News / Hapag-Lloyd becomes first container line to launch its own online rate quotation tool

Hapag-Lloyd has become the first of the major container lines to launch an online rate quotation tool as the industry looks to further digitise processes.

Quick Quotes is now open to all customers after, what the carrier described as, a “successful” implementation period.

The company said the programme was “faster, easier and more convenient”, and chief executive Rolf Habben Jansen added he hoped it would improve efficiencies.

“Becoming easier to do business with and digitising our services are very important for us,” he said.

“Quick Quotes enables our customers globally to get a fast quotation at any time, which will contribute to a better and more efficient customer experience.”

To get a shipment quotation, customers log in via Hapag-Lloyd’s website, select start and end points of the shipment and nominate commodity and container types.

Customers will, “within seconds” says Hapag-Lloyd, receive a binding quotation, allowing them to immediately make a booking.

Logistics companies have recently unveiled a raft of online platforms purporting to ease the process of gaining quotes and making bookings.

Last month it was Air France-KLM, Kontainers and Lufthansa Cargo, all focusing on the benefits their platforms would bring the forwarding community.

Lufthansa’s pilot programme was part of a partnership with online rate platform Freightos, allowing forwarders to “instantly” view contracted prices and secure capacity. The carrier said it intended to roll it out beyond Europe in the “coming months”.

Customer Rohlig said: “The functionality enables rapid quoting and booking of shipments, and customers benefit through improved information flow and handling of their consignments.”