A.P. Moller - Maersk Rainbow containers welcomed in Europe

 

In May 2021, Maastricht Maersk arrived at APM Terminals Maasvlakte II in Rotterdam, carrying on board two iconic Maersk containers, painted skillfully with a rainbow to celebrate diversity and inclusion. The Rainbow containers were displayed at APM Terminals Maasvlakte II until 16 May, giving the employees of the terminal and of other A.P. Moller - Maersk brands a chance to sign the inside of the boxes, as a symbol of their own personal commitment to diversity and inclusion.

 

One of the first ones to do so was APM Terminals Maasvlakte II Managing Director Jan Buijze, accompanied by representatives of Maersk and Hamburg Sud.

Representing APM Terminals’ Global Leadership Team, CFO Katja Otten commented, “We are very proud to welcome these rainbow containers in yet another APM Terminals location, following Los Angeles and Yokohama, as part of their world tour. As a company, we deeply believe in the right of all our employees to be who they are and shine their true colours. The principles of diversity and inclusion are deeply rooted in our corporate culture and as a global organization, we are guided by them also in attracting and developing our talents.”

Pieter Strijland, Area National Sales Manager in North West Continent Area added, “Personally, I’ve had the experience of working with great diverse teams within Maersk, which has brought me so much value, joy and knowledge, apart from achieving great results. As we bring this to the attention with the rainbow containers and share this experience with others, I can only hope that more companies will follow us on this journey.”

 

Pieter’s views are also echoed by Albrecht Meeusen, North West Continent Area Managing Director for Hamburg Sud. “Two rainbow containers filled with personal wishes and commitments from around the world is such a powerful way to portray our company value. It might seem small, but it means a lot to many," shares Albrecht.

Employees were encouraged to show their support towards diversity and inclusion, sign the container, and share their photos using the hashtag #InclusionAllTheWay.

Nanneke Visscher, Customer Success Manager in Rotterdam shared, ''So proud to be part of this! ALL voices should be allowed to speak, ALL voices should be truly heard and ALL voices should equally count. Be the change!''

Following their stay at the terminal, the containers have embarked on a route across The Netherlands, visiting some of the landmarks of the country, as well as locations of participating customers and partners. One of them was the flower growers Jan de Wit en Zonen, who was proud to participate in the initiative.

“The containers were photographed at our bulb fields and at our tulip show garden. The outside of these containers represents Maersk’s position on diversity and inclusion. These rainbow containers are also used for humanitarian work, such as the supply of aid freight to survivors of hurricanes in the United States. Jan de Wit en Zonen B.V. is very proud to be a part of Maersk’s devotion to diversity and inclusion," the company shared.

The 40-foot rainbow container was also transported on a barge between Rotterdam and Amsterdam, visiting the headquarters of Maersk’s retail customer PVH. On 3 June the containers will arrive in Bremerhaven and stay in Germany until 19 June.

The arrival of the rainbow containers to Rotterdam coincided with the popular Eurovision Song Contest, also taking place in the Dutch city and organized this year with a theme “Open Up”. On the initiative of the Port of Rotterdam, one of Eurovision’s partners, the 20-foot container was also placed at RDM Heijplaat - Rotterdam’s innovation district managed by the port authority. Once the location of Rotterdam’s dry dock, RDM is now the space for companies, education and research, working together on innovations that contribute to a smart port.

“We wish Maersk all the best with their campaign. #InclusionAllTheWay is in the spirit of the Eurovision Song Contest, which is now taking place in Rotterdam. In fact, all shipping companies should pay attention to inclusion and diversity, especially on board of ships," commented Tie Schellekens Port of Rotterdam spokesperson.

Throughout the voyage of the containers, all those lucky enough to spot one of these rainbow boxes are encouraged to take a picture and share it on social media platforms using the hashtag #InclusionAllTheWay.

 

The containers will soon continue their journey to other ports in Europe (Bremerhaven, Felixstowe, Gdansk), celebrating diversity and inclusion along the way, with a grand finale in the Danish capital, where Maersk is the sponsor of World Pride, celebrated in Copenhagen in August.