The India unit of Maersk Line is expanding its cargo-shipping role in the country to establish itself as a provider of end-to-end supply chain solutions that would include doorstep delivery.
"One noticeable change we have already seen in India is that we are closely working with our customers to execute more and more of the supply chain," Steve Felder, the India head of Maersk, told ET. Felder has recently been appointed managing director for the Danish conglomerate's operations in India and five other neighbouring markets.
A bigger role for Maersk in the supply chain would mean the company’s involvement in the road and railways legs of shipments for importers, and delivering consignments at factories or warehouses.
Felder said the focus on allied services, which the company outsources to third parties, has increased in the past six months. The strategy is in line with parent A.P Moller Maersk Group's plans to focus on its transport operations while seeking alliances or a separate listing for its energy division, as articulated last September by chief executive Soren Skou.
"Instead of just doing a port to port business, Maersk is going the extra mile in delivering to inland container depots or even the customers' premises," said Felder.
Source: economictimes.indiatimes.com
