Dock & Talk #7 at KLU: Mirja Nibbe on the “Captains” of Maritime Logistics
Navigating familiar waters – and uncharted seas – demands leadership with real ballast. At Dock & Talk #7, Mirja Nibbe, Managing Director of CMA CGM Germany, spoke at Kühne Logistics University about responsibility, decision-making, and what it takes to stay the course when conditions turn rough.
Events such as the Suez Canal blockage or the COVID-19 crisis briefly thrust container shipping into the public eye. Most of the time, however, it operates largely unseen – even though it shapes everyday life by transporting nearly everything we source from around the world. By linking economies across continents, maritime logistics forms the backbone of global supply chains.
Host and KLU President Andreas Kaplan welcomed Mirja Nibbe to the campus on January 20, which she was already familiar with thanks to her NETLOP certificate. Interest was high as a large audience gathered in Hamburg’s HafenCity to attend the roughly two-hour conversation.
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With Dock & Talk – Stories from the Top, KLU regularly brings senior leaders from business and logistics to campus. The format offers students and guests first-hand insights into leadership realities, decision-making processes, and responsibility at the highest level.
Lessons from an international career
Over more than two decades in international shipping, Nibbe has – quite literally – called at many ports, with leadership roles in Singapore and Shanghai among them. Leading in culturally diverse environments, she explained, has had a lasting impact on how she approaches leadership, navigates cultural differences, and makes decisions under pressure.
Resilience as a core competency
Logistics, Nibbe emphasized, forges a distinctive skill set. “Anyone working in logistics becomes, to some extent, an expert in resilience.” Global uncertainty, geopolitical tensions, and climate-related disruptions make adaptability and pragmatic action part of everyday work. Rather than waiting for perfect solutions, staying operational is key – deciding, acting, and adjusting when necessary.
Diversity as strength
Another focus of the evening was modern leadership. Nibbe highlighted transparency, clear communication, and emotional intelligence as essential qualities. She views diversity not as a single dimension, but as the interaction of different perspectives, experiences, and backgrounds – a foundation for sound decisions and high-performing teams.
Sustainability: “It’s not a choice, it’s a must.”
For Nibbe, climate action in shipping is not optional, but a necessity and a corporate responsibility. CMA CGM is pursuing ambitious decarbonization goals and consciously involves its employees in this transformation, pursuing meaningful change through collective commitment
Check out the podcast edition of this interview and don’t miss the next Dock & Talk event.
