K+N announces MoU with Alibaba.com to offer global logistics services

Global freight forwarder Kuehne + Nagel has announced a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Alibaba.com, the B2B business arm of China’s Alibaba Group, to offer global logistics services.
Under the MoU, K+N’s global logistics network will combine with Alibaba’s expertise in B2B e-commerce, to offer China-based shippers e-commerce logistics solutions.
In January 2017, Logistics network WCA and Alibaba.com signed a co-operation agreement that sees approved WCA member companies integrated into the Alibaba.com logistics platform for cross-border e-commerce shipments.
WCA, the independent freight forwarder alliance, provides professional support in “vetting and approving” international logistics providers for the customers of Alibaba.com.
K+N said that for more than a year, Alibaba.com’s paid members in China have been able to obtain quotations, book pick-up and destination delivery services for airfreight consignments via K+N’s digital solution, KN FreightNet, on Alibaba.com.
The e-commerce relationship has already been extended to include less-than-container-load (LCL) solutions as well.
The strategic partnership will now draw closer co-operation between the e-commerce giant and K+N with the intent to expand the scope of logistics services on offer in the near future to cover the multimodal transportation and contract logistics outside China.
Steve Su, director of Logistics at Alibaba.com, said: “We are pleased to partner with K+N to offer our SME customers comprehensive logistics services, enabling them to capitalise on cross-border trade opportunities.”
Wong Siew Loong, President North Asia K+N, said: “We are excited to enter this MoU with Alibaba.com bringing together Alibaba’s e-commerce penetration with K+N’s worldwide logistics capabilities. For K+N, the establishment of this relationship is in line with our global strategy to digitalise logistics services in order to meet the evolving needs of customers today.
"We look forward to further developing this cooperation by expanding the scope of our e- commerce logistics offering to Alibaba customers in the future.”