Supply Chain Digital Magazine May 2024 | Page 105

OPERATIONS
But following the pandemic and amid geopolitical uncertainty , reliability has assumed a heightened importance .
“ A lot of customers got caught off guard by the severity of change frequencies ,” Hansen continues . “ Of course , the world was a different place and that left a big vulnerability in supply chains – for instance , if you ’ re only moving [ goods ] on commercial aircraft .
“ This is why Maersk entered aerospace with Maersk Air Cargo because it ’ s important to have a certain control of your supply chain . That doesn ’ t mean you can control everything , but if you have your own flights , that creates at least an increased reliability in the supply chain .”
Hansen also points to frequency as a consideration which is increasingly being factored into Maersk ’ s thinking , as customers seek to return to or exceed pre-Covid levels when it comes to the number of commercial freight services .
Another challenge for Hansen and the wider Maersk team is speed . Customers are demanding answers to their problems “ faster and faster ”, he reveals – to the extent that solutions once designed over the course of two months are these days expected within one week .
He adds : “ Because the world is ever changing , we ’ re seeing the customer ask for much more agility , and therefore speed .”
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