Win

ter

2013-2

014

50W

inte

r 2013-2

01

450

CO

NT

EN

T

ED

ITO

RIA

L

04

06

12

14

18

22 THE EXPERTSMARC BOURDON

Journey of a seasoned Agency Manager

FACE TO FACE KOTAHI

A co-operative to serve New Zealand exports

SUSTAINABILIT YSOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

A major and indispensable priority for the CMA CGM Group

GROUP LIFETHE ART OF TRAVEL

From the logbooks by Artists in Residence at Sea

FOCUS TURKEY

The emerging power straddling East and West

AROUND THE WORLD

ED

ITO

RIA

L

The year 2013 was an important year for our Group, as it was in 2013 that we made a number of major decisions that will affect our future.

The decision to complete and renew our fleet, asour Chairman Jacques R. Saadé confirmed the order for 37 vessels, including 6 x 16,100 teus and 28 x 9,400 teus. Some are company-owned and others for long-term bareboat charter, with staggered deliveries starting in 2014 through to 2016. All these vessels meet the highest standards in terms of safety, economic performance and environmental protection.

The decision to join forces with two other industry leaders on the East-West trades, as part of a major operational alliance (P3). It will give us an unrivalled advantage in terms of coverage and reliability, bringing us even closer to our customers to better anticipate and meet their expectations. The decision to strengthen our presence on the North South trades, where we have ambitions that are very much in line with our history, our current performance and our current operations.

The decision to continue investing in and operating new port terminals and dry docks.

The decision to launch the SAPHIR project which means that by 2016 our Group will have a new fully integrated, high-performance Information System.

These decisions represent a significant investment by our Group. They will enable us to better meet the expectations of our customers by providing them with an improved, more comprehensive and all-inclusive service. In return, it will be up to all our staff to ensure that these superior services are offered at the right price and generate a tangible return on our investments, essential if the Group is to continue to invest.

Today, I would like to focus on our “overland” businesses: Logistics, Intermodal and terminal management through our subsidiaries Greenmodal, CC Logistics, CMA Terminal and Terminal Link, all of which extend and support the shipping lines. That’s not forgetting our offices and agencies worldwide, where more than 10,000 staff on the front line work closely with customers to make the difference and ensure we remain their “first choice”.

Our Group’s development rests on how we develop our services and facilities on land - the pre and post transport, our “Supply Chain Management” expertise and other challenges that lie ahead - to make sure we keep on improving how we meet customers’ expectations.

To all our readers, we wish you a very Happy New Year.

FARID T.SALEM

Editorial and publication Director: Tanya Saadé Zeenny Editors: Thierry Conte, Marianne Lacroix

Coordination : Marianne Lacroix, Olivia Simonetti Graphic Design: CMA CGM Studio – David Darmon, Damien

Boulanger, Bastien Régis, Katia Egea Printing and distribution supervision: Christine Nunes Contributors: Vivi Navarro, Cécile Raynal, Fadi Issa, Chris Greenough, Dominique Balmitgère, Marc Bourdon, Amandine

Hugonnet, Julien Topenot Editing: Rachel Bennett, Thierry Conte Photos crédits: CMA CGM, Shutterstock,

Thierry Dosogne, Philip Plisson, Kotahi Number of issues : 22,000 – Quarterly ISN : 1287-8863

Printed on paper manufactured using a minimum of 60% recycled fibre and 40% virgin pulp from

certified sources.

CMA CGM Marseille Head Office

4, quai d'Arenc 13235 Marseille cedex 02 France

Tél : +33 (0)4 88 91 90 00

www.cmacgm.com

CMA CGMGROUP MAGA ZINEWINTER 2013-2014

CMA CGMExecutive Of f icer

WINTER 2013-20142 3

AROUND THE WORLD

KEVORK HEKIMIAN - A LONG AND SUCCESSFUL CAREER

After 34 years with the Group, Captain Kevork Hekimian, a historic figure at CMA CGM, has taken a well-earned retirement and left the company on 1st October 2013.

Kevork Hekimian was 18 when he decided to pursue a career at sea and embarked on a Compagnie Fraissinet - Cyprien Fabre vessel. He went on to pass the entrance exam to

the merchant navy school (Ecole Nationale de la Marine Marchande) and took command of his first vessel 15 years after his initial experience at sea. After 20 years sailing the world’s

oceans, Captain Kevork Hekimian decided to hang up his captain’s cap and apply for a shore-based position to spend more time with his family. In January 1979, he knocked on

the door of Compagnie Méridionale de Navigation in Marseille. It was here where he first met Jacques Saadé who had just formed CMA and who asked him to join the new team, which

he did officially on 23 September 1979.

Appointed head of operations, he was responsible for two chartered 200 - TEU vessels before being put in charge of logistics and signing the first container acquisition contract. A

year later in October 1980 when CMA bought its first ship, the VILLE D’ORIENT, Captain Hekimian was mandated by Jacques Saadé to handle all the vessel purchase negotiations.

In 1981, with George Iche, he proposed and was given the go-ahead by Jacques Saadé to set up an IT system to manage the now more than 5,000 containers, replacing the famous

card file system. Jacques Saadé continued to give him new responsibilities in addition to those he already had, namely land transport (particularly in the United States), ports

and terminals procurement (Zeebrugge Terminal) and finally head of the fleet’s technical department. It was in these posts that Captain Hekimian’s formidable negotiating skills

came to the fore, and many a service provider and shipyard has uncomfortable memories of his tenacity and determination to defend by all means the interests of CMA which became

the CMA CGM Group. When CMA SHIPS was formed to manage the company-owned fleet he was appointed Executive Officer presiding over the destinies of nearly 100 vessels and

more than 3,500 seafarers.

At his farewell party, Farid Salem recalled, “The many careers available to seafarers have never held any secrets for you. You have excelled in them and inspired a negotiating spirit into CMA CGM with the motto - never consider a proposition to be the end result but just

the beginning!”

God Speed Captain

AROUND THE WORLD

THE CMA CGM GROUP’S NEW E-BUSINESS PLATFORM

The CMA CGM Group’s new web site is now on line and meets a growing success with customers and partners,

the former taking full advantage of the functionalities which are available on its e-business platform. There has been a

very enthusiastic response as the number of “booked TEU” through the e-business platform by 31st December doubled

our initial objectives.

The multicarrier (CMA CGM, DELMAS, ANL, USL and CNC) and multi lingual platform which by mid-year will see

additional new features, already offers e-business functions for the management of the transport chain from one end to

the other through its unique point of entry. Our customers will find all operational information pertaining to line

services including schedules. They will be able to process their booking operations, submit their shipping instructions,

access documentation, edit and print their Bills of Lading, receive arrival notices and delivery orders. The CMA CGM Group provides its customers with a simplified information

system which allow them to process all their shipping operations in one place.

Once registered, our customers can create their own space where all their documents will be managed (letter of credit,

Customs documents, letter of indemnity, etc.). For future bookings this information can be reviewed and reused to

gain time. Using the e-business platform, they will also be able to follow in real time the location of their containers,

access their personal “dashboards” and set up alerts.

THE CMA CGM GROUP AND ITS FUTURE FULLY INTEGRATED OPERATIONAL INFORMATION SYSTEM

The CMA CGM Group and SAP, the world leader in business management software have entered a strategic

partnership to develop a unique information system dedicated to container shipping thus consolidating its

position as the world’s third largest container operator.

This new information system will manage commercial processes independently as well as automate

management procedures and handle the 11 milion containers (TEU) carried annually.

The system will manage the complete booking process as well as the processing of freight from shipper’s factory

or warehouse to the delivery of goods to the receiver. It will include intermediary steps such as storage, passage

through terminals, the sea leg, the transshipment operations whenever required and down loading of the

cargo at port of destination.

The new system which has been designed to meet customers’ most stringent requirements, will give the CMA

CGM Group unmatched operational efficiency, further improving overall service quality to its customers.

WINTER 2013-20144 5

“Cargo Cruises” - an incredible journey, an exotic adventure, where time stands still. This is

what the CMA CGM Group has been offering for a few years now, a chance for the public

to board one of its containerships for several ports of call. Last year, a number of artists

embarked on CMA CGM vessels for anything from a few days to several weeks. Their

adventures have led to the creation of numerous art works, sculptures and watercolors,

but also travel diaries that recorded their unusual experiences taking us along in their wake.

Here are some extracts.

ArtofTravel

From the logbooks by Artists in Residence at Sea

The

GROUP LIFE

7WINTER 2013-2014

6

Monday 10 December 2012, on the CMA CGM Marco Polo, SouthamptonThe gangway is breathtakingly high, 80 steps! It’s the moment I love the most, going up the gangway, greeting the seaman who welcomes me, following the one who accompanies me to my cabin, but also and above all to breathe in that familiar onboard smell, to feel the engines’ vibrations from my feet to the very roots of my hair! To slip into overalls, drop my case and go up to the bridge…

I had set sail from Southampton aboard the CMA CGM Marco Polo, the world’s largest containership, the brand new flagship and jewel in the crown of the company CMA CGM. It is 10 December 2012. She was docked at the container terminal, berth 204, starboard side, Latitude N 50° 54.3599’, Longitude W 1° 27.3614’. Four gantry cranes were busy stacking the final boxes, the hollow metallic clanking sounds interspersed with the gentle conversations of the pilots on the bridge, the dulcet tones of the English language dripping like so many fat rain drops. It’s cold but fine port side and over Southampton...

It’s 15:00 in the United Kingdom on the Marco Polo. Calm has returned, the gantry cranes have raised their booms, the pilots are on their war footing, ready for action. The sun has started setting to port, they are all on the starboard side; I stay on the bridge to write but also so as not to get in the way. It’s a tricky moment, they have to move this giant. Big containerships cast off, easing away from the wharf aided by bow thrusters and tugs. Very slowly she will go astern, then pivot carefully on her axis in the narrow turning basin. The small pilot boat has adjusted its speed and course to match and will accompany the Marco Polo along the interminable channel that leads to the English Channel. There are lots of people on the quays, port employees who have come out to admire the world’s largest containership go past, camera flashes pop.

Tuesday 11 December 2012, aboard the CMA CGM Marco PoloSunrise and sunset at sea are rewarding, nature’s ever-changing ritual, breathtaking in its majesty that delights more than one. It’s enough just to mention it for tongues to loosen as everyone humbly recalls their own, the most beautiful, the most incredible, at the other end of the world on one of the seven seas. By Neptune, I love it when sailors tell me their stories! They all have one sunrise or sunset that they will never forget...

Sunday 16 December 2012, aboard the CMA CGM Marco Polo, RotterdamAbsolutely fascinated by how they handle the containers. The precision, concentration at all times for the man driving the gantry crane... admirable. Leaning against the rail on deck, I film actions all done so calmly. The crane operator working on the first row of containers, every time it passes a tube skims past my head, the noise isn’t deafening it’s just that the spreader is so close! The Marco Polo’s holds are breathtakingly high and deep, just as well given the height of the deck – better that the vessel be properly ballasted!

August 2013, aboard the CMA CGM Jules VerneSharing watches on the bridge night and day, toiling in the engine room in sweltering heat, the noise, the technology, keeping out of the way when the decks are cleaned, sharing meals, sunrises, sunsets, important briefings, short meetings, major safety drills, friendship with some, others kept at a distance, the preoccupations of some and satisfactions of others, the captain’s responsibilities, the boisterous karaoke sessions, when for a time there is no captain, chief officer, bosun or ordinary seaman, everyone sings, shares the invisible, shares the silences, shares the Sea, the ever-changing Sea, the Sea as bearer of our dreams.

" The Ocean shrouds men with mystery and depth,Their eyes with silence and graveness.

Seafarers have an extraordinary inner strength, unknown to land people,I identify them as much as I love them

For a while, I thought I was one of them."Vivi Navarro

an ocean-going painter, designer and photographerVIVI NAVARRO

“Every embarkation is also a mysterious promise, every encounter with the crew a recompense, a moment shared, the cherry on the boat!” explains Vivi Navarro, who sailed twice this summer, once on the CMA CGM Marco Polo and then on the CMA CGM Jules Verne. The artist describes herself as an incorrigible dreamer whose passion for the sea, ships, crews, and merchant or naval seafarers knows no bounds. It is through her travel diaries that we can believe ourselves to be journeying over the oceans, and dream of the sea spray whipping

GROUP LIFETHE ART OF TR AVEL

WINTER 2013-20148 9

Saturday 7 April 2012, on the Fort Saint Pierre, Left Le Havre yesterday under a full moon, can hardly believe my senses with all this wind, these well-known lights reflected in a calm sea, I scarcely notice that everything is vibrating beneath my feet, that everything is vibrating in my mind, more intensely than ever (…).After meeting the captain, chef, chief officer, one of the three helmsmen and the bosun, an amazingly young female officer, I walked the ship’s 194 m length from bow to stern and 30 m width, along the passageways, metal stairways, elevator, fore and aft decks, upper deck, to the drone of the engines, as far as the bridge to the top of the castle. Any thoughts of princes or princesses inevitably jarring with the meticulously stacked metal boxes, like so many dirty Lego bricks, silent presences, and the raison d’être for this floating factory at sea.

Sunday 8 April 2012The captain (…) agrees to pose for me and gives me access to the bridge to work there with the men and women on watch. A sculptor on the bridge is somewhat unexpected, improbable, a game with backlighting, a dialogue between two patient people at work, between our needs to keep a weather eye open, me on them who in turn are watching the sea.Nicolae is a man of about 50 (…). When we talk about some of the passengers being seasick, he says “a boat moves. When a boat does not move we call that a wreck.” His portrait will be called man at the helm. So he is a helmsman. His portrait is done in the Suez cabin, and is a small sculpture. First time in this area at the foot of the cargo, very close to the waves. I weigh up my balance, the pressure of the engines’ vibrations on the clay, its compaction and resistance to the boat’s slight but persistent rolling motion and, for the moment in this calm sea, all is OK. I can work.

Saturday 14 April 2012Having to hold on to the sculpture, a sense of incarnation takes hold of me. The gentle, persistent rolling motion on what is for most of the time a very calm sea, means I have to block the wheels on my stool. The portraits of the men on board promise to be firmly anchored, standing against something, posed (…). Here on the bridge, men and women keep watch, strangely calm though active, standing, feet apart, legs flexing, or seated, with a keen watchfulness over the vast empty space ahead (…)A few miles before the Azores, the night sky is so dark, a sky far from human activity, leaving the stars to be our guides (…). Monday 16 April 2012Today the Fort St Pierre called at the port of Guadeloupe for two days, before she leaves again for Martinique. Gantry gates and men manoeuver the boxes, again like a game of Lego. The ground is firm, the weather grey and clammy. Dockers come and go, the crew are on the bridge and it is 50 degrees in the engine room. The sculptures are no worse for wear after last night (…). This evening, the chief engineer said every sailor knows you can’t take a gamble with the sea as she wins every time.The calls into port hinder my work, I feel like the sailors, always happy to arrive in port but often delighted to leave again.”

Works by both these artists was on display throughout December in the M Pavilion in Marseille at an exhibition mounted by the Group as part of the European year of Culture: “CMA CGM calls at M Pavilion”.

sculpts crew menCÉCILE RAYNAL

Sculptor Cécile Raynal set up her studio on the CMA CGM Fort Saint-Pierre for nearly 90 days. Sailing between Le Havre and the French West Indies, the artist produced 27 sculpted portraits of the faces and actions of the crew who are behind an exhibition entitled “Hommes d’Equipage” (literally Crew Men).

“They made a place for me in their world and organization. They gave me their time. They came to pose for me or I went to meet them in their working space. It was very much give and take on both sides. A shy mouse in the beginning, I ended up as an integral part of the crew. They involved me in their story, their way of life, and I involved them in mine. They became players in an artistic adventure.” In her travel diary Cécile Raynal shares highlights from her adventure with us.

CARGO CRUISES

The trips undertaken by the artists were organized through the CMA CGM Group’s “Cargo Cruises” division, which offers the public a chance to live on board some of the world’s largest containerships and to experience another way of journeying across oceans, seas and continents.Take a round the world voyage, set sail for the West Indies or the Pacific, discover the seething activity of the big Chinese ports - the world’s oceans and seas are all within your reach. Cargo Cruises offers numerous combinations between different lines, for voyages lasting a few days to several months.Passengers can arrange their own itinerary to explore New York, cross the Panama Canal, visit Hong Kong or drop anchor in Papeete - so many mythical names that have fascinated generations of mariners.In 2013, 874 passengers boarded the Group’s vessels for a thrilling and unforgettable experience discovering the world’s great maritime trade routes.For more information: www.cma-cgm.com

GROUP LIFETHE ART OF TR AVEL

WINTER 2013-201410 11

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is not simply a formula by which companies can exonerate themselves from these constraints at the lowest cost, rather it has become a primordial factor in commercial and industrial relations, a supplier-sourcing criterion on a par with quality of service and competitiveness.

While the environment may have the highest profile, Corporate Social Responsibility integrates many aspects including ethics, labor relations, profes-sional relationships, supplier management, risk management, etc. In all these areas, our customers and partners expect us to perform and produce results. They are no longer satisfied by declarations of intent but demand that these results be assessed by independent bodies, based on objective and quantifiable criteria.

Recently, the Group’s performance in this area was awarded the ‘Silver Recognition Level’ by EcoVadis, an agency specialized in corporate, social and environmental responsibility. It is the first collabo-rative platform of its kind and is used by companies to evaluate the performances of their suppliers based on four criteria: environment, social and societal, business ethics and supplier relations. In practice, this level indicates that the Group adheres to a structured and proactive approach to Corporate Responsibility; that policies are in place focusing on the key issues; and that there is a reporting system, with perfor-mance indicators producing tangible results, so that corrective actions can be taken if necessary.

Regards the Environment, the Group set itself extremely ambitious targets for CO2 emission reduc-tions (-50% by 2015 versus the 2007 level) and then posted one of the best performances ever, -35% between 2007 and 2012. These excellent results are partly due to the fact that the Group operates one of the youngest and most modern fleets, equipped with the latest ‘green’ technologies, and has achieved the international ISO 14001 standard. We should also mention the investments in eco-friendly containers (bamboo flooring, light steel, low energy-use reefers); the intermodal network promoting high volume transport by barge or block trains; and customized

services helping customers to calculate the carbon footprint of a shipment door-to-door. The Group is an active participant in numerous programs and working groups including the Clean Cargo Group, the Carbon Disclosure Project, the Clean Shipping Index and the Environmental Shipping Index.

Regards the social aspect, the Group’s Human Resources policies have also been in the spotlight, particularly Health and Safety at Work, the reduction in number of accidents and its prevention policy, as well as the Investor in People program where CMA CGM UK achieved the highest level, the ‘Investors in People Gold Standard’.

From a societal perspective, the numerous actions undertaken by the CMA CGM Corporate Foundation, particularly the ‘Containers of Hope’ operation, are evidence of this commitment. The Foundation’s 2013 prizes were awarded to the Trisomy 21 Bouches du Rhône Association and the Institute of Audio-Phonetic Reeducation (IRAP) in Lebanon. We should also mention SEDEX, a non-profit British organization that through a process of evaluation seeks to identify suppliers that may be deemed “at risk” based on criteria in four key areas: labor standards, health & safety, the environment and business ethics, and naturally CMA CGM has been audited.

Regards business ethics, the Group’s “compliance” policy (sanctions and embargoes), corruption preven-tion procedures and anti-competitive practices are broadly encompassed by our Ethics Code, in place since 2009. Concerning supplier relations, we should mention the Responsible Purchasing policy imple- mented by CMA Ships which manages the company-owned fleet and the integration of social and environmental criteria into any new contract.

As can be seen, within the CMA CGM Group, Corporate Social Responsibility is not an abstract concept but the opposite - a reality based on tangible data to which all staff members are committed in their day-to-day operations worldwide.

The world’s third largest container shipping company, CMA CGM and all its subsidiaries operate their businesses in a responsible, transparent and ethical manner in accordance with clearly stated values. The Group also has in place a rigorous policy regards safety, security and defense of the environment which is governed by international and national regulations.

SOCIALRESPONSIBILITYA MAJOR AND INDISPENSABLE PRIORITYFOR THE CMA CGM GROUP

SUSTAINABILITY

13WINTER 2013-2014

12

At a crossroads between Europe and Asia, Turkey attracts

travelers from all walks of life. From the plains of eastern Anatolia

to Cappadocia via the Lycian coast and legendary Bosphorus

Strait, Turkey boasts many hidden treasures.

Yet today this modern state, whose growth is a remarkable

example of economic success, is far from being just a tourist

destination. We set out to find out more.

Turkey emerged from the crisis more rapidly than other European countries, but a predicted growth rate of 3.4% in 2013 (source: IMF) means it may not be able to achieve the targets set by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Indeed, the government has set ambitious goals for 2023 (centenary year of the Turkish Republic’s founda-tion), such as making it into the top ten world powers and achieving a GDP of $2,000 billion. According to the Finance Minister himself, the country needs a growth rate of 6 to 6.5% a year to achieve these targets which will of course be based on both domestic demand and exports.

While Turkey is a major exporter of agricultural produce (the famous dried fruit from the Izmir region), manu-factured goods are becoming increasingly important. Did you know for example that Turkey is Europe’s third largest car maker with a big slice of the production being re-exported to Europe; that it is the eighth largest exporter of refrigerators, sixth for washing machines and fourteens for dishwashers? In the first half of 2013 alone, 7.4 million “white goods” were exported. Mining products and minerals also make up significant volumes, mainly bound for Asia. As for imports, which still exceed exports (in 2011 Turkey imported US$ 241 billion and exported US$ 135 billion), they mainly comprise PVC, chemical products, paper, textiles and automotive spare parts and components.

Turkey is also making significant inroads as a contractor, particularly in construction and civil engineering. Turkish companies compete successfully against the big Euro-pean and Asian engineering firms and are increasingly active in the Middle East and Africa, two regions where CMA CGM has a big presence. Lastly, we must not forget about tourism, an important source of revenue given that 22 million tourists visited the country in the first half of 2013 alone.

Continuous improvement of its competitiveness is essen-tial to maintain growth and can only be achieved by an increase in productivity, which depends on developing education to guarantee a skilled workforce. “As with all emerging market economies, the next stage for Turkey will be to consolidate its gains, and develop its education and health systems, and above all its supply chain infras-tructure. That’s what is needed to continue to progress,” explains Fadi Issa, General Manager CMA CGM Turkey. “Our Group has been present in Turkey since 1989 and will continue to develop its transport services to and from Turkey, so it always offers Turkish companies new solutions.”

Since Mustafa Kemal Atatürk’s revolution in the 1920s gave birth to the Republic of Turkey, there has been a dramatic break with the past leading the state on a forced march towards economic development, industrialization, moder-nization, secularism and Westernization. Now a member of the BRIC countries, Turkey is among the top 20 world powers. After two years of record growth (8.9% in 2010, 8.8% in 2011) driven by domestic demand that in turn widened its trade deficit, Turkey has striven to engineer a soft landing for its economy by refocusing on exports. The trade deficit fell 20.7% in 2012 compared to 2011, with exports up by 13.1% and imports down 1.8%.

AMBITIOUS TARGETS FOR 2023

15WINTER 2013-2014

14

“CMA CGM’s great strength is its ability to antici-pate market trends and position itself in sectors where it can best respond to customers’ require-ments,” continues Fadi Issa.

The ports of Damietta and Port Said in Egypt serve as relays for Turkish ports to the Arabian Gulf, Indian Subcontinent and East Africa, with Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific islands

being serviced via Singapore. Turkish exporters are increasingly present in Africa and the direct link between Turkey and the Tangier Med Hub provides a connection to DELMAS and CMA CGM services bound for West Africa. Likewise, the direct link with the Malta Hub means all North Africa markets are covered from Morocco to Libya, where Turkish entrepreneurs are winning over more and more markets.

AT THE SERVICE OF CUSTOMERS

“Our services are supporting the country’s busi-nesses. Via our AMERIGO service for example, our Turkish customers import cotton from the United States and export food products and textiles to the U.S.,” explains Bernard de Revel, Line Manager FAL Eastbound and FEMEX. “Similarly, Turkey being the world’s seventh largest producer of citrus fruit and Russia one of its biggest importers, the Group did not hesitate to launch a seasonal line between production sites in Turkey and the Russian port of Novorossiysk in the Black Sea.”

Finally, we cannot discuss Turkey without talking about the close ties between CMA CGM and the Yildirim Group, which has invested in its capital. This large Turkish group is involved in the produc-tion and trading of chrome ore and ferrochrome, trading coal, production and trading of fertilizer,

shipping, shipbuilding and port installations. As a multi-industry corporation and one of the fastest growing companies in Turkey, Yildirim stands out for its locally recognized capabilities which it has developed over the years in a global marketplace. Its values, unique positioning and the international recognition it enjoys make the Yildirim Group an ideal partner for the CMA CGM Group.

“To represent a company as dynamic as CMA CGM in a country where a passion for entre-preneurship prevails among our customers is a fantastic opportunity,” concludes Fadi Issa. “We have been able to establish relationships based on trust with our Turkish customers, both importers and exporters: CMA CGM will continue to support their growth in new markets – it’s a win-win situation.”

CMA CGM – A DIVERSIFIED OFFER IN TURKEY

While CMA CGM celebrates 35 years this year its association with Turkey is nearly as old, as the first line operated between the West Med and East Med included a call to Iskenderun delivering to Iranian and Iraqi markets. The first vessel to call into the Black Sea to service the Turkish market was the VILLE D’ORIENT in 1989 inaugurating the first regular line, a service that has ceased operation or been suspended since then. In 2003, the Group became the first ship-owner to introduce a direct service between Asia and Turkey.

It was back in 2005 that CMA CGM opened its first 100%-owned agency in Istanbul followed by others in Trabzon, Iskenderun, Izmir, Mersin, Antalya … Today there are nearly 250 dedicated staff who look after the interests of CMA CGM and its subsi-diaries operating in Turkey, namely DELMAS and ANL. They are closest to the Group’s customers on a day to day basis, meeting all the challenges posed by a fast-growing country in search of new markets.“Present in Turkey without interruption since the beginning, the CMA CGM Group supports its

Turkish customers both for exports and imports,” says Fadi Issa. “The Group operates three lines, the Bosphorus Express (BEX), a weekly fixed-day service linking Asia to Turkey with calls to Izmir and Istanbul, and two services FEMEX 1 and FEMEX 2 connecting North Europe to Turkey. They call at Istanbul’s Turkish ports on the European side and at Gebze, Gemlik and Aliaga on the Anatolia coast, while FEMEX 2 completes the offer with a link to Malta, the dedicated CMA CGM Hub in the Mediterranean.”

Finally, CMA CGM operates its own network of feeders connecting Turkish markets to CMA CGM’s global network via regional hubs, giving them access to markets worldwide. These feeders have the added advantage of calling into Turkish ports not serviced by BEX or FEMEX, bringing the total number of Turkish ports benefiting from a direct regular service to 12. These include two ports in the Black Sea, Trabzon and Samsun, the latter specializing in citrus fruit traffic bound for markets bordering the Black Sea, notably the Russian market.

CMA CGM IN TURKEY

13 offices (Istanbul, Haydar Pasa, Bursa, Izmir, Gemlik, Gebze, Eyap, Mardas, Samsun, Antalya,

Iskenderun, Trabzon, Mersin)

250 employees

7 direct services to and from North Europe, Mediterranean, Black Sea, Africa, Middle East and Asia

12 Ports of call

FOCUSTURKEY

17WINTER 2013-2014

16

A co-operative to serve New Zealand exports

KOTAHI is a partnership between two of New- Zealand’s largest exporters, FONTERRA, a co-opera-tively owned company by the major milk producers of the country, jointly producing annually over 220 million hl of milk which is being exported in a 140 countries and SILVER FERN FARMS, another co-operative, processor, marketer and exporter of premium quality lamb, beef, venison and associated products to more than 60 countries.

KOTAHI which is a Maori word meaning “standing together as one” is bringing New-Zealand’s exporters and importers together to cooperate and coordinate their cargo demand with the ambition of lifting the performance of the country’s supply chain from door to door.

The real driver for KOTAHI is establishing an efficient, highly utilised supply chain set of assets and services that will ensure New-Zealand businesses are able to operate with certainty and compete on a global scale. At present, many smaller New-Zealand companies are

handicapped because individually they ship relatively low volumes and don’t have consistent freight needs throughout the year.

Through KOTAHI’s ability to match supply and demand for freight across a variety of imports, exports and domestic freight we are able to create efficiencies along the entire supply chain. Through extensive investment in systems and technology, KOTAHI is able to optimise all components of the supply chain in order to get New-Zealand products to or from distant markets around the world more efficiently.

Representing approximately 40% of all New-Zealand’s containerised exports, KOTAHI’s shipping needs are truly New-Zealand’s needs. New-Zealand’s trade flows are imbalanced. Exports are characterised by seasonal primary produce, across a wide range of origin ports, with a relatively high reefer requi-rement; Import flows by contrast are geographically concentrated, predominantly dry and with a different seasonal profile.

New Zealand is a small country of 4.5 million inhabitants, located on the other side of the earth,

the antipodes of Europe, some 15 sailing days to Los Angeles, 29 sailing days to Shanghai

and 39 to Le Havre. Without mineral resources, contrary to its Australian neighbour, New

Zealand is economically dependent of its exports of mainly primary products and timber.

Rationalising and optimising its foreign exchange are therefore of paramount importance to

New Zealand economy.

FACE TO FACE

19WINTER 2013-2014

18

What are your challenges when operating in the most far-away country?

Export earnings are New Zealand’s bread and butter; just last year the collective return was over $40 billion. This is a great success story but as the world changes there is a real risk we will be squeezed out. We are the most remote developed country in the world relative to international markets and the way we get our products to and from these markets is critical to continued success.

No one market is exempt and all multi-national companies, that rely on global shipping for distri-bution, are experiencing similar impacts across their global supply chain and operations as carriers micro-manage supply and demand ratio (i.e. removal of capacity/services), to minimise losses. It is expected that the new norm will be one of continued change and challenges. If New Zealand is serious about being a truly global player we have to show leadership in areas like freight management.

Does being a co-operative gives you a real advan-tage on the market?

By coordinating our freight needs we are becoming much more consistent in our scheduling and will be able to better utilise freight capacity going north and south, on both land and sea. This will be essential in being able to attract better shipping schedules and more cost effective vessel classes as well as reducing our carbon footprint by getting better at using what we’ve already got to full capacity. This is about taking the New Zealand economy to the world.

How would you describe your partnership with CMA CGM?

KOTAHI and CMA CGM key stakeholders have enjoyed a strong transactional relationship for many years, in late 2010 there was a mutual decision to move the relationship from one of cooperation to one of collaboration – ultimately resulting in the launch of the ANZEX service in August 2011. Both parties have invested significant time and effort to create and sustain the launch and while there have been challenges, due to a variety of reasons, the commu-nication and commitment remains unchanged – that of ensuring each partners success.

In order to deliver any significant lift in the perfor-mance of the country’s supply chain, KOTAHI expects the relationship with CMA CGM to be transparent and honest. Innovation, continuous improvement and change is a focus. CMA CGM’s continued willingness to challenge the status quo and remain open minded to creating opportunity through change will be key enablers for KOTAHI in lifting the performance of the country’s supply chain.

INTERVIEWChris Greenough, General Director

New Zealand is effectively the last bus stop on the planet. We are pitched against international companies that are much closer to our markets. Our ability to compete comes back to having efficient and reliable freight networks that offer quicker transit times and solid schedules. In addition, our distance to market combined with the relatively small vessel classes calling New-Zealand ports, creates a significant exposure to New-Zealand freight owners of movements in bunker prices. KOTAHI is working with carriers, domestic infrastructure providers and freight owners to accelerate the introduction of more fuel efficient vessel classes to the New-Zealand trades.

As a food exporting nation, strong reefer capability plays an important part in New-Zealand’s shipping requirements. The required capability takes the form of physical capacity in terms of plugs and equipment but also geographic coverage and strong schedule integrity, with fast transit options to Europe, Middle East, and North America being critical for some of the more perishable commodities.

Through its cooperation with operators, KOTAHI is in a position to offer New Zealand exporters and importers alike, better suited and performing services.

KOTAHI – #1 FORWARDER IN NEW ZEALAND

Handles over 40% of New Zealand

Exports

Exports to more than 150 countries

50 full time staff

200,000 containers/year

FACE TO FACEKOTAHI

WINTER 2013-201420 21

MARC BOURDON

the management of the Brazilian network where his organizational skills were required. Though CMA CGM Do Brasil Agencia Maritima LTDA was already 100% controlled by the Group, “the Brazilian organization was dysfunctional, it had lost its compass; we had to restructure the whole organization spread over 15 Offices and centralize the management in Sao Paulo. The objective was to set-up an exemplar agency, capable of fitting in the Group’s strategy. We had to increase productivity whilst ensuring that what came out was of high quality.” said Marc.

In Brazil, like in India, clearing up things was a necessity with much clarification and dialogue, but with always the same demand for strictness and professionalism. Mission accomplished and by fall 2013, Marc left Brazil to meet a new challenge, also a big one, the CMA CGM network in the United States.

On asking Marc what were his actions and key to his success, he states that “whilst I was very demanding on the professionalism of my collaborators, I was also acting with fairness. I always had in mind the appraisal of those who deserved it to make sure that they gave the best of themselves in all circumstances. We must gulf intercultural bridges between the Network and Head Office and establish relationships based on trust and confidence. India, like Brazil suffered from the same hurdles such as poor infrastructures and a counterproductive

administration, clogged in “Red Tape” and it was my responsibility to minimize these obstacles through a constructive dialogue with Authorities to allow our teams to move forward.”

How does Marc anticipate his new challenge? “In as much as Organization was the number 1 priority in India and in Brazil with strong expectations from the Teams, the United States, to the contrary pride themselves in the excellence of their organization. One must therefore remove all preconceived ideas and approach this challenge with humility. I am nevertheless convinced that the best organization is useless if it does not fit into the group Strategy and if the bridges connecting the Head Office, the Lines and the Network do not allow the transfer on information and the strengthening of trust. We must remove the stumbling blocks and the best way to achieve this result will be to produce high quality results.”

With his B.A. in Foreign Languages, Marc Bourdon wanted to become an interpreter. However, in 1992, his University curriculum completed, he accepted an offer as a trainee with a small French forwarder in Hong Kong where he ultimately stayed 7 years. In the course of his professional activities, he had contacts with CMA CGM Regional Office and in 1999 decided to join the Group. He took charge of South East Asia - European pricing and later moved on to become the manager of Central and Northern China.

In the autumn of 2004, Farid T Salem offered him the responsibility of managing CMA CGM in India, a strategic country whose organization did not meet the Group’s expectations.

“I consider myself extraordinarily lucky to have had, at the age of 35, the opportunity to rise to such a great challenge whilst I had no experience of Agency management. I was all the more lucky to have a boss who trusted me and I shall forever be grateful to Farid Salem. I also believe that only

a Group like CMA CGM has the audacity to always be one step ahead and to believe in and trust their employees.” explains Marc.

In India Marc’s first priority was the setup of a unique organization fully controlled by CMA CGM, a mission that gave him plenty of opportunities to demonstrate his skills as an organizer. This objective was reached in 2006 when CMA CGM Agencies India Pvt. Ltd became operative, with Marc Bourdon as its Managing Director. Within 6 years, Marc succeeded in putting together a strongly structured organization with a well-balanced Front and Back Offices, comprising of 25 national Offices. Hard work was necessary to improve the organization to expected efficiency and productivity standards, to structure it in such a way that it perfectly fitted the Group’s Strategy, but at the end, results were there to confirm the success of the endeavor.

In June 2010, Marc left India for another “BRIC” country, when Rodolphe Saadé entrusted him with

JOURNEYAGENCY

OF A SEASONED

MANAGER

THE EXPERTS

WINTER 2013-201422 23

CMA CGM

CMA CGM, et sa marque DELMAS, vous proposent des liaisons maritimes depuis et vers le monde entier, ainsi que des connexions ferroviaires et routières vers le cœur de l’Afrique. Nos agences locales sont à votre écoute pour définir des solutions sur mesure et soutenir le développement de votre activité.

Choisissez le leader du transport en Afrique, choisissez CMA CGM.