Cool with Purpose: Inside ZIM’s Cross-Suez & Atlantic Business Unit

For nearly eight years, Assaf Tiran has been an integral part of ZIM, bringing deep managerial expertise across sales, customer service, and business units. Since joining in 2017 as Vice President of Global Customer Service and part of ZIM’s management team, Tiran has played a key role in redefining the company’s approach to customer experience – placing it at the center of both strategic decision-making and daily operations.

Today, as Executive Vice President of the Cross-Suez and Atlantic Business Unit, Tiran leads a strategically structured network that drives approximately a quarter of ZIM’s total global activity. This business unit is organized around four specialized clusters, all coordinated centrally from the global head office.

These clusters, covering the Asia-Mediterranean, Mediterranean-North Europe, Mediterranean-North America and the Gulf of Mexico, and the Intra-Mediterranean trade – are supported by dedicated teams based in Israel, Hong Kong, Germany and the US, ensuring close proximity and providing hands-on support to each region.

Temperature-Controlled, Customer-Focused

One of the most defining characteristics of this business unit is just how deeply integrated refrigerated cargo is within its operations – and that’s no coincidence.

The four clusters operate in regions where demand for temperature-controlled logistics is both high and consistent, making ZIM’s reefer services a strategic anchor for the network.

These time-sensitive high-value goods require specialized handling, which fits naturally with ZIM’s customer-centric approach. By focusing on the unique needs of reefer exporters, services have been specifically designed to meet their standards.

Innovation Driven by Real Customer Needs

This focus has even led to some of our most successful service offerings.

ZIMonitor for instance, a real-time monitoring solution was developed through direct collaboration with a pharmaceutical customer operating in the Mediterranean region. It has since gained industry-wide recognition for delivering enhanced visibility and control throughout the cold chain.

Similarly, our Controlled-Atmosphere and Cold-Treatment premium services were introduced in response to a rise in local avocado exports. Tiran adds, “By working closely with local growers, we scaled in temperature-control technology to meet the fruit’s strict timing and handling demands, and today, ZIM’s reefer fleet is not only the youngest in the industry, which by the end of the year will have an average of ~4.4 years, but also fully equipped with this state-of-the-art monitoring technology.”

As ZIM continues to strategically expand its services across key reefer segments, from pharmaceutical exports to citrus fruits, dairy or other high-value perishables, even products with narrow seasonal windows, like fresh grapes, benefit from this agile approach.

In fact, Tiran shares, “Each year, for a limited 5–6-week period, our Intra-Mediterranean service (ADX) adapts its regular rotation to match the exact timing of the grape harvest in Egypt, offering dedicated sailings from Alexandria directly to Koper with a transit time of just 3 days. This customized solution continues to deliver strong results and support local grape exporters.”

Customer-Centric to the Core

We recognize how vital the refrigerated cargo segment is to our customers, particularly in the regions where this unit operates. This is largely due to the unit’s direct access to key reefer-exporting markets. This active local presence, combined with frequent engagement with exporters and growers, allows us to closely monitor market trends and translate those insights into service enhancements.

Looking ahead, Assaf Tiran is clear about the path forward, “Whether through the design of tailored services or investment in cutting-edge equipment, our offerings continue to be agile, accessible and driven by real market demand. And as global demand continues to evolve, so will our services – as always, powered by our customers.”