Interview • 21.05.2025
“Protecting our employees is our top priority”
Interview with Mirja Nibbe, Managing Director of CMA CGM Germany
CMA CGM is one of over 20 carriers to implement the Secure Release Order (SRO) concept in German seaports. The French shipping and logistics company has already completed its connectivity. In this interview, Mirja Nibbe, Managing Director of CMA CGM Germany, is clearly looking forward to the launch. She expects increased efficiency in operational processing as well as a better customer experience and also assesses the solution as exemplary when compared internationally.
What does the introduction of the Secure Release Order (SRO) mean from the perspective of a shipping company?
Mirja Nibbe: Our top priority is to protect our employees. For container imports, the PIN code used for the release was increasingly targeted by organized crime. With the SRO, we have now succeeded in eliminating one potential point of vulnerability from the process. The digital transmission of the pick-up authorization between only the relevant parties ensures that every handover is transparent and traceable and that the identity of the final pick-up driver is clearly documented and can be verified at any time.
The SRO also protects the parties involved in the transport process. This means that all partners along the transport chain - including carriers, terminals, freight forwarders and transport companies - are fully incorporated into the digital communication process. Data is transmitted via the neutral IT platform German Ports, which safeguards access to sensitive information and prevents it from being manipulated.
Why has the topic gained momentum so quickly and created so much pressure to take action?
The number of drug seizures in the port of Hamburg has increased tremendously in recent years. The situation became even more acute after the westerly ports, which were formerly the number one entry point for organized crime in northern Europe, increased their security measures. As an international company, we have a comprehensive view of the European ports. The current challenges have clearly shown us that the German ports also need to take urgent action.
How was CMA CGM involved in the concept development and implementation?
It quickly became clear to everyone involved - government authorities as well as the port industry - that we needed a multi-port security concept in order to effectively combat organized crime. I was personally involved in the respective committees and was pleasantly surprised at how quickly we were able to get this compulsory process set in motion across the borders of the individual federal states. The scheduled start date on October 1 this year adds to the mounting pressure to take action. CMA CGM has contributed its professional and technical expertise, innovative technologies and international experience to the design and introduction of the SRO.
As a carrier, you have an insight into the security concepts of many different ports. What makes the German concept special?
The German SRO concept differs from the security concepts of other European ports in several aspects. The biggest advantage is that the solution applies universally for all German seaports. The standardization across all ports minimizes workloads, as the process is the same at every location - regardless of whether imports are handled via Hamburg, Bremerhaven or Wilhelmshaven. Another special feature of German Ports is the granularity of the pick-up authorization. The “Digital Authorization for Pick-up” can only be carried out at a personalized level by drivers who are associated with a company. This means that the authorization to pick up a container is at the level of the freight forwarder or transport company.
"This granularity has a special degree of security, as every step in the release process is fully traceable and authorized.“
How will SRO change your processes?
The biggest change concerns the technical connection and the data transfer for our customers. In the past, releases were often carried out manually on site at the terminal, for example by entering the PIN code at container level. In future, this process will run completely digitally in the background via the secure German Ports IT platform. As a result, we hope to achieve additional increases in efficiency in operational processing for everyone involved. The administrative process will be automated. This saves time, reduces error rates and increases productivity.
What will change for your customers and what do they need to be aware of?
The introduction of the SRO brings several benefits for our customers. This was demonstrated in customer testing. The customer experience is significantly improved. The user is no longer tied to the manual process, which was time-consuming and prone to errors.
Customer participation in the implementation of the security concept is crucial for a successful implementation process. We recommend that all customers register for German Ports as soon as possible and prepare themselves for participation well in advance so that there are no surprises on the start date, which is legally binding for everyone.
CMA CGM is ready for the SRO and has already set up the connection at the technical level, as it will become mandatory starting October 1st.
The SRO is embedded in CMA CGM's safety concept. How does this all fit together?
IT security in connection with the digitalization of the SRO is a key focus at CMA CGM. We pay special attention to cyber security. The SRO involves the transmission of encrypted data, which is also of interest to organized crime. We have a dedicated department that is constantly refining our cyber security strategy and protecting our digital assets and customer information.
In addition to cyber security, there is a clear drive to ensure the physical security of ships and all land-based facilities such as offices and depots. This includes measures to prevent piracy, smuggling and other criminal activities. Another focus is on legal compliance. As a company with 160,000 employees in 177 countries subject to a wide spectrum of national regulations, we conduct regular training courses, campaigns and communication to ensure that every employee is fully up to date. Suitable training will also be provided in relation to the SRO.
What other digitalization topics are at the top of CMA CGM's agenda?
We are pushing ahead with the topic of artificial intelligence. To make this happen, we are working together with various start-ups at several locations around the world. Our own international start-up center ZeBox, which we operate at several locations around the world, forms an umbrella for these efforts. Together with the affiliated start-ups, we are specifically looking at how we can further improve our processes, information flows and customer satisfaction with the help of digital support. We are already internally testing promising AI tools.
At the top of the agenda is the optimization of digital transport processing. We want to make it as easy as possible for customers to move goods with us. With this in mind, we are constantly developing new services and offers for our customers. A recent example is the “exclusive concierge,” which can be booked online. This informs customers 24/7 about the status of the transport process for each individual booking and is also available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to answer any queries.
About Mirja Nibbe
Mirja Nibbe is an internationally experienced senior executive with a proven track record in the maritime industry. With more than 25 years in the maritime industry, Nibbe's career path reflects her deep commitment to shipping. Having lived in Germany, China and Singapore leveraged her international experience in some of the key logistics hubs. As Managing Director of CMA CGM Germany, Mirja Nibbe oversees the company's business operations in Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Slovakia and the Czech Republic.
Mirja Nibbe's passion for maritime innovation and sustainability continues to shape her leadership at CMA CGM, positioning the company as a leader in the evolving shipping landscape. She actively participates in sustainability congresses and events and fosters partnerships with other industry leaders to promote sustainable practices throughout the supply chain.She holds a bachelor’s degree in international business from Hamburg School of Business Administration and is educated as a shipping merchant.
About CMA CGM
Led by Rodolphe Saadé, the CMA CGM Group (the "Group") is a global leader in sea, land, air, and logistics solutions. CMA CGM is also diversifying into the media sector. As the third largest maritime transport company globally in terms of capacity, CMA CGM serves over 400 ports worldwide across five continents, with a fleet of more than 620 vessels. Together with its subsidiary CEVA Logistics, the Group is among the top five global logistics providers.
Committed to the energy transition in maritime transport and a pioneer in the use of alternative fuels, the CMA CGM Group has set a goal of achieving Net Zero Carbon by 2050.
Present in 177 countries, the Group employs 160,000 people globally, including 19,000 in France and nearly 6,000 in Marseille, where its headquarters are located.
