A new service has been introduced by shipping group Maersk Line that makes it possible to get urgent cargo onto a ship that already has limited space available.
The upgrade option, called 'Priority Product', is designed to offer loading priority to companies when placing bookings for key shipments, based around a dynamic pricing structure.
'Essentially, it allows customers to determine the urgency of their shipment,' said Maersk Line director Uffe Ostergaard.
According to Maersk Line, the service offers major business benefits, including reduced risk of costly delays, time saving, immediate confirmation on loading possibilities and booking acceptance where otherwise it would have been rejected.
First introduced on 1 June, Maersk noted that it does not make room for priority products but removing cargo, rather reserving limited space on vessels when anticipating high demand.
The price paid by a company is determined by vessel space availability and market demand and will not be a fixed fee, while the group also offers a money-back guarantee by refunding the cost of the upgrade and rescheduling if cargo cannot be loaded on the planned ship.
'We're trying to increase efficiency by filling our vessels with the highest-value cargo,' added Mr Ostergaard. 'But some customers will simply have immediate shipping needs and now they have an option, regardless of the type of cargo.'
