A.P. Moller - Maersk has announced it will integrate Safmarine under the Maersk brand in an effort to "further improve customer experience and accelerate growth".

From Jan. 1, 2021, the Safmarine brand will be fully transitioned into the Maersk brand.

By doing this, Maersk says it will build closer relationships with customers who will get access to the full ocean and supply chain offering and its global reach.

It adds that cstomers will experience a more seamless interaction with one sales force, one customer experience team and one platform regardless of where in the world they require ocean and logistics services.

Over time, the value propositions of Maersk and Safmarine have converged, as both brands have been focusing on building a customer-centric culture and as the digital interactions with customers have increased.

The integration will be a phased approach lasting throughout 2020 to minimize customer disruption. As of October 2020, Safmarine teams will begin to integrate into the new Maersk organisation.

Vincent Clerc, CEO of Ocean and Logistics at A.P. Moller - Maersk, said: “For more than 20 years, Safmarine has helped fuel customer centricity and by combining its capabilities and expertise with the offerings and global reach of Maersk, we will offer our customers more relevant products and services, and better experiences no matter where they are in the world."

David Williams, Regional Managing Director for Maersk in Africa and Head of Safmarine, said that together with Maersk, they will "define what moving cargo means as the global integrator of container logistics".

The Safmarine brand will no longer be marketed by the end of 2020.