Dive Brief:
- A.P. Moller – Maersk launched a digital air freight booking solution as part of its integrated logistics services to help connect and simplify supply chains, according to a Feb. 12 press release.
- The online tool provides instant prices for 70,000 airport connections across more than 90 countries. Customers can book cargo movements for any of the global airport pairings.
- “Manufacturing has truly diversified with global value chains,” said Darryl Judd, Maersk regional head of air freight in the Indian Subcontinent, Middle East and Africa. “We are noticing that customers sitting in one part of the world need to move raw material from origin to destination without being at either of the locations.”
Dive Insight:
With the added benefit of air cargo operations and other integration opportunities, Maersk is positioning itself as an end-to-end supply chain provider.
Maersk has continued to advance its air cargo ambitions despite a modal slowdown spurred by falling demand and excess capacity. The carrier had initially introduced air freight operations in April 2022 before expanding its services to include two weekly flights between the U.S. and South Korea later that year.
The ocean shipper has also been building out its air cargo network in North America. In July 2023, Maersk opened a 123,000-square-foot air cargo gateway in Georgia in a bid to strengthen its logistics offerings, including local and regional distribution.
Later in October, the ocean carrier opened a freight hub near Los Angeles International Airport, tripling its West Coast capacity. At the time, Maersk noted that the hub would enable “more supply chain integration opportunities and better scaling” for peaks and other volume spikes.
Maersk’s competitors have also been bolstering their end-to-end supply chain capabilities. In November 2023, MSC Air Cargo entered its third 777F into service and added a new route between Hong Kong and Texas.
