Maersk Line chief executive Eivind Kolding has used a recent conference to outline his thoughts on the future of the container shipping industry.
In his role as the keynote speaker at the TOC conference in Antwerp, Belgium, which took place on 7-9 June, Kolding said that in order for the industry to secure its license to operate in the future, it would need to make changes in the present.
He said that, while container shipping had revolutionised world trade, it was now an established business model that often disappoints customers, with complex regulations, late containers and lacking transparency and common goals with regards to environmental aims.
Kolding explained that, despite being an established industry, container shipping may only be 'a few years from being completely overtaken' by new technology, and that market and customer behaviour was forcing companies to 'never lose sight of what they really want', including needs that the industry may not be aware of.
'The container shipping industry stands on the brink of an era-defining moment and we face some fundamental challenges,' Kolding told the conference. 'However, why not see these as fantastic opportunities?
'What if we could guarantee that cargo would be on time, every time? What if placing a shipping order was as easy as buying an airline ticket? What if the shipping industry was known for beating environmental expectations – not struggling to meet them?'
