Maersk Explores Quantum-Inspired Algorithms for Global Shipping Route Optimization
August 24, 2015
Quantum Hype Meets the High Seas
On August 24, 2015, the A.P. Moller–Maersk Group, then the world’s largest container shipping company, announced a project that seemed far removed from cranes, docks, and container terminals: the testing of quantum-inspired route optimization.
In collaboration with Cambridge Quantum Computing (CQC), Maersk’s innovation division launched a pilot program designed to explore whether algorithms inspired by quantum mechanics could improve efficiency in shipping logistics. At the time, quantum computing hardware was still experimental and not capable of supporting real-world commercial operations. Yet by adapting techniques from quantum theory and applying them on classical high-performance computing (HPC) systems, Maersk hoped to “future-proof” its logistics architecture and prepare for the day when practical quantum machines arrived.
This announcement marked one of the earliest times a major shipping company publicly connected quantum-inspired methods to real-world freight optimization, signaling growing cross-industry interest in quantum technologies.
The Scale of the Problem
Container shipping is one of the most complex logistical operations on Earth. In 2015, Maersk managed a fleet moving millions of containers annually, serving over 600 ports worldwide. Each voyage required optimization across a dizzying range of variables:
Fuel costs and availability in different regions
Weather patterns and seasonal ocean currents
Port congestion and restricted docking schedules
Cargo priorities and customer delivery deadlines
Regulatory frameworks that varied between countries
Even modest improvements carried enormous value. For example, a 1% savings in fuel costs or a 2% improvement in container utilization could translate to tens of millions of dollars in annual savings.
Why Quantum-Inspired Algorithms?
By 2015, quantum computers capable of solving these large-scale problems did not yet exist. Fault-tolerant machines with thousands of logical qubits were still years away. Instead, Maersk and CQC looked to quantum-inspired computation — a method that borrows mathematical heuristics from quantum mechanics but runs them on classical supercomputers.
Quantum-inspired techniques, such as amplitude amplification and annealing-style search, are designed to explore massive solution spaces more efficiently than conventional algorithms. For Maersk, the strategy had two main benefits:
Benchmarking potential gains early — gauging how quantum approaches might outperform classical optimization without waiting for hardware maturity.
Building a “quantum-ready” software stack — developing modular logistics tools that could later transition onto real quantum processors when they became commercially available.
The Pilot Project: Asia–Europe Shipping Lanes
The first test case involved the Asia–Europe shipping corridor, one of Maersk’s busiest and most logistically challenging networks. The pilot program focused on two core optimization problems:
Dynamic Route Planning — adjusting shipping paths in near real time to reduce fuel use, avoid severe weather, and meet port arrival deadlines.
Container Allocation — determining which containers to load onto which vessels to minimize costly delays during port transfers.
The algorithms were deployed on a Cray XC30 supercomputer located at a European research facility. By simulating processes similar to quantum annealing, the algorithms searched vast solution spaces faster than Maersk’s conventional optimization models.
Early Results and Findings
Although the project remained a proof-of-concept, Maersk reported several promising outcomes:
Computation time: Route optimization runs completed in under two hours, compared with the six to eight hours typically required by Maersk’s existing software.
Fuel efficiency: Simulations showed an average 1.7% reduction in fuel consumption across 50 trial voyages.
Container logistics: Allocation models predicted up to a 12% reduction in transfer delays at intermediary ports.
These results were based on simulations rather than live fleet deployments, but they indicated tangible potential benefits. Even small percentage gains at Maersk’s scale translated into hundreds of millions of dollars in potential annual savings.
Building a Quantum-Ready Logistics Stack
For Maersk, the pilot was not about immediate transformation but about long-term preparedness. The project involved several parallel efforts:
API development to connect quantum-inspired modules with Maersk’s existing logistics management software.
Scenario testing for both routine operations and disruptive cases such as strikes, extreme weather, or canal closures.
Staff training, where Maersk analysts were educated on the principles of quantum optimization so they could evaluate new outputs effectively.
Klaus Rud Sejling, then CEO of Maersk Line’s logistics division, explained:
“We believe the shipping industry will be among the first large-scale beneficiaries of quantum computation. By starting now, we ensure we’re ready to deploy these capabilities the moment the hardware is available.”
Reactions from Industry and Academia
The announcement generated interest — and some skepticism. Certain industry veterans criticized the effort as “jumping on the quantum bandwagon,” noting that practical quantum computers were not yet available.
Others, however, praised the move as a strategic hedge. By investing early, Maersk positioned itself to adopt quantum solutions more rapidly than competitors once hardware matured.
CQC’s CEO Ilyas Khan described the strategy:
“Quantum readiness is not a marketing term. It’s about building systems and people who can transition smoothly when quantum processors mature. That transition will be far easier for companies that have tested quantum-inspired methods in advance.”
Wider Applications and Spillover Potential
While the project was maritime-focused, the techniques being developed had potential applications across multiple industries:
Air cargo route planning and scheduling
Rail freight optimization for national and transcontinental networks
Autonomous vehicle fleet routing in urban logistics
Humanitarian aid logistics, where time-critical delivery under uncertainty is vital
The adaptability of quantum-inspired algorithms made them attractive because they could manage shifting priorities, incomplete data, and uncertain variables more effectively than many classical tools.
Challenges and Limitations
Despite promising results, the pilot encountered significant hurdles:
Scaling limits: Even on advanced HPC clusters, simulating quantum heuristics became computationally expensive when datasets grew too large.
Legacy integration: Maersk’s established logistics systems were deterministic and required adjustments to incorporate probabilistic outputs.
Cultural barriers: Planners needed to trust outputs from algorithms that didn’t always produce a single “best” answer but rather a range of optimized possibilities.
To address these issues, Maersk implemented a hybrid decision model, where quantum-inspired results were shown alongside traditional ones, with final decisions left to human planners.
Laying the Groundwork for Quantum Shipping
By the end of 2015, Maersk had completed its pilot phase and outlined plans for a second round of testing in 2016, which would involve limited live deployment on select shipping routes.
In an industry that often guarded innovation closely, Maersk’s decision to make the project public was notable. It signaled to competitors, partners, and investors that Maersk intended to lead digital transformation in shipping.
Global Relevance
The August 24, 2015 announcement remains historically significant. It marked one of the earliest known cases of a global shipping company actively exploring quantum-inspired optimization for real-world logistics.
If such systems achieve even partial success, they could reduce costs, cut carbon emissions, and improve supply chain reliability across industries. For a world increasingly dependent on global trade, the potential impact is enormous.
Conclusion
In 2015, fully functional quantum computers were still distant, but Maersk’s early experimentation with quantum-inspired optimization demonstrated the value of preparing in advance.
By translating quantum concepts into measurable improvements — even in simulation — Maersk and CQC illustrated how legacy industries can chart a realistic path toward quantum adoption without waiting for the technology to be fully realized.
The project highlighted a broader truth: the quantum future of logistics will not arrive all at once. Instead, it will come through incremental steps, hybrid models, and forward-looking companies willing to experiment. Maersk’s initiative thus stands as a landmark in the intersection of quantum research and global trade, charting a course toward smarter, greener, and more resilient supply chains.