ONE announces regional headquarters restructuring to boost decision-making and growth in Asia Pacific and Africa, effective April 2027.
30th September - Ocean Network Express (ONE), one of the world's largest container shipping lines operating a fleet that serves more than 120 countries, today announced two structural changes to its regional headquarters network. Both changes take effect on 1 April 2027 and are designed to bring decision-making closer to markets and support the company's long-term growth agenda.
Under the first change, ONE will establish a new Asia Pacific Regional Headquarters (RHQ) in Singapore. This new structure consolidates the functions of the East Asia RHQ, currently based in Hong Kong, and the South Asia RHQ, currently based in Singapore. The Asia Pacific RHQ will oversee ONE's business across 15 markets, and Mr. Louis Tang will assume the role of Region Head, Asia Pacific.
Under the second change, ONE will centralize the management of its East, West, and South Africa markets within the Dubai RHQ. The London RHQ will continue to manage the Europe, Mediterranean, and North Africa markets.
The company stated that these changes will bring its regional headquarters closer to the markets they serve, enable faster decision-making, and create new opportunities for the business. Service offerings, customer contracts, and day-to-day operations will continue unchanged, and customers can expect improved service levels following the transition. Local teams in all affected markets will remain customers' point of contact for both relationships and operations.
"Asia Pacific and Africa are important growth regions for ONE," said Mr. Till Ole Barrelet, Chief Executive Officer. "Our regional headquarters sit closest to our customers and our markets, and these changes will enable us to make faster decisions and accelerate growth. They will also support further investments in both regions. Our commitment to every market we serve, and to the colleagues in them, remains unchanged."
The consolidation in Singapore brings together two established regional operations. For shippers and forwarders moving cargo between East and South Asia, a single regional team is intended to streamline coordination across the trade lane.
"Our teams in East and South Asia have built strong businesses and deep customer relationships," said Mr. Louis Tang, Region Head, Asia Pacific. "A single regional headquarters structure gives us a comprehensive view of Asia Pacific and allows us to respond more quickly when conditions change. Customers moving cargo between East and South Asia will be served by one team. Beyond bringing together the talent and experience of two RHQs, we are taking the opportunity to enhance how we are structured so that we serve customers even better across a fast-growing region."
In Africa, the centralization under the Dubai RHQ aligns management of the continent's major trade corridors under one team. This structure is intended to strengthen coordination of services and capacity across the routes linking Africa with Asia, India, and the Middle East.
"Our Dubai RHQ already manages much of Africa's trade with Asia, India, and the Middle East," said Mr. Sundeep Sibal, Region Head, West Asia. "One team will now coordinate services and capacity across that whole corridor, which gives us a stronger base to grow from."
Both changes support the company's ONE 2030 strategy and its ambition to build one of the world's leading container shipping companies through sustainable growth. The changes will be implemented in phases. In the initial phase, current teams will continue in their existing roles under the new structures, with further alignment of functions and responsibilities to follow as each transition progresses.
For the shippers, freight forwarders, and importers who rely on ONE's network, the restructuring points to greater continuity paired with faster response times. Service levels are expected to improve while existing contracts, schedules, and points of contact remain in place through the transition.
