CMA CGM and SAP enter into a strategic partnership
CMA CGM, a global leader in container shipping, present in 150 countries with 650 agencies and 18,000 professionals worldwide, is investing in a new Information System at the forefront of innovation. It will enable the Group to develop the first system totally dedicated to container shipping, thereby consolidating its position as the world’s third largest company and the first in France in this industry, the company said in its press release.
CMA CGM and SAP plan to give the new application innovative, original and global functions that will allow the CMA CGM Group to anticipate and exceed the needs of its one million customers, while improving operational performance. As the first system to be tailored specifically to maritime transport, it will give CMA CGM unmatched efficiency and flexibility in an industry that is constantly evolving.
More particularly, the solution will manage commercial processes independently as well as automate management procedures and handle the 10.6 million containers transported every year by the CMA CGM Group. This global project will cover all 3,360,000 bookings generated annually by CMA CGM, including every step in the end-to-end management of freight, from the yards, ports and on board vessels, to transport, transhipment and discharge.
In order to obtain a global, innovative, seamless and scalable system, CMA CGM decided to call on SAP as a partner with global stature to jointly develop The solution that will be effective end of 2015 when the new software will begin to be deployed. The deployment process is expected to take two years and will embrace the entire CMA CGM Group, including all affiliated companies and business activities.
Rodolphe Saadé, Executive Officer of the CMA CGM Group, says: “Over recent years, the Group has established its own global network of agencies and a highly efficient fleet. To continue our development, we have chosen the best solution for our business, one that is recognised for its efficiency and strong capabilities. Alongside SAP, the world leader in business management software, we will customize this platform to leverage performance both for the Group and for our clients.”
“We are delighted to partner with CMA CGM which is now one of our major customers. 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,” adds Franck Cohen, President of SAP Europe, Middle East & Africa.