Hapag-Lloyd AG announces record results

Hamburg News: There are huge problems in the global supply chain at present despite the good figures. There is a lack of ships, containers, handling capacity, truck drivers and congestion problems. What solutions can Hapag-Lloyd offer as a major stakeholder in the industry?

Rolf Habben Jansen: Global supply chains are under enormous pressure, which has intensified during the third quarter. Shipping companies, freight forwarders, ports and terminals and especially customers worldwide are suffering. We are doing everything we can to resolve the situation with suitable offers, targeted investments and flexible capacity management. We initiated many ongoing countermeasures when the crisis broke out. We are shifting capacities to markets with strong demand and optimising our service network to avoid overloaded ports, among others. We have purchased more ships and containers, increased staff and IT capacity and introduced new digital solutions as well. All this helps to minimise the impact on our clientele.

Hamburg News: Hapag-Lloyd has acquired a stake in the JadeWeserPort Wilhelmshaven. How important is that for the company and the Port of Hamburg?

Rolf Habben Jansen:  Our investment in JadeWeserPort will make us more flexible and will complement our offers beyond the Port of Hamburg. The investment will strengthen German ports and increase our competitiveness, especially in Far East traffic. Hamburg will remain our home port in Germany.

Hamburg News: Digital transformation is also progressing at Hapag-Lloyd. In September, you introduced electronic bills of lading - ship waybills - and took another step towards a paperless future.

Rolf Habben Jansen:  Our "electronic Bill of Lading" offers our customers a much-needed digital solution for the release of such bills. The documents can be issued, transmitted and signed in minutes and without using printers and paper. The whole process is more sustainable, secure and faster ...a real added value for all those involved.

Hamburg News: Hapag-Lloyd aims to make shipping even more sustainable in future. Are you going to switch to liquid natural gas (LNG)?

Rolf Habben Jansen: Fossil LNG is a good transitional solution. However, it is important to bear in mind that although fossil LNG reduces emissions, it does not make us carbon-free. We must replace it with alternative fuels such as biomethane or synthetic methane in the medium to long term. Our twelve 23,500 TEU vessels on order, which we will add to our fleet from 2023, will have dual-fuel propulsion and will run on conventional fuel, LNG or alternative fuels.

Hamburg News: By 2030, the CO2 intensity of Hapag-Lloyd's own fleet is to be cut by 60 per cent compared to the International Maritime Organization's (IMO) reference year 2008. How do you intend to achieve this?

Rolf Habben Jansen:...mainly by purchasing new ships, scrapping old ships and using alternative fuels. But refurbishing existing ships also plays a role. We also want to use our fleet more effectively and make operations more efficient which should lower emissions.

Hamburg News: The pandemic has sparked "new work" in many companies virtually overnight. What does modern working look like at Hapag-Lloyd?

Rolf Habben Jansen: Our four branches in Hamburg will be merged into two namely in Rosenstraße and Ballindamm. We want to make work more flexible and modern with creative spaces, quiet zones, areas for hybrid working. All of this makes for an ultra-modern working environment. 

Hamburg News: Many thanks for the interesting talk.

Interview by Yvonne Scheller