For Mr. Youssef Zouein, the country manager of Safmarine Lebanon, the importance of innovation and digital technology enable Safmarine to build and maintain long-term partnerships with customers by providing a seamless end-to-end experience for them.
Mr. Zouein also discussed, in his interview with Al Morakeb Al Mali magazine, several topics, like the cooperation with official bodies, and the effects of strong competition…
He also highlighted the latest achievements of Safmarine in the past year.
* The voices of several political and economic parties demanded a change in the way the management of the port of Beirut. What is your opinion?
Efficient transport processes and infrastructure enable us to move our customer’s cargo from the origin to destinations in a timely and smooth manner. We work closely with stakeholders in the Port of Beirut and in the transport industry to discuss and find solutions to ensure that we deliver the best possible service to our clients.
What is relevant is that we can use the port facilities efficiently. At the end, it is the customers and local industry who benefit from this.
* Technology has revolutionized and enormous changes in various sectors. How has the technological revolution affected the work and performance of the maritime transport sector?
Innovation and digital technology enable us to build and maintain long-term partnerships with customers by providing a seamless end-to-end experience for them. We have a user-friendly website, mobile application, instant booking, and lately the Safmarine Spot booking system that gives our customers visibility and control of their cargo throughout its journey.
* How do you describe the performance of the official bodies, customs and public security and the performance of management in the port of Beirut? Are there any specific suggestions?
Efficient and inclusive import and export processes and policies enable faster delivery to market and reduce costs for local businesses and help customers become more competitive in the market.
We are committed to always strengthen our ties with all the parties mentioned, and their support allows us to deliver end-to-end container handling solutions to customers. We work closely with stakeholders to review and find solutions to improve efficiencies and address operational concerns.
* What are the effects of strong competition on your business?
Competition was and will always remain a part of any business, but we certainly take the necessary measures to be able to keep going and offer value to customers and help them with their cargo transport needs.
Shipping and container logistics are a highly-competitive industry which we welcome if it is a fair competition, and we adhere to practices that promote fair competition, which is healthy for the clients as it gives them choices and alternatives, and for us as carriers to always strive for better solutions for our clients. Our focus is on creating long-term growth partnerships with customers by providing a high-level of service and offering value-adding end-to-end solutions that make container logistics simple and easy for customers so that they can focus on their core business, while we focus on moving their cargo
* What are your company’s highlights for 2019?
As Safmarine, we are mainly focused on the Africa and West Central Asia trades and 2019 has been an exciting year as we started to transform from doing more than ocean business to becoming a one-stop shop when it comes to containerized cargo.
This year we progressed on our journey to simplify customers’ supply chain by offering more choice and flexible solutions when it comes to their container handling and intermodal transport needs. Safmarine Value Protect as an example, is a solution to protect the value of cargo and give customers peace of mind, convenience, and simplicity.
Also, as part of A.P. Moller – Maersk, we started using the low sulfur fuel to help decreasing the pollution as much as we can, and we also supported the launch of the ocean clean up vessel.
* Are there specific plans for 2020?
We will continue to be customer-centric in whatever we do. Our plans for 2020 is to start offering tailor-made services to meet our customers’ needs and we will be more focused on using transport and logistics solutions to build stronger relationships and create a positive experience for customers.
