Rethinking inland in the age of compound disruption

In our Beyond the Box podcast episode on resilience, James Hookham, Director of the Global Shippers Forum, describes the concept of “compound disruption”. The phrase articulates perfectly the overlapping, unrelenting geopolitical shocks, climate-driven shifts, and fast-changing regulations that are, he says, now a given rather than an exception.

For European supply-chain leaders, the question is no longer if you’ll be disrupted, but how quickly you can adapt when it happens. In that context, every touchpoint along your cargo’s journey counts.

In this article, we’ll focus specifically on inland, showing its importance as a valuable strategic ally in this new era of compound disruption.

• Absorb cost shocks by shifting mode or route instead of renegotiating every lane.
• Create control points for inventory by pausing, accelerating, or rerouting flow to reduce friction when navigating disruption.

In other words, inland isn’t a bolt-on; it’s a lever for resilience and a competitive logistics advantage.

Maersk Inland Services: Differentiators that matter

Maersk has spent decades building a standalone network of owned assets and connected services across Europe that can be used with – or independently from – one another.

Our Inland offering is just one part of a bigger logistics picture, but as a standalone service it offers a number of advantages. There are three areas that set us apart.

Stay connected with our multimodal inland network

Major European ports like Rotterdam, Antwerp, and Hamburg saw delays of up to 80 hours in June 2025. For businesses, that means costly disruptions.

Maersk’s multimodal network — with 130 weekly barge services and 440 rail connections — gives you the flexibility to bypass bottlenecks and keep cargo moving. From 24/7 warehouse pickups to daily rail frequencies and fast barge links that move cargo from deep-sea docks to inland terminals in just 1–3 days, our infrastructure is built for speed and reliability.

With real-time visibility, multicarrier coverage, and high procurement standards, adapt quickly and deliver consistently even when the market changes.

Maersk Inland: Resilience in action

In June 2024, sections of the Rhine – Europe’s busiest freight artery – surged above flood-stage after weeks of heavy rain, forcing authorities to suspend all barge traffic from 1 June.

Because Maersk controls rail, road, and barge capacity within a single inland network, its control-tower teams shifted every disrupted barge booking onto pre-planned rail lanes and long-haul trucks the same day, keeping cargo on schedule and avoiding water-stage surcharges at jammed river terminals.

Take the next step

In a landscape defined by compound disruption, the smartest play is to build an inland strategy designed for resilience. So, whether you already use Maersk Ocean or simply need a fresh inland partner, a short conversation with our specialists can reveal immediate advantages and resilience gains.