A2B-online is a first-rate logistics provider, offering transportation via land and sea. Managing Directors Gerhard Quist and Michael van Keulen discussed the latest developments, during an in-depth interview with Imogen Ward.
With its Trailer activities operating from its headquarters in Hazerswoude-Dorp, Netherlands, and its Container and Ship Management divisions situated in Moerdijk, the group is perfectly positioned to run a flexible and high-quality service between the Continent and the UK. Additionally, A2B-online operates from British offices in Ipswich and Mold, as well as from Wroclaw in Poland.
Initially focused on land transportation, A2Bonline was established in 2006, and utilised curtain-side trailers to transport goods to and from the Continent. Although this is still an important element of the business today, the group has since taken its operations to sea, thanks to the establishment of its Container division in 2013.
“The Container division began in June 2013 with just one chartered vessel moving cargo three times a week, from Moerdijk to the Humber region,” explained Michael. “Over time, we increased our vessel numbers and our presence within UK ports – adding London Thamesport, Teesport and Port of Blyth to our scheduled stops.”
Before long, A2B-online Container purchased its own vessels, adding five to its fleet before the need for in-house maintenance became apparent. It was at this point, five years ago, that A2B-online Ship Management was established.
“Ship Management is the youngest member of the A2B-online family,” said Gerhard. “Having everything under one roof was essential for cost control, quick turnaround times and quality assurance. And it really has been a gamechanger.
“Our main duty is to serve Michael and his team to the best extent we can. We make sure our vessels are reliable, available, well-maintained and that they abide by all sorts of standards. It involves a lot of in-house knowledge, technologies and staff commitment.”
A team effort
The group regularly relies on its qualified and dedicated employees and its partners to ensure that it can provide a reliable and consistent service each and every time.
“Our teams work incredibly hard to ensure we match our customers’ expectations,” explained Michael. “This year alone, we expect to ship around 180,000 containers thanks to the hard work and dedication of our teams.”
The staff and suppliers are central to the company’s success and are considered a part of the A2B-online family, which is why it is committed to ensuring they feel valued and well-supported throughout their time with the business.
“It is very important to provide a positive working environment for our staff,” said Gerhard. “We prioritise good social
conditions on board all our vessels, and our crews really value having time to connect with their families whilefeeling supported; it’s what motivates them to provide the best service for our customers.”
Unified strength
Over the years, A2B-online has provided its customers with superior freight transport, and its home in Moerdijk is one of the keys to this success. Positioned just 40km from Rotterdam, the site acts as a perfect gobetween for haulage companies. Thanks to its ever-growing fleet, A2B-online is also able to sail from Moerdijk between 18 and 20 times a week.
Another crucial element is the collaboration between its two sister divisions, Container and Ship Management.
In the years since Ship Management’s establishment, the two divisions have formed a prominent synergy that is beneficial to the entire company. The most recent development that resulted from their continued hard work is the ongoing construction of two newbuild vessels.
The origins:
Given the notion that the company would be dedicated to getting customers’ goods from point A to point B, with full online visibility at every step, the name felt like an obvious choice. And before long, A2B-online was born.
The first of which, A2B Vision, was honoured via a momentous steel-cutting ceremony in August 2024. These two vessels are a pivotal stepping stone in the group’s overarching fleet revitalisation programme. With the world racing to reach net zero, A2B-online is determined to secure its place as a frontrunner.
The idea of the renewal programme came three years ago and led A2B-online to assess the age of its fleet, its carbon emissions and the cost of operations –which was going to increase significantly with incoming legislation. The two divisions came together to decipher what the new vessels would look like and dedicated an entire year to designing them.
The two vessels have been designed with a strong focus on sustainability and with efficiency in mind. As a result of the vessels’ improved intake for 45-feet containers, the two ships are expected to witness a 50% reduction per loaded container in their first year of operation, quickly followed by further
reductions towards 95% when operating with methanol, all in comparison to the present vessels in A2B-online’s fleet.
A2B Vision is scheduled for delivery in Q4 of 2025, while the second vessel, A2B Progress, is expected to be delivered by January 2026.
“For us, as a relatively small company, this is a big achievement,” shared Gerhard “It is also appreciated by our clients, because they value a greener approach. We have designed the vessels to be methanol operational. Meanwhile, we are also assessing the practicality of HVOs, to ensure these vessels are as efficient as possible.”
Expanding horizons
Keen to find other ways to lower its emissions, A2B-online is also launching a new train service. The A2B-online Express, will run three times a week between Moerdijk and Melzo, Italy, and for customers looking to reduce their carbon footprint,
it is offered as the perfect alternative to road transport.
Express will also operate as an intermodal service, drawing on the Container division’s expertise in shipping to export and import freighted goods to Moerdijk.
“We are now also preparing to launch a new barge service, in addition to the ones we already have in place from Moerdijk to lower Germany,” explained Michael “This will aid the new intermodal service by transporting the cargo from incoming trains to their final destination.”
Through this initiative, A2B-online is confident about strengthening its reputation as a reliable partner while staying aligned with the evolving demands of the modern market.
“We always aim to be a very strong and reliable long-partner to our clients,” added Michael and Gerhard in conclusion. “We place our customers, employees and partners in high regard and offer them the respect they deserve. That is why we have been so successful over the years and have such a high retention rate, because everyone at A2B-online cares.” n
