From Greece to the world. Pavlos Poutos worked in the freight forwarding industry from 1999 to 2007, and then founded his own firm, which is headquartered in Piraeus (Greece). ITJ editor Andreas Haug caught up with the Marinair CEO to ask him about the current situation.
Are the times good to be operating a new business like yours in Greece today?
It’s always is good moment to start running something new, if you’re convinced that you can approach the market with a different mentality and new policies.The global crisis created space for healthy SMEs to introduce their expertise, services and know-how. Marinair is a young and rapidly-growing group.
Please give our readers a brief overview of the services Marinair offers.
Marinair is a committed logistics provider which, in addition to its activities in Greece, supports enterprises in several Markets worldwide with solutions that meet the specific demands of customers. Marinair specialises in air and sea transport needs, providing an extensive network covering different requirements.
What are your firm’s core segments?
We presently support several markets along Sino-European trade routes with air and sea rates, as well as with combined sea-air transport options from the Far East. We offer transport solutions to European destinations from the USA, Latin America and Africa, as well as from various other countries of the European Union. Our main focus remains on consolidation and full-load services (FCL and FTL solutions).
How would you describe your specialties, compared to your national and international competitors?
We’re a flexible transport and logistics provider with a broad range of experiences. We really care for all of the Demands that our clients make of us. Our aim is that you should get this feeling of total commitment whenever you contact us, at any time of the day.
What does your company’s extensive international network consist of?
We’ve been an active member of the WCA and FNC networks for three years.
How do you combine sea-air options in detail?
Sea-air products have been a well-known solution for some markets for a while now, but aren’t so common and useful for Greece. Due to our global range we’ve recognised demand in several regions for something cheaper than airfreight – but simultaneously faster than sea freight. The markets which use this type of transport have realised the benefits of this approach, and that’s why we’ve been able to increase the volume of goods we shift in this segment.
Greece is a seafaring country. Has Marinair proposed any specific options to the shipbuilding industry?
Naturally enough we’re very aware of the country’s great seafaring tradition, the success of which is based on various pillars. Yes, we do transport spare parts for the shipping industry, offering tailor-made solutions. The latest investments made by the Cosco Group in the port of Piraeus have created opportunities for Greek enterprises as well as global companies in the sector.
Where do you see the potential for future growth?
I think the shipping industry will retain its important role in Greece. Promising sectors are the marble and the foodstuffs and beverages sectors, which need lots of exports from Greece. Our assessment tells us that we will also see growth from places such as Latin America and Africa, and the countries of the former Soviet Union.
Published in International Transport Journal