Maersk, CMA CGM & Major Carriers Set-Up Association
The leading liners in the world have moved to establish an association focused on digitization, standardization and interoperability within the shipping industry.
IT Executives from Maersk, CMA CGM, Hapag-Lloyd, MSC and Ocean Network Express (ONE) are currently discussing the creation of common information technology standards.
The standards will be openly available and free of charge for all stakeholders of the wider container shipping industry.
Adam Banks, Chief Technology and Information Officer with Maersk, said: “Digital is key for delivering on our strategy to become an integrated container logistics company that offers simple, end-to-end services with seamless customer experience.
“A joint set of technical standards will ensure interoperability and enable all parties to concentrate on value adding differentiation as we move the container shipping industry towards further digitalization.”
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Rajesh Krishnamurthy, Executive Vice President IT and Transformations, CMA CGM, said: “CMA CGM is always looking for best practices and standards to support the innovation and digital strategy of the company.
“Being a founding member will enable us to work together on setting the standards for digitization of the entire industry.”
MSC’s Chief Information Officer, Andre Simha agreed and said it “MSC believes that we’ve reached the point in the carrier world where we need something that is common, open and done in the framework of a neutral and non-profit association.”
The announcement comes in the same month as nine leading ocean carriers and terminal operators, including COSCO, DP World and Yang Ming, signed a statement of intent to develop an international blockchain shipping platform.
The moves towards standards in digitalization late in the year signify a step-change in the industry’s approach to data-sharing, potentially meaning the leading names now see collaboration as the key to real progress.
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