Kuehne+Nagel: Where technology meets sustainability

What are the key trends currently transforming the logistics and freight forwarding landscape? 

The logistics and freight forwarding landscape is being reshaped by a combination of global, geopolitical, and technological forces. Ever-evolving globalisation patterns, international relations, and geopolitical shifts are impacting trade flows, while disruptions such as conflicts, port congestion, and natural disasters are putting supply chain resilience to the test.

At the same time, digital transformation including AI, IoT, and data analytics is enabling greater visibility, predictive planning, and operational efficiency. Sustainability is also emerging as a critical priority, with companies and regulators demanding more sustainable, carbon-conscious logistics solutions. Together, these trends are driving a shift toward more agile, resilient, and future-ready supply chains. Alongside this, the continued boom in e-commerce is raising customer expectations for speed, agility, and innovation in last-mile delivery models.

From a strategic perspective, these shifts are not just challenges to navigate but opportunities to lead. By embracing digital innovation, investing in sustainable practices, and building more resilient supply chains, the industry can create long-term value for customers while reinforcing its pivotal role as a driver of global trade and economic growth.

India, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives together form a critical trade corridor in the Indian Ocean. What are the major opportunities and challenges you see for sea logistics in this region? 

The Indian Ocean corridor is rapidly emerging as a strategic trade hub. With shifting geopolitics and proactive government initiatives, we are already witnessing production gradually moving from the Far East to the Indian subcontinent. This opens significant opportunities for the region to integrate more deeply into global supply chains and position itself as a preferred logistics hub.

Infrastructure development is central to unlocking greater efficiency across the supply chain, from ports and hinterland connectivity to road networks. Large-scale government investments in port modernisation, multimodal logistics, and industrial corridors are steadily strengthening this foundation.

These advancements come at a time when globalisation and geopolitical dynamics are reshaping supply chain priorities. For this corridor, resilience and agility are becoming even more critical. By the end of this decade, the Indian Ocean corridor is on track to become one of the most resilient and competitive trade regions globally.

What are your top three priorities for strengthening sea logistics in your cluster over the next 3–5 years? 

Our first priority is to invest in building talent and skills that will define the next phase of sea logistics. We are committed to developing a highly capable, motivated, and future-ready workforce, one that combines domain expertise with digital fluency and a strong customer mindset. This is not just about capacity but about cultivating leadership and capabilities that can scale with the industry’s transformation.

Second, we are focused on leveraging operational excellence to deliver customer excellence. By embedding digitalization, automation, and sustainability into our processes, we aim to create agile, transparent, and resilient supply chains that consistently deliver superior value for our customers.

Finally, our ambition is to be the trusted partner of choice for sea logistics in this region. This means working closely with our customers to expand capabilities while setting new standards in efficiency, sustainability, and customer-focused innovation. We have a clear strategy, and we are committed to supporting businesses across India, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives not only in adapting to change but also in shaping a stronger future.

What new technologies or digital platforms do you see redefining sea freight operations in the next five years? 

Artificial Intelligence is set to transform sea freight operations over the next three to five years. While documentation and administrative tasks currently require significant time, AI will increasingly automate these processes, reduce errors and improve efficiency. Beyond documentation, AI will enable predictive arrivals, demand forecasting, route optimization, and risk management, making operations faster, more reliable, and resilient.

At the same time, Internet of Things (IoT) technologies will provide real-time visibility into container locations, temperature, humidity, and cargo conditions, enhancing supply chain transparency and safety. Automation in port operations and autonomous navigation technologies will streamline loading, unloading, and vessel movement, while green shipping solutions, including alternative fuels, wind-assisted propulsion, and energy-efficient vessels, will reduce environmental impact.

Together, these innovations will enable smarter, agile, and sustainable sea freight solutions, helping global supply chains adapt to evolving trade patterns and customer expectations.

How is Kuehne + Nagel positioning itself to support India’s growing role as a global manufacturing and export hub? 

Kuehne+Nagel is strategically positioned to support India’s emergence as a key global manufacturing and export hub. We are expanding our presence across multiple locations, bringing operations closer to customers and sourcing points, which allow us to understand their challenges firsthand and deliver tailored, high-impact solutions.

Leveraging our global footprint and leadership in sea logistics, we are focused on creating sustainable, resilient, and efficient supply chains that meet the evolving needs of India’s manufacturing and export sectors. We are also investing in state-of-the-art CFS and operational facilities to handle increasing volumes while ensuring reliability and service excellence.

Our approach combines local proximity, global expertise, and technological innovation, enabling us to support India’s growing role in global trade while helping customers achieve scalable, future-ready logistics solutions.

What steps is Kuehne + Nagel taking to reduce its environmental impact and lead the way in green logistics? 

Kuehne+Nagel is committed to driving aggressive decarbonization and setting the benchmark in more sustainable logistics. In sea freight, we offer fully climate-neutral solutions across LCL, FCL, and intra-Asia FCL services, offsetting 100 per cent of CO₂ emissions through verified, nature-based projects. Beyond offsets, we are collaborating with carriers on alternative fuels, such as biofuel blends, and actively participating in the Global Maritime Forum’s “Getting to Zero” coalition to accelerate the adoption of zero-emission shipping technologies.

Internally, we prioritize low-emission operations through initiatives like green corridors and low-emission vessel selection, optimising container flows to reduce empty moves and shifting suitable volumes from road to coastal barges. Globally, 99 per cent of our electricity and energy supply now comes from renewable sources, and we have committed to Science-Based Targets (SBTi) to achieve net-zero, with plans to generate 50 per cent of our energy in-house within the next two years.

These initiatives reflect our strategic commitment to sustainability, ensuring that Kuehne+Nagel not only reduces environmental impact at every stage of the supply chain but also leads the way in shaping a more sustainable future for global maritime logistics.