Maersk Line, the world’s largest container shipping company, is partnering with PORTRIX LOGISTIC SOFTWARE GmbH (PLS) to integrate spot pricing into PLS’ market leading Global Price Management (GPM) software solution.
 
GPM, launched by Hamburg-headquartered PLS in (2010), is the trusted choice of the freight forwarding industry, with 12 of the top 20 global freight forwarders utilising the platform. It enables enhanced efficiency, productivity and profitability by giving users greater control and transparency over transportation rates and management, with an array of extensions available to add value and deliver business benefits.
 
Henning Voss, Co-founder and CEO at PLS, says the addition of Maersk Spot to the solution will further empower customers, while also helping Maersk meet their own business objectives.
 
Real-time advantages
 
He explains: “Maersk Spot is an interesting new offering to the market, whereby shippers and forwarders can access the very latest prices for set routes and book standalone transport 24/7 – in very much the same way as you might book an airline ticket online. The spot product, as in aviation, is a two way committed product, and these prices are ‘live’, meaning they can change quite quickly. So, they’re very different to traditional longer term contracted product.

Up until this point a customer looking to make a booking would access Maersk Spot and then leave the tool to compare other options. As they were doing so the prices might change. However, with integration into GPM a user has everything they need at their fingertips, giving them the ability to see both real-time competitive spot rates and their contracted prices. Bookings can also be handled directly through GPM, while users can also access information regarding future departures to see how prices will develop.

It’s a solution that delivers improved efficiency and control for users of GPM, while Maersk benefits from greater transaction fulfilment and improved access to freight forwarders, who are our main customers. It really is a win-win for everyone.”
 
Integrated benefits
 
Speaking of the decision to partner with PLS, Johan Sigsgaard, an executive sponsor for Spot, Maersk Line comments: “Maersk Spot was created to simplify our customers’ supply chain – with a single online transaction, which includes a loading guarantee, covering everything from quotation to a final booking, with one, fixed ‘all-in’ price. We want as many customers as possible to take an advantage of this proposition, and that’s why the integration into GPM makes perfect sense.

Together we can now give users up to the minute visibility over pricing, ensuring they can get the value their business and stakeholders demand, while we optimise capacity. In effect, this creates a one-stop-shop that all parties benefit from. GPM enjoys an excellent reputation within the logistics community and we look forward to building our relationship with PLS going forward.”
 
GPM is available to the market via both a standard licence purchase and through a ‘software as a service’ (SaaS) agreement, whereby customers access the platform online. The software, built on PLS’ unrivalled wealth of master data and market understanding, is continually refined to improve user benefits and experience.