A week has passed since my update and so much has happened. So much in fact that I feel compelled to reach out to you once more to provide you with some important background information on how we are handling the crisis at Maersk and how we ensure we are still adequately serving your business.
As countries across the globe have joined Europe and Asia in implementing sharp measures to contain the pandemic, the proportion of Maersk colleagues working from home has greatly increased. I am proud to experience how this transition has been managed rapidly by our teams without any major impact on our ability to keep the wheels of global trade spinning. In fact, 85% of our global office-based staff work from home today, and they are all as eager to serve you as ever, reachable through the same channels you are used to, and keeping www.maersk.com/stay-ahead updated with the latest news.
Across geographies, we are pleased that goods continue to flow through our warehouses, terminals and network. Our crews and staff across all facilities are still there to make sure that you get access to your goods when you need them. We are also stepping up our action to help our third party service providers have access to proper PPE equipment in places where these may be in shortage, enabling them also to keep performing their services safely. As the situation evolves rapidly, and we know you have many things to worry about, we aim to make it as easy for you as possible to get support. Our repository on www.maersk.com/stay-ahead has been live since the situation around Covid-19 began to show first impact on trade in Asia, and we are daily updating it with new important information both on the impact in your specific locations as well as giving you new suggestions on how to overcome the challenges and bottlenecks you may face. This should give you real time access to the most trusted information impacting your supply chain.
The measures taken by governments, society and companies to contain and mitigate the crisis will result in an economic slowdown. The many conversations we have with you confirm our expectation of lower volume demand in the coming weeks. We also understand that this is not by your choice – but as a result of the situation. In line with our value of Constant Care, we are actively preparing our network to match a reduced demand level. We believe that it is our responsibility to right-size in order to protect our cost position, both to be able to weather these storms but importantly also to ensure that you have a partner who cares for the integrity of your supply chain as we look to lifting the world out of this crisis. We will strive to be as open and proactive as possible both in solutions and in communication and throughout the crisis, so we can manage these important adjustments with your needs at the heart of our decisions.
Finally, we also know that special circumstances will create very special needs in your supply chain. Whether it is an acceleration of movement of essential goods, or a slow down for goods you do not need to move right away, or anything else, the Maersk-team stands by you all the way and is ready to help you find the right solutions.
We will overcome this challenge together.
Stay well,
Vincent Clerc
CEO of Ocean and Logistics at Maersk
