Fragmented supply chains are making the transportation of goods across Europe ever-more costly and complex.

As landside operations typically involve multiple handovers from ports to warehouses to customers, every shipment has points where things can – and do – go wrong. Ensuring it all goes to plan requires meticulous coordination, even at the best of times.

But this isn’t the best of times. We’re operating in an era of “compound disruption”, where black swan events are occurring with increasing frequency and impact, meaning the risk of missed connections and costly delays has never been higher.

As a result, the business case for consolidation is particularly compelling right now. Here, we explore three reasons why Maersk is the right partner for the job.

#1 – Expert know-how

The European transport network is expanding. Since 2023, the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF), the EU’s instrument for strategic investment in transport, has funded €16 billion into new transport projects. That’s undoubtedly a good thing for the future, but the construction work and upgrades could cause congestion and added complexity in the near term.

At the same time, the infrastructure in Europe isn’t always as smoothly integrated as you might think. Take the rail network, for instance. Some rail networks in Europe are only built to the border. The tracks in their neighbouring countries might not be the same size; they might run at different voltages.

That’s why having a partner with strong regional knowledge is essential. Especially, say, if you’re an overseas business that’s unfamiliar with the lay of the land. At Maersk, our dedicated teams have deep expertise in the European transport infrastructure, meaning we know which routes work in practice, not just on paper. From high-volume loads to time-sensitive shipments to specialised needs like out-of-gauge cargo, we are fully equipped to handle and execute any logistics requirement, regardless of size or complexity.

#2 – Seamless coordination of the moving parts

Whatever industry you operate in, coordinating all your different landside moves is complex and time-consuming. There are too many players involved, too many stakeholders to manage, too many schedules to coordinate, and too many handovers to align. So much so that 13-19% of logistics costs stem from inefficient handovers alone, according to McKinsey & Company.

From our experience, medium-sized businesses are particularly vulnerable to these challenges as they don’t tend to have the resources to dedicate to this area without taking their focus away from their core business. But whether you’re a medium-sized business or a multinational giant, consolidating your inland logistics to Maersk opens a world of efficiencies and benefits. Instead of having to deal with multiple stakeholders across countless providers, we can be your single point of contact, improving visibility, communication, and collaboration.

Partnering with Maersk means fewer handovers, more reliable connections, and greater flexibility to adapt to shifting demands like those borne from supply chain disruptions. That’s because we have transport options across every mode, so if a pick-up window happens to be missed, we can work swiftly to find a reroute that gets your shipment back on track.

#3 – Unlock all of Europe, end to end

Supply chains are constantly being rewired. On the one hand, due to the global economy and the uncertainty around tariff policies, many businesses are increasingly sourcing closer to home, such as in Turkey, North Africa and the Middle East.

On the other hand, there are always businesses looking to deliver to new territories or markets within Europe. That could, for instance, be a business looking to capitalise on demand in a remote destination at the tip of the Nordics. But it could also be a business that’s growing at breakneck speed which needs to rapidly activate a new corridor in mainland Europe.

In either case, the size and scale of your partner’s network matters. This is perhaps Maersk’s single most important differentiator. With our extensive inland network, we can pick up from – and deliver to – the furthest corners of Europe, across every mode. With 440 rail and 130 barge services per week, and a broad trucking base of over 700 local vendors, we enable you to transport your cargo whichever way you want to.

Want to talk Inland Logistics with Maersk?

Even in a market as mature and well-developed as Europe, inland logistics can be complex. But with Maersk as your single landside partner, things become much simpler, meaning you can be more efficient, agile, and resilient.

Ready to discuss your specific inland transportation challenge? Speak with one of our experts today.

Prefer to find out more about Maersk Inland? Head here.