providers”. In a matter of fact this is all theory and not working out. If you have a specific doubt about your shipment you are getting a case number to your mail and days later with luck you get maybe an answer. Phones are ringing and you dont get a person in line and if yes, you may hear that you need to check the online chat with an operator reviewing your case. I have a lot of more points but this would take too long. So the logistics freight forwarder will never by “out” if things from carrier are not working out properly. Carriers are good in freights and thats it.
Just my opinion!
Marc Mahle
July 21, 2021 at 5:38 pmNevertheless you always will need a good forwarder as WE are the link between Shipper, Client and Carrier. We make things done and provide a steady communication where carriers lack. This is why we do a plus on customer service! Simple as that!
Paul Gooch
July 25, 2021 at 6:40 pmIt’s called disintermediation…and reasonable when not everyone who has their finger in the cookie jar is adding value. But not reasonable when a limited number of protected players can exercise dominant market power to eliminate weaker players in the value chain…