APL was named 'Containership Operator of the Year' at the Lloyd’s List Global Awards 2017 in London last evening. The accolade pays tribute to the company’s sound leadership and operations which have well-placed APL as one of the few profitable carriers in the industry today.
APL Chief Executive Officer, Nicolas Sartini who received the award in London said, “This award means a lot to me, to APL and to CMA CGM Group. This badge of distinction affirms what we have been doing in the past year to build a more robust network, strengthen our operations and draw closer to our customers. We are grateful to the organisers and also for the support of our customers. APL is proud to stand tall today as a trusted ocean carrier and we are motivated to soar even higher and deliver value.”
APL’s commercial and operational accomplishments are evident in its financial performance. For the half year ended on 30 June 2017, APL recorded a revenue of US$2.77 billion, 29% higher than the same period last year. Volumes grew 4% to almost 2.5 million TEU. APL reported a Core EBIT (Earnings before Interest, Taxes and Non-Recurring Items) of US$137 million.
Since January this year, APL has enhanced six existing services and introduced nine new loops, strengthening its portfolio of over 70 independent services. They have been designed to strengthen APL’s global network, in particular its stronghold Trans-Pacific and Intra-Asia trade lanes where the carrier will continue to fortify its market leadership position and growth. Meanwhile, APL is enhancing its presence in the Middle East and Indian subcontinents; and seeking growth opportunities in Oceania and Trans-Atlantic.
Joining the OCEAN ALLIANCE as part of the CMA CGM Group was also a game-changer for APL. Including 38 services of the alliance that boasts a wide market coverage, best-in-class transit time and superior market connectivity, APL today offers a compelling selection of some 110 services.
Operationally, APL continues to drive efficiency and ensure on-time performance of APL-operated services. APL’s emphasis on ensuring schedule reliability is evident in the 96% on-time arrival record of its Eagle Express (EX1) service at the port of Los Angeles. In June 2017, APL was ranked the second most reliable carrier with a reliability score of 84%, outperforming the global average on-time performance of 77.7%, according to SeaIntel Maritime Analysis’ Global Liner Performance July 2017 Report.
Source: APL