Given the very challenging market environment due to the pandemic, the rapidly increasing importance of sustainability factors and increasing digitalisation, we carried out a detailed review of our corporate strategy in the 2021 financial year. As a result, we intensified our focus on the area of quality and embedded “sustainability” as the fourth pillar of our “Strategy 2023”. In doing so, we are guided by three key areas of action whereby we will “simplify”, “strengthen” and “invest”.
SIMPLIFY
Improve the customer experience and reduce complexity
In the reporting year, we further improved the customer experience and reduced complexities. For example, we optimised our customer segmentation and successfully tested it in four regions, always keeping in mind that doing business with us should be as comfortable as possible for our customers. Furthermore, we analysed how we might further optimise our network in the key trades – and began doing so in Latin America with the implementation of a simplified network strategy.
STRENGTHEN
Increase the quality and strengthen our presence in attractive growth markets
We want to be the number one for quality for our customers. With this as our ambition, we determined to double our efforts and continued to drive the digitalisation of our range of services in the reporting year. We now offer our customers more than 20 digital products which they can comfortably book online. Furthermore, we continued to grow in our strategic growth market of Africa by acquiring the container liner shipping business of Deutsche Afrika-Linien (DAL). DAL’s business will be particularly valuable with regard to the range of services to and from South Africa, and will allow us to offer our customers an improved network and additional port coverage in the region. With a view to our goal of becoming climate-neutral by 2045, we have expanded the use of biofuels. At the same time, we have agreed to collaborations that will pave the way for us to offer our customers a sustainable commercial transport product while helping them improve their carbon footprint.
INVEST
Establishment of an attractive terminal portfolio
In addition to investments in our team and the fleet, our investing activities focus on shareholdings in container terminals. In the 2022 financial year, we and two partners decided to build a new terminal in the Egyptian port of Damietta. It is expected to start operating in 2024 and will serve as a strategic handling point in the eastern Mediterranean. Furthermore, we invested in the Italian Spinelli Group, providing us with capacity in the terminal business and in hinterland traffic in the Italian market. We also signed a contract at the end of the year to take over the terminal business and the associated logistics services of Chilean company SM SAAM S.A. Our business activities include a portfolio of ten terminals in six countries across North, Central and South America. They will help us to continue strengthening our business and to establish a robust and attractive terminal portfolio.
