Sr. Manager, Trade Lane Management

Key Responsibilities

1. Trade Lane Network Planning & Product Design

Develop short- and medium-term network plans for the assigned trade lane(s), including port rotation, string structure, weekly frequency, hub-and-spoke connectivity, transshipment hubs and inland延伸 solutions;

Design and continuously refine standardized ocean products (direct / transshipment, premium fast service, fixed-day weekly sailings, slot charter, reefer and specialty equipment services), defining product positioning, transit time and schedule reliability commitments, and target customer segments;

Assess feasibility of new lane launches, string adjustments or suspensions, and build the supporting cost/revenue models and recommendation papers.

2. Capacity Procurement & Space Management

Own space sourcing and allocation: negotiate annual service contracts, slot charters and capacity leases with carriers and vessel operators, and balance them against spot procurement;

Manage the carrier portfolio, including alliance participation, vessel-sharing agreements (VSAs) and space-swap arrangements, ensuring capacity backup and risk diversification;

Allocate and control space against forecast and booking trends; optimize load factor, container positioning and detention/demurrage exposure.

3. Pricing & Revenue Management

Set the trade lane pricing strategy and governance: GRI, PSS, BAF/FAF, LCS, peak-season surcharges, as well as free time and demurrage/detention policies;

Establish revenue management discipline: cargo and customer value segmentation, space release and bidding cadence, and daily/weekly tracking of TEU margin and lane revenue attainment;

Review trade lane P&L on a regular basis and lead initiatives on cost structure optimization and margin improvement.

4. Market Intelligence & Competitive Analysis

Monitor freight rate indices (SCFI, FBX, Drewry WCI), fleet expansion and blank sailings, port congestion, alliance network shifts and geopolitical impacts; publish weekly and monthly market assessments;

Benchmark competitor strings, transit times, service levels and pricing to support tenders and key account strategies.

5. Commercial & Sales Support

Partner with global sales and key account teams on annual tenders (RFP/RFQ) and long-term contract (CLS) design, ensuring offers are both competitive and margin-protective;

Support customized lane solutions and commercial negotiation for strategic customers and project cargo (industrial projects, automotive, energy, retail/FMCG, e-commerce);

Decide on lane-level escalations: rolled cargo, re-routing, schedule disruption and claims, balancing customer service against cost impact.

6. Operations Collaboration & Service Quality

Work closely with shipping operations, documentation, ports/terminals, agents and inland transport teams to secure sailing execution, transshipment connectivity and end-to-end visibility;

Build and drive the lane KPI set — schedule reliability, average transshipment time, booking conversion, roll-over ratio, cargo damage claims and customer satisfaction — and continuously improve service performance.

7. Compliance, Risk & Sustainability

Ensure lane operations comply with liner shipping antitrust/consortium regulations, export control, customs and maritime legal requirements;

Track and implement decarbonization obligations — IMO CII/EEXI, EU ETS, FuelEU Maritime, green fuel and biofuel surcharge mechanisms — and contribute to sustainable lane product design and cost modeling.

8. Digitalization & Capability Building

Drive adoption of trade lane analytics dashboards, demand forecasting and space management tools to improve decision quality and speed;

Codify lane management methodologies and SOPs, deliver internal training and knowledge transfer, and provide guidance to junior lane analysts/specialists.

Requirements

Education

Bachelor's degree or above in Shipping / Maritime Studies, Logistics & Supply Chain Management, International Trade, Business Administration, Economics or related disciplines; Master's degree or industry certifications (CILT, FIATA, PMP) are a plus.

Experience

Minimum 8 years of experience in international ocean freight and logistics, with at least 3 years in trade lane management, capacity procurement, space management or pricing/revenue management;

Experience with a container shipping line (trade, network planning or commercial department), or within the ocean freight division of a large freight forwarder, integrated logistics provider or 3PL is strongly preferred;

Demonstrated ownership of full trade lane business targets (revenue, margin, load factor) for at least one mainline or intra-regional lane.

Professional Skills

Comprehensive understanding of liner shipping operations: booking, space allocation, bill of lading (MBL/HBL), container and equipment control, port and transshipment handling, and multimodal connectivity;

Strong pricing and revenue management mindset, able to independently model lane network options — TEU-mile cost, per-TEU margin, breakeven analysis;

Advanced Excel and data analysis capability (Power BI or equivalent), able to convert data into decisions and drive execution; experience with TMS/shipping ERP systems and platforms such as CargoSmart, INTTRA, EDI/API integration is a plus;

Working knowledge of liner shipping compliance, Incoterms, letter of credit and cargo insurance practice, and of IMO/EU maritime regulatory frameworks.

Languages

Native-level Mandarin Chinese; English as a full working language (fluent in listening, speaking, reading and writing), able to lead commercial negotiation and contract discussions independently;

A second language (German, French, Spanish, Japanese or Arabic) is an advantage.