Sinokor Thailand: Growing with Resilience

Sinokor Thailand is expanding its business with direct weekly services. Aiming to respond to rising market demand, the company has extended its local networks and strengthened its sales force.

For over two decades, Sinokor has been providing shipping services to/from Thailand. Beginning in 2000, when the company first deployed its cargo vessel in a dedicated service connecting Thailand, Hongkong, and South Korea, Sinokor has expanded its operations to now provide nine direct services with weekly sailings between Thailand and Asia’s leading ports.

To learn more, we spoke with Mr Somboon Paisansinsakul, Deputy General Manager, Sinokor Thailand, who shared the background behind the company’s accomplishments as a leading shipping line from Korea with a strong foundation in Thailand.

Flexible Booking Arrangements

Recognizing the growth potential of Thailand’s import and export sectors, Sinokor aims to strengthen its Thailand-based service network. The liner currently offers multiple direct services, connecting Thailand with trading partners in Asia, including China, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan, and its short-haul services to Southeast Asian countries, such as Indonesia, Singapore, and Vietnam.

“Our main strength is the frequency of our services. Although we do not offer many long-distance services, what we offer instead of those is the flexibility afforded by our nine weekly services that connect to Thailand—calling at both the Laem Chabang and Bangkok ports,” said Mr Paisansinsakul.

Additionally, Sinokor offers six more services connecting Thailand to the main ports of Japan and Russia via the transhipment hub in Busan, South Korea. These offerings provide customers greater service coverage and flexibility via access to other service networks in Asia.

High Availability of Equipment

During the last few years, the pandemic has disrupted many liners’ operations, causing issues such as container shortages, industry volatility, and overall unpredictability. On the other hand, Sinokor was one of a handful of providers who could overcome these obstacles and reliably respond to customers’ needs.

Speaking on the behind-the-scenes activities which led to this success, Mr Paisansinsakul explained, “Investment, purchase planning, and effective container circulation have always been at the heart of our operations. These factors allow us to stay agile even in the most difficult times, enabling us to respond to market demands smoothly and effectively, as our headquarters consistently provided us with needed empty containers.”

Moreover, the merger with Heung A Shipping also contributed to Sinokor’s container management flexibility and several other container fleet perks. Furthermore, last year, the liner ordered a fleet of 1,700 Carrier Transicold PrimeLINE® reefers to serve on Asia-Pacific trade routes, covering China, Vietnam, Thailand, and Korea and meeting the growing demand for temperature-controlled freight.

Fulfilling Customers’ Needs

In addition to its flexibility and meticulous planning, Sinokor aims to comprehensively fulfil customers’ needs and quickly adjust to the ever-changing circumstances to provide seamless local freight services. For instance, previously, shippers faced operational difficulties arising from the limitations of container yard spaces, directly affecting the mobility of empty containers. To combat this ineffectiveness, Sinokor improved its container circulation systems in Thailand through coordination and cooperation with container yard partners, resulting in empty container pick-up/drop-off points.

“Currently, seven empty container pick-up/drop-off points cover major production and distribution areas in Thailand. YJC Thailand, HAST, and PH Depot cover the area around Laem Chabang, while YJC Bangna, CDS Bangkok, ICD Ladkrabang, and Unithai Terminal serve the Bangkok Metropolitan Region,” added Mr Paisansinsakul.

Strengthening Sales Force

Although Sinokor boasts strong foundations in service networks, resources, and management, one genuinely vital aspect of its business that makes it stand apart from its competitors is the support of its customers. As a result, Sinokor has made great efforts to maintain its solid customer base, and the key to this in an increasingly competitive industry is the quality of its employees.

“Our salespeople are at the heart of Sinokor’s growth and play a vital part in gaining and maintaining the trust of our customers. We invest in high-quality employee training and handpick the most experienced people to maximize service satisfaction by deeply understanding customers’ needs. Although we are a small provider, our dedicated sales team in each trade route is extremely knowledgeable and equipped to provide our customers with the right service and advice.”

During the last two decades, the continual success of Sinokor has been a direct result of its expansive, flexible freight network, excellent resource management, and elastic operations. These factors, coupled with the dedication of its quality and experienced staff, constitute the mechanism that drives Sinokor’s continuous business growth in the Thai and Asian markets.

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