Container shipping company CMA CGM has entered into a strategic partnership with software corporation SAP to invest in a new information system.
The venture will see the development of the first system wholly dedicated to container shipping, consolidating CMA CGM’s position as the third largest shipping company globally.
CMA CGM and SAP are aiming that the application will anticipate and exceed the shipping company’s 1m customer’s needs, while simultaneously improving operational performance by offering efficiency and flexibility.
According to a CMA CGM press release, the system will automate management procedures and handle the 10.6m containers the company transports annually.
It will also over all bookings generated ever year, which are estimated to number 3.36m and include every stage of end-to-end management of freight.
CMA CGM’s decision to partner with SAP due to its global stature, according to the shipping company’s executive officer Rodolphe Saadé.
“To continue our development, we have chosen the best solution for our business, one that is recognised for its efficiency and strong capabilities,” said Saadé. “Alongside SAP, the world leader in business management software, we will customise this platform to leverage performance both for CMA CGM and for our clients.”
The president of SAP Europe, Middle East & Africa also expressed enthusiasm at working with the shipping company.
“We are delighted to partner with CMA CGM which is now one of our major customers,” he said in the press release. “This further strengthens our presence in this industry, enabling SAP to offer a complete and fully optimized solution for processes at the heart of the container shipping industry.”
CMA CGM operated 429 vessels, serving more than 400 ports worldwide. In 2012, the company transported 10.6m TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) and had a turnover of US$15.9bn.
