Together as One, Industry Leaders Will Extend Global Reach, Offer Unmatched Quality in Marine Logistics and Port Agency Service

Horizon Air Freight and Swift Marine announced today that they have entered a strategic business partnership and will unite as a single company, Horizon Group.  The new joint company will now offer a unique combination of marine logistics and port agency services in North America, South America, Asia, and Europe.

“Two great companies have become one for the betterment of our clients,” said Steve Leondis, CEO of Horizon Group. “Together, Horizon and Swift can offer the next level in service through an even larger, stronger network for our customers.”

“Together, Horizon and Swift can provide unmatched value for our customers,” said Nico Koumbatis, CEO of Swift Marine. “Our shared mission is to deliver everything they need to their ports of call while also managing the logistics along the way.”

The combined services following the partnership include:

• Best in class customer experience from Port agency to logistics
• Streamlined data communication and collaboration with all parties along the supply chain
• High tech marine solutions and in-depth global knowledge of custom procedures arranging the last mile from port to vessel worldwide
• White-glove port call service with talent on board to ensure customer success
• Consolidation and freight forwarding of spares, supplies, and equipment from any vendor worldwide
• Port call agency services at more than 100 served ports in the Americas
• Last mile services for more than 500 ports worldwide with an over 99% Global On Time Delivery Rate
• Spares and supplies consolidation at Horizon Group’s 30+ global warehouses
• Import and export documentation services
• Customs pre-clearance for all inbound air and ocean shipments
• Last-mile delivery services at any port of call

Horizon is a platform investment of ICV Partners, LLC.  Zeena Rao, a Managing Director of ICV Partners, said that Horizon and Swift make a formidable team. “It’s rare to find two companies with such consistent missions, visions, and values that put the customer first.  The combination of Horizon and Swift provides customers with best-in-class service and capabilities worldwide.”

Alongside Horizon’s acquisition with Transmarine Navigation and Delver Agents, the Horizon–Swift partnership solidifies the Horizon Group’s strength in Asia, Europe, and the Americas—underscoring their unique position as a one-stop solution for clients everywhere.

Existing customers of Horizon and Swift Marine can take advantage of the newly integrated services immediately by reaching out to their current account representatives. New customers can contact Horizon through haf.com or by calling 800-221-6028.

About Horizon Group

Horizon Group keeps fleets shipshape and on schedule with global marine logistics by air, land, and sea. Critical marine spares, supplies, and equipment from any vendor worldwide: consolidated, expedited, delivered door to deck. Whatever you need, wherever you need it, we’ll get it there on time and on budget. With more than 50 years of experience, we keep more than 3,000 ships safe, able, and sailing.

About Swift Marine

Swift Marine Group is a dynamic organization with extensive experience in the complex world of marine logistics and forwarding. Leveraging its prowess as a frontrunner in IT innovation, Swift acts as a consolidated control tower for its large and diversified customer portfolio to streamline data communication and collaboration with all parties along the supply chain.

About ICV Partners

Founded in 1999, ICV Partners is a private investment firm that supports management leaders of strong lower middle market companies in pursuing growth.  The principals of ICV have crafted a strong track record of helping companies expand their footprint and improve performance over the long term.  Additional information is available at www.icvpartners.com.

Q4 2022 Purchase Further Establishes Horizon as Leading International Port Agency and Comprehensive Marine Logistics Company

Horizon Air Freight announced today its recent acquisition of Transmarine Navigation Corporation, further establishing its leadership positions as an international port agency and customer-first logistics solution for ship owners, operators, and charters, making ports of call in North and South America.

Horizon CEO Steve Leondis said the transaction was completed in Q4 2022.

“In the spirit of Horizon and Transmarine, we began our partnership with a focus on our customers and the quality of our services,” he said. “Now it is time to share the big news with the public. Our acquisition of Transmarine allows us to better coordinate critical services for our customers’ vessels calling North and South America. Together, we’ll get everything they need to their ports of call and manage all their in-port logistics too, all with our shared commitment to excellence in the service of our customers. It’s a simpler and more streamlined solution for our clients, all provided by two companies the industry has trusted for generations.”

The combined services after the acquisition include:

• Best-in-class customer experience in agency for North and South America
• Best-in-class door-to-deck marine logistics solutions globally
• White-glove port call service with talent on board to ensure customer success
• Freight forwarding of spares, supplies, and equipment from any vendor worldwide
• Port call agency services at Transmarine’s 12 served ports along the Gulf Coast, West Coast, Hawaii, and Argentina
• Spares and supplies consolidation at Horizon’s 30 global warehouses
• Import and export documentation services
• Last-mile delivery services at any port of call

Transmarine recently announced that Leslie Clements was stepping into the role of Managing Director, a position previously held by Jim Papp, who is assuming the role of Head of Strategic Ventures. Papp was instrumental in developing the partnership with Horizon.

“After nearly 40 years at the company, I can confidently say that there has never been a more exciting time to be a part of Transmarine,” Papp said. “A new ownership structure, combined with a great new leader in Leslie, will ensure that our best days are upon us.”

“It’s an honor to continue Transmarine and Horizon’s great work,” Clements said. “The new visionary leadership team, alongside the legacy of producing results for our clients, is the perfect combination.”

Existing customers of Horizon and Transmarine can take advantage of the newly integrated services immediately by reaching out to their current account representatives. New customers can contact Horizon through haf.com or by calling 800-221-6028.

About Horizon Air Freight 

Horizon Air Freight keeps fleets shipshape and on schedule with global marine logistics by air, land, and sea. Critical marine spares, supplies, and equipment from any vendor worldwide: consolidated, expedited, delivered door to deck. Whatever you need, wherever you need it, we’ll get it there on time and on budget. With more than 50 years of experience, we keep more than 3,000 ships safe, able, and sailing. To learn more about how Horizon and Transmarine’s combined services can help your fleet, call 800-221-6028 or visit haf.com.

About Transmarine

Founded in 1938, Transmarine is a leading U.S. tramp ship agency, headquartered in Long Beach, California, and with offices in a dozen port cities along the Gulf Coast, West Coast, and Hawaii. The most prestigious firms in the shipping industry trust Transmarine to manage their port call operations with safety and efficiency. To learn more visit www.transmarine.com.

The global maritime supply chain has, to put it mildly, been tossed about through three turbulent years as the world was swept by the COVID-19 pandemic.

In the immediate aftermath of the initial coronavirus outbreak, whole nations closed their ports and borders, and entire fleets of planes were grounded. Then, as scientists and public health officials learned more about how to prevent, diagnose, and treat COVID-19 infection, demand skyrocketed for shipping of hand sanitizer, masks, and other personal protective equipment (PPE), as well as for ventilators for overrun hospital emergency departments. In the months and years that followed, those able to work from home ordered furniture, equipment, and supplies to fit out their home offices and adjust to homebound family life.

While all this new demand led to record gross revenues for shipping companies, it also dramatically increased complexity and operating costs. In the nearly three years that have followed, labor shortages and quarantines caused historic delays at ports, commercial flights dropped more than 70%, and exacerbated trade imbalances led to massive shortages of containers in key manufacturing regions of the world. All of this impeded and slowed delivery of critical marine spares, equipment, and supplies, while driving up air and sea freight rates astronomically.

Together, we found ways to get you what you needed to keep your fleets safe, able, and sailing, though we know those skyrocketing freight rates have strained your budgets. We did whatever it took to keep your deliveries 99% on time without busting your budget, and you stuck by us through the hard times.

Ocean and Air Freight Rates (and Transit Times) Set to Decline

As we enter 2023, it seems that smoother sailing for procurement departments is at last just over the horizon, with both rates and delays now declining:

• Ocean freight rates are down as much as 90% from Asia to the U.S. West Coast, and down more than 70% to Europe and the U.S. East Coast.
• Air freight rates are also declining, though not as dramatically as ocean freight.
• Road and rail freight rates are expected to remain stable.
• The COVID-era shipping container shortage is now a shipping container surplus.
• A record-breaking absolute capacity of new container ships — reflecting 30% of the entire existing tonnage — is presently on order and due to be delivered in the next two years.
• Maersk, MSC, and CMA CGM will soon all offer air cargo services.
• Average door-to-door transit times from China to the U.S. have fallen from a high of 80 days in early 2022 to 55 days in November.

Granted, this all comes with expectations that shipping revenue will decline in 2023, but so too should procurement costs. With the historic demand of the past few years subsiding, procurement departments will be under heightened pressure to seize all opportunities to reduce logistics costs in order to maintain healthy profit margins.

What You Can Do to Reduce Your Marine Logistics Costs

Fortunately, we expect 2023 to mark a return to more predictable procurement planning: an opportunity for you to do what you do best to control costs while keeping your fleet shipshape and sailing. Following are some key ways you can reduce costs in the year ahead.

Reap the Rewards of Planning

The chaos of the COVID era sometimes punished planning ahead. Rates, fuel prices, schedules, demand, delays, and everything else were in constant flux to a degree our industry has never seen before. But we expect 2023 to be a return to relative stability in the freight environment.

Planning ahead will once again be reliably rewarded. So map out in advance what you’ll need, where you’ll need it, and when you’ll need it there. Place your orders with plenty of lead time, confident once again that the entire industry won’t turn upside down before delivery.

Plan Backward from Year End

While the future is never certain, we’re returning to an environment in which you can usefully scope out the year ahead rather than reacting to each day’s new crisis. What planned maintenance will your ships need and when? When will major port calls be near key supply hubs? What other important milestones can you anticipate for your ships over the next year?

Plan out the foreseeable needs you’ll have through year’s end, then work back from there. You’ll save yourself a lot of stress and save on shipping costs too.

Revisit Contract Service Agreements

With spikes in fuel costs, many of your contract service agreements have been more expensive than you probably anticipated when signing. Higher fuel costs understandably led to higher shipping costs, but fuel prices have lately been leveling off and declining. Your shipping costs should too.

Carefully review all your contract service agreements that have fuel surcharge provisions or fuel-based pricing. Make sure you’re getting the shipping cost reductions that lower fuel prices allow.

Communicate Your Preferred Supply Ports and Logistics Hubs

Consolidation is one of the more effective ways we can control your costs. Horizon has 30 warehouses located near key suppliers and ports around the world. And we can save you more if we know more… and if your team knows more too.

Communicate your preferred supply ports and logistics hubs to us, to your team, and to all on-board staff who will submit purchase orders. That will allow us to better consolidate your orders and deliver them efficiently to your ships at planned ports of call.

Whether through turbulent seas or in times of smooth sailing, Horizon is here to help you optimize your budget. Whether for scheduled maintenance or an emergency need, we’ll get you whatever you need, wherever and whenever you need it to keep your ships safe, able, and sailing. Call us at +1 800-221-6028 or contact us online anytime, and tell us how we can help.

Over the last couple of years, Horizon Air Freight has experienced remarkable growth. During this period of expansion, we’ve added many staff members, and combined forces with powerful partners to elevate our global reach.

During a routine walk around the office recently, CEO Steve Leondis found himself noticing that this company growth has had multiple positive impacts. And a big one included the breadth of diversity among the staff.

“Even from the beginning,” he remarks, “Horizon has been multicultural. We are, after all, a global organization, founded by my father who was a Greek immigrant to the United States. But now I can really see that, as much as we serve global companies around the world, our staff members reflect that too.”

The team at Horizon has long included men and women from diverse backgrounds. But Leondis was struck by the sheer number of nationalities represented to date. Currently, the combined nationalities represented across Horizon’s New York, Miami, Seattle, Houston, and Argentina offices include:

• Argentinian
• Bangladeshian
• Bulgarian
• Chinese
• Ecuadorian
• Filipino
• German
• Greek
• Guyanese
• Irish
• Italian
• Jamaican
• Puerto Rican
• Russian
• Serbian
• Turkish
• Ukrainian
• Vietnamese

Leondis attributes this breadth of representation to a few simple things.

Common Respect & A Common Cause

“Historically the mindset has always been to hire for the job,” Leondis insists. “I learned that from my father. Whoever fit the job description was hired, period. That’s always how we’ve looked at things. Just hire for the job. So that’s in our backbone, but in the last year or so the applicants are even more diverse than before. It’s not just individuals from New York anymore, or even people from the logistics space. And I love this.”

Even when hiring from a more diverse pool, however, the common goal at Horizon has continued to remain the same.

“Our common goal is always to serve the customer,” Leondis states. “Recently we went through a DE&I exercise involving individual and team interviews over a couple of months. And at the conclusion, serving our customers came through loud and clear as everyone’s primary goal. That dedication is what unites every single person who works here. And I think that comes through to our clients, as well.”

Expressing mutual care and respect for one another has been another key element to the success of Horizon’s diversity.

“Historically we’ve been available for all of our employees 24/7. For a company of our size, that is an outlier,” Leondis admits, “but that’s who we are. My office door is open for anyone at any time, and my phone is available. Given the pressure and busy-ness we experience, we always take time to unite people with simple, but personal, things. We celebrate everyone’s birthday with cake and coffee, for example. We recognize everyone from A to Z.”

Beyond providing a pleasant, empathic workplace and competitive compensation, Leondis also believes “a big differentiator is that we treat customers and employees as individuals. Whether it’s a warehouseman, truck driver, or senior salesperson — everyone deserves the same respect. That’s how we’ve developed as a company, and that’s what we want to keep as we grow.”

The Benefits of a Blended Workforce

“I’m at the office very early each morning,” Leondis says, “so I see everyone come in. When I walk into the kitchen to have coffee, I see a very diverse group sitting and enjoying the start of their morning together. But beyond this friendliness, teamwork is required to meet the daily challenges. These diverse personalities all come together to create the best solutions.”

Combining diverse resources across the team to solve problems makes the company stronger, Leondis insists. But a multicultural workforce can also strengthen relationships with clients.

Leondis intends to build into that strength even more as the company continues to grow internationally. “As our services become more global, we may utilize even more individuals familiar with different languages and cultures to help grow our business in those areas, or even help us get new business in other locations.”

Thinking Like a Businessperson

Early clients of Horizon Air Freight were largely from Greece — homeland of founder Anthony Leondis. As the business grew to include more U.S. shipping companies, the elder Leondis would occasionally send another representative instead of himself. “He had a heavy Greek accent,” Steve Leondis explains, “and he didn’t think a Greek immigrant would serve well to pitch for the business. I don’t have that same feeling he did, but it has given me an understanding of moving between two worlds. And the biggest thing this larger worldview has helped me with as a CEO is to always put yourself in someone else’s shoes.”

For Leondis, this means when visiting a client in Germany for example, to consider their needs, demands, and expectations. And keep an open mind as to how they may be viewing you and your own culture, as well.

“In these situations,” Leondis asserts, “I don’t think of myself as an American. Instead I think of myself as a businessman, and try to relate to my customers that way.”

Leondis encourages this macro-level thinking for everyone at Horizon, regardless of their position or background. And he hopes that continued connection and collaboration will empower everyone to conduct their work similarly.

How else can Horizon benefit from and celebrate this remarkable diversity in the future? There are a multitude of ways. “For one,” Leondis says happily, “I think we should have a cultural food day where everyone brings something to share from their homeland.”

Given Horizon’s diverse team and global reach, that will make for quite a feast.