Hapag-Lloyd, one of the world’s leading liner shipping companies, is marking a significant milestone on its journey to create the largest smart container fleet globally. The company celebrated the installation of its 700,000th tracking device on Monday, with a special guest appearance by Germany’s Federal Minister of Digital and Transport, Dr. Volker Wissing, who personally oversaw the installation at the company’s headquarters in Hamburg.
Dr. Volker Wissing emphasized the importance of digitalization in the transport industry, citing Hapag-Lloyd’s progress in building an intelligent container fleet as a prime example of the opportunities presented by this transformative technology. He said, “Digitalization offers great opportunities for the transport industry. One sign of this is the progress made by Hapag-Lloyd in building an intelligent container fleet. Such advances not only benefit shipping but also strengthen Germany as a location for innovation and contribute to our vision of a better connected and more efficient transport sector.”
Hapag-Lloyd’s CEO, Rolf Habben Jansen, underscored the company’s pioneering mission, stating, “We are proud to be at the forefront of the digitalization of container shipping. Our ‘Smart Container Fleet’ project is about transforming the industry and setting new standards for supply-chain transparency and customer service.”
The cornerstone of this transformation is the goal to equip the entire Hapag-Lloyd container fleet, consisting of 1.6 million dry containers, with real-time tracking devices. This ambitious initiative is set to revolutionize container monitoring, offering enhanced visibility and immediate answers to the question, “Where is my container now?” The tracking devices, powered by solar batteries and equipped with internal sensors and GPS technology, will transmit data through the cell network while also recording shock events and ambient temperature. Safety is a top priority, with these devices meeting established explosion-proof standards to ensure the well-being of crews, cargo, and vessels.
The majority of Hapag-Lloyd’s container fleet is expected to be smart by early 2024, marking a significant leap in supply chain transparency. Coinciding with this milestone, Hapag-Lloyd is planning to introduce a commercial product named “Live Position.”
Hapag-Lloyd, with a fleet of 258 modern container ships and a total transport capacity of 1.9 million TEU (Twenty-foot Equivalent Units), is well-positioned to revolutionize the container shipping industry. With approximately 14,000 employees and 400 offices in 135 countries, the company’s commitment to digitalization is set to have a lasting impact on global logistics and transport efficiency.