9 tips to optimize your Maersk Spot booking

Does cargo shipping feel like a complex puzzle? With countless factors to consider, from navigating fluctuating rates to unexpected shipping delays and numerous regulations, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and confused.

This is where Maersk steps in with its digital spot shipping solution, Maersk Spot.

With features like fixed pricing and guaranteed loading, we can turn chaotic freight booking into a streamlined process. Up ahead, we share some strategies to enhance your Maersk Spot booking experience—saving you time, money, and stress.

Maximize your Maersk Spot bookings with these tips!

1. Use the ‘Rollable’ option for flexibility.

Our rollable feature is ideal for non-time-sensitive cargo. When your shipment is designated as ‘Rollable’, it is first in line to be deferred if a vessel is overbooked—but it will be rolled only once.

This flexibility allows you to push more critical shipments and plan for potential delays.

2. Plan in advance with ‘Departure and Arrival’ views.

Our digital interface provides a comprehensive overview of departures, estimated arrivals and transit times, which is crucial for integrating your shipping operations with other business activities.

By planning your shipments around these detailed schedules, you can optimize inventory levels, reduce storage costs, and synchronize production schedules with arrival times. This enhanced visibility ensures you are always aware of vessel schedules and can make informed decisions that align with your supply chain demands.

3. Extend your shipment’s ‘Freetime’ proactively.

With the unpredictability of international shipping, proactive steps are essential. Maersk’s ‘Freetime Extension’ allows you to add extra days to your booking, which helps you avoid higher Detention & Demurrage charges.

This is particularly valuable when external factors like port congestion or customs delays are likely. By securing additional freetime upfront, you can avoid costly demurrage and detention fees — which can add up quickly from extended cargo holds. It also keeps your logistics and shipping costs predictable and your operations fluid.

4. Stay updated with Maersk Spot ‘Alerts’.

Our Alerts feature informs you about booking opportunities for your preferred routes as they become available. This is great for securing space, especially during peak shipping season.

By setting up alerts, you can ensure that you are always among the first to know about vessel route openings. This allows you to book immediately, secure the best Maersk Spot rates and preferred shipping schedules, and maintain a competitive edge in your logistics planning.

5. Stay updated with ‘Terms & Conditions’.

Regularly reviewing the terms and conditions on Maersk Spot ensures that you always operate under the latest guidelines, protecting you from unforeseen liabilities.

This knowledge enables you to make informed decisions when booking — that align with the latest operational protocols and regulatory compliance standards. It also helps in accurate budgeting, making your supply chain efficient. Keep reading about Maersk Spot T&Cs (FAQs).

6. Get help from Maersk’s ‘live chat’ feature.

You can resolve any queries about your booking and get insights from our expert customer care representatives via ‘live chat’ on Maersk.com or a 24/7 available virtual assistant.

Having direct contact with Maersk can help you resolve issues quickly, enhance your understanding of Maersk’s services, and provide strategic guidance about your shipments, from documentation to charges and any other questions that you might have.

7. Optimize your freight load efficiency with our ‘digital tools’.

Make the most out of each shipment by optimizing load efficiency. Use ‘detailed specifications and container management’ tools to calculate the best way to consolidate your shipments.

Effective load planning ensures that you utilize the space and weight capacity of each container optimally. This helps you reduce the number of containers you need to transport your freight and maximize your logistical efficiency. It can also help lower your shipping costs and decrease your GHG emissions footprint.

8. Explore decarbonization options

We also offer options to help you reduce shipping’s climate impact, such as choosing more efficient vessels, or opting for decarbonization options, such as Maersk ECO Delivery.

Embracing these practices can not only help reduce your GHG emissions footprint but also align and contribute to your company’s decarbonization goals.

9. Secure your spot freight with ‘Value Protect’.

While Maersk provides a reliable and secure freight transportation service, it’s prudent to ensure that your cargo has adequate coverage to protect it from mishaps.

Maersk’s Value Protect is a simple add-on product to protect your cargo which can be used in addition to your standard insurance coverage. It extends the liability for terms of carriage to cover aspects that are not usually included in traditional terms, like damage or loss during transit and accidents such as fire, theft, or bad weather. 

Ship Ocean + Inland together with Maersk Spot!

As the logistics landscape continues to evolve, Maersk Spot adapts to changing scenarios and provides the tools you need to manage your shipments efficiently and effectively.

Our platform further simplifies your freight booking process by integrating ocean and inland transportation in a single booking. Imagine handling all your shipping needs with just one tool and one point of contact from start to finish - that’s what Maersk Spot offers.

Make a single booking for your cargo—ocean, inland, or both together—and we take it from there. Just click and go… Ship Ocean+Inland together with Maersk Spot now!