Year-end interview with Martijn Berghout of Ritra

23 December 2024

This year just blew by and we are already rapidly approaching 1 January. Unpredictability seemed to be the key word for 2024. In our year-end interview, we caught up with Martijn Berghout, co-owner and CEO of Ritra Cargo, to hear his reflections on the past year Naturally, he also elaborates on his plans for 2025.

Without a strong team, nothing happens

“First off, I want to praise our strong team. Independent, engaged and dedicated, each and every one of them. Whether in Rotterdam or Schiphol, everyone is fully invested in keeping our clients satisfied, even in these challenging market conditions.”

“ACS Cruise Services is an exciting addition. This market development has taken Ritra in a completely new direction, which has certainly proven to be worthwhile.  The team, spread across both offices and often also on location, has worked hard over the past year and successfully turned this into a profitable business.” 

“With our knowledge, know-how and expertise, we ensure that favourable and, in view of the developments in 2024, especially less favourable news is correctly and proactively communicated to our customers. In this challenging market, where higher costs, roll-overs, and delays of several weeks have become the norm, we get the job done together, both with our team and with our clients. We never lose sight of what makes Ritra, Ritra: personal, reliable, and driven.”

2024: a volatile, unpredictable market

“What stood out to me in 2024 was how global shipping lines seem to use worldwide issues as an opportunity to push through rate hikes. It seems to have become the new norm, supported by the possibilities caused by COVID-19. Examples include a strike in the USA, the drying up of the Panama Canal, and the ongoing Red Sea crisis. While these events undeniably impact the container market’s operations, the extent to which the market has responded with price increases feels excessive.”

“The same unpredictability is the reason why rate developments are now impossible to forecast. However, we can look forward to the launch of several new vessels starting next year, which could offer some wiggle room in the market. Due to all the turmoil at sea, many of our customers were forced to book air freight or sea-air transport this year. While this was, of course, far from ideal, I am pleased with how our Schiphol team handled the situation.  They adapted quickly, even as the pressure increased significantly.”

Labour shortages, changing business climate & AI

“Another main issue is the low rating of the business climate and the labour shortages. The enormous amount of energy required for recruitment is a dramatic change compared to just a few years ago. The stricter regulations from Brussels, along with compliance measures like CSRD, CBAM and EUDR, are of course important, but they increase the administrative burden and hinder the business flow.”

“Although CSRD is not yet mandatory for us, many larger companies – including some of our clients – are already affected. We are proactively anticipating, however, and will align our goals accordingly.”

“We are also planning to make better use of AI. But I’m not talking about using AI for dialogue, like chatbots or email responders. I focus more on AI as a tool to support smarter solutions, improving and facilitating work processes. It is similar to how we first saw the rise of online platforms over 25 years ago.”

TRACOS in 2025

“I would also like to share a short update on our online supply chain platform, TRACOS. In the spring of 2025, we will expand our services.” We will continue to focus on our key production countries in the Far East. In the New Year, we will also start using this tool to extend and optimise our coverage to additional regions, including countries like Pakistan, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam.”

“This means that next year, we will also develop a way to make bookings visible upon receipt of a booking, regardless of where the shipment is being sent from or whether it was assigned the ‘approved’ status. This is a significant step towards our global expansion.” 

Focus even more on the key factors in 2025

“In a world where we are dealing with a climate crisis on a daily basis, Houthi rebels and ongoing wars, I feel it is more important than ever to do business based on corporate social responsibility.  In the past, we often impulsively supported a project, initiative, campaign or charity, like this year’s 3FM Serious Request. However, we (additionally) decided on a more consistent and long-term commitment to such initiatives.”

“Since 1 December, Ritra has proudly become a UNICEF ‘Buddy’, supporting their ‘Plastic Building Blocks’ project in Ivory Coast. We are entering into a long-term partnership with UNICEF for this initiative. The ongoing ‘Plastic Building Blocks’ project creates a cleaner environment, allows children to return to school and supports women collecting plastic. This addresses the waste issue, local employment and the shortage of classrooms.”

“With these positive goals in mind, on behalf of the entire Ritra team, I wish you and your loved ones a Merry Christmas and a successful 2025!”