Viaservice-Ke, a subsidiary of Switzerland-based Viatrans SA, has entered into a strategic partnership with A. P. Moller – Maersk (Maersk) to simplify container management through digital trade solutions for customers in Kenya's logistics sector.

The partnership grants Maersk customers access to the Viaservice Container Solution (VCS), a digital trade financing platform designed to support freight forwarders and other logistics stakeholders with financing facilitation for container-related transactions and improved cash flow management across the supply chain. The platform enables faster container release, enhances business liquidity, and streamlines logistics flow by eliminating the need for customers to pay large refundable deposits during the process, thereby reducing administrative burdens. The collaboration combines Viaservice's expertise in innovative digital financial solutions with Maersk's extensive logistics network to tackle one of the key challenges facing businesses within the logistics ecosystem: access to timely and efficient trade financing—a persistent pain point across African markets where small and mid-sized freight forwarders often lack access to affordable trade credit.

VCS provides a secure digital platform through which logistics stakeholders can access financing for container-related charges and logistics transactions.

How the Solution Works

Under traditional arrangements, when an importer receives a container, the shipping line requires a container deposit before releasing the equipment. That deposit is refunded only once the empty container has been returned. For businesses handling multiple containers, this can result in significant amounts of working capital being tied up for weeks or even months—a burden especially acute in emerging economies where access to affordable working-capital financing remains limited.

Through the partnership with Viaservice, eligible customers can access an alternative arrangement that enables the release of containers without paying the traditional container deposit themselves. Viaservice provides an advance payment facility covering demurrage, damage, and total loss on behalf of the customer, on a reimbursement basis. This model keeps cargo moving while preserving liquidity for day-to-day operations.

John Mathenge, Managing Director of Viaservice Limited, emphasized the company's commitment to providing innovative digital and financial solutions that facilitate trade and support business growth in fast-growing economies. He described the partnership with Maersk as an important milestone in expanding access to digital trade financing solutions and strengthening the logistics ecosystem in the region. Since introducing VCS, the company has focused on addressing the financing challenges faced by freight forwarders and logistics businesses, helping to accelerate cargo movement and improve efficiency across the logistics sector. Through the collaboration, Viaservice aims to extend these benefits to a wider customer base, enabling businesses to improve cash flow, optimize operations, and move cargo more efficiently.

Maersk's Perspective

Tito Okuku, Area Managing Director for Eastern Africa, welcomed the partnership and highlighted the importance of solutions that address both operational and financial challenges faced by customers.

"As Kenya continues to strengthen its position as a regional trade and logistics hub, our customers require solutions that support working capital management, reduce transaction bottlenecks, and facilitate seamless movement of goods. Through our partnership with Viaservice, we are enhancing the value we provide by facilitating access to financing solutions that complement our logistics services and contribute to smoother trade flows," Okuku said.

Regional Expansion and Broader Impact

Welcoming Maersk onto the VCS platform in Kenya marks an important expansion of a partnership already successfully established in Tanzania. Through the Port of Mombasa—East Africa's busiest port, handling cargo for Kenya as well as landlocked neighbors including Uganda, Rwanda, South Sudan, and eastern Democratic Republic of Congo—a growing share of regional container flows can now benefit from a more efficient alternative to cash deposits.

The impact extends beyond Kenya. As a critical gateway for trade corridors serving landlocked markets across East Africa, Kenyan ports play a central role in regional commerce. By reducing capital tied up in container deposits, VCS helps businesses preserve liquidity, improve operational efficiency, and move cargo more smoothly across these corridors.

Morgan Lépinoy, Managing Director of Viatrans SA, Switzerland, noted that this partnership further strengthens the regional reach of VCS and demonstrates how collaboration between shipping lines and trade-facilitation providers can improve the flow of both cargo and capital across African trade routes.

Customer Education and Future Initiatives

In addition to expanding access to the VCS platform, Viaservice and Maersk will undertake customer education and stakeholder engagement initiatives aimed at increasing awareness, driving adoption, and maximizing the benefits available to businesses across the logistics value chain. The collaboration is expected to contribute to a more resilient, efficient, and digitally enabled logistics sector while supporting Kenya's broader trade and economic development agenda.

Source: Hellenic Shipping News