Maersk Expands Trade & Tariff Studio to Transform Customs Intelligence and Global Trade Management
As international trade continues to evolve, businesses are facing an increasingly complex environment of changing tariff policies, customs regulations, sourcing requirements and government agency controls. For importers and multinational companies, understanding the potential customs impact of a product before it enters the supply chain has become increasingly important.
In response to these challenges, A.P. Moller – Maersk (Maersk) has introduced the latest release of its Maersk Trade & Tariff Studio, an AI-powered trade intelligence platform designed to help businesses make more informed customs, sourcing and compliance decisions earlier in the supply chain lifecycle.
The enhanced platform builds on its initial launch in 2025 and expands the solution into a more connected customs intelligence environment. Rather than concentrating only on customs activities at the point of entry, the platform is designed to connect trade planning, product classification, tariff analysis, customs execution, regulatory monitoring, reporting and post-declaration audit support within a single workflow.
The development reflects the changing needs of companies operating in global markets. As tariff exposure becomes more difficult to predict and regulatory requirements continue to evolve, businesses increasingly need tools that can provide visibility before products are manufactured, sourced, shipped or presented to customs authorities.
By combining Maersk’s customs expertise with artificial intelligence, Trade & Tariff Studio is designed to provide businesses with faster access to trade intelligence and support more consistent decision-making across the customs lifecycle.
Addressing the Growing Complexity of Global Trade
Global supply chains have become increasingly interconnected, with products often involving materials, components and manufacturing activities across multiple countries.
For businesses, this complexity creates significant customs considerations.
The classification assigned to a product can influence the duties and tariffs applied when it enters a market. Changes in sourcing locations or manufacturing processes can also affect the customs treatment of products.
At the same time, governments continue to introduce new regulations, tariff measures and customs requirements.
As a result, companies can no longer view customs compliance as a process that begins only when goods arrive at a port or border.
Customs decisions can have implications much earlier in the product lifecycle.
A company deciding where to source a component, selecting a manufacturing location or modifying a product’s design may influence its eventual customs obligations and landed cost.
Maersk Trade & Tariff Studio is designed to bring customs intelligence into these earlier stages of decision-making.
Moving Customs Decisions Upstream
One of the most important features of the expanded platform is its focus on upstream customs planning.
Traditional customs software often concentrates on filing and compliance activities close to the point of import.
While these functions remain essential, businesses can potentially benefit from understanding customs implications before a product reaches the border.
Trade & Tariff Studio is designed to help companies assess product classification, duty implications and regulatory requirements earlier.
This can allow importers to identify potential issues before products enter the supply chain.
For example, a business could evaluate the potential customs implications of a product during sourcing or product development rather than discovering a classification problem after goods have already been manufactured and shipped.
This approach can provide companies with more opportunities to adjust sourcing strategies, evaluate alternatives or prepare appropriate documentation.
AI-Powered HTS Classification Support
Product classification is one of the most important aspects of customs management.
Products imported into a country must generally be assigned appropriate tariff classifications, which can influence the duties and other customs requirements associated with the shipment.
For businesses managing thousands or even millions of products, classification can become a significant operational challenge.
Trade & Tariff Studio uses AI-powered guidance to help customers evaluate Harmonized Tariff Schedule, or HTS, classifications.
The platform is designed to provide supporting logic and trade intelligence that can help users understand why a particular classification may apply.
The objective is to reduce manual effort while providing businesses with information that can support more informed classification decisions.
For organizations managing extensive product catalogs, this capability could be particularly valuable.
Bulk Classification for Large Product Catalogs
Large retailers, manufacturers and multinational businesses may manage thousands of stock-keeping units across multiple markets.
Reviewing each product individually can require substantial time and resources.
The enhanced Trade & Tariff Studio includes bulk catalog classification capabilities designed to support large product portfolios.
The ability to process thousands of SKUs can help companies scale classification activities and reduce the amount of manual work required.
This can be especially useful when businesses introduce new products, expand into new markets or need to review existing classifications in response to regulatory changes.
By automating portions of the classification workflow, businesses can focus human expertise on more complex cases and strategic decisions.
Evaluating Sourcing and Product Design
Customs considerations can also influence business decisions well before a shipment is created.
Sourcing locations, materials, manufacturing processes and product configurations can all have implications for landed costs and trade compliance.
Trade & Tariff Studio is designed to help businesses model these factors and evaluate potential tariff and duty impacts.
For example, an organization could compare sourcing options to understand how changes in production location or material composition might affect the customs cost of a product.
This type of analysis can help companies incorporate customs considerations into broader supply chain planning.
Rather than treating customs as an administrative function that follows sourcing decisions, businesses can potentially use trade intelligence as an input into sourcing and product development strategies.
Improving Visibility Into Landed Costs
Tariffs and duties are important components of the total cost associated with moving products internationally.
When tariff exposure changes unexpectedly, companies may face higher landed costs than originally anticipated.
The ability to model duty implications earlier can therefore support better financial and supply chain planning.
Trade & Tariff Studio is designed to help customers evaluate how tariff changes and sourcing decisions could influence landed costs.
Greater visibility can help businesses compare alternatives and make decisions based on a broader understanding of supply chain expenses.
This capability is particularly relevant for companies operating in competitive markets where relatively small changes in landed cost can influence product margins.
Continuous Monitoring of Regulatory Changes
Global trade regulations can change quickly.
Governments may introduce new tariff actions, customs rulings and other regulatory measures that affect importers.
Keeping track of these developments manually can be difficult, particularly for multinational organizations operating across numerous jurisdictions.
The expanded Trade & Tariff Studio is designed to continuously scan regulatory developments, tariff actions and customs rulings.
This monitoring capability is intended to help businesses identify emerging trade risks and respond to changes more quickly.
By connecting regulatory intelligence with other customs workflows, the platform can provide a more comprehensive view of potential compliance impacts.
Supporting Government Agency Requirements
Customs compliance does not always involve tariff classification and duties alone.
Imported products may also be subject to requirements imposed by government agencies responsible for areas such as food safety, environmental protection and consumer protection.
Trade & Tariff Studio is designed to help businesses navigate overlapping government agency requirements, including requirements associated with agencies such as the FDA and EPA.
This capability is particularly important for companies operating in regulated industries.
Understanding which government requirements apply to a particular product can be complex, especially when products cross multiple borders.
By bringing additional regulatory intelligence into the trade management workflow, the platform is designed to help companies identify requirements earlier and prepare accordingly.
Supporting Audit Readiness
Customs compliance does not end when goods have cleared the border.
Companies may need to maintain documentation, review previous declarations and respond to audits or regulatory inquiries.
The enhanced platform therefore includes capabilities designed to support post-declaration review and audit readiness.
Automated document generation and compliance workflows can help businesses organize information and establish more consistent processes.
Post-declaration review can also provide an opportunity to identify potential classification or compliance issues that may need to be addressed.
For large organizations, having a structured process for reviewing customs activity can help strengthen overall compliance management.
Conversational AI Simplifies Trade Intelligence
Another important feature of Trade & Tariff Studio is its conversational AI interface.
Users can interact with the platform using natural language rather than relying exclusively on complex software menus or technical search functions.
The platform also allows users to upload product photos and technical documents or submit product links.
This provides multiple ways for users to provide information about a product and request trade or compliance insights.
For businesses, a conversational interface can make trade intelligence more accessible to employees who may not be customs specialists.
Instead of navigating multiple systems or manually searching through large amounts of information, users can ask questions and receive relevant insights through a more intuitive interaction.
Connecting the Entire Customs Lifecycle
The broader objective of the expanded platform is to connect activities that have traditionally been handled separately.
The customs lifecycle can involve product development, sourcing, classification, tariff analysis, documentation, customs filing, regulatory monitoring and post-entry review.
When these activities operate in separate systems, information can become fragmented.
This can make it more difficult for businesses to maintain a consistent view of trade risk.
Trade & Tariff Studio seeks to address this issue by connecting early-stage planning with downstream customs execution and post-declaration activities.
The result is intended to be a more continuous customs workflow.
Helping Businesses Manage Trade Risk
Trade uncertainty can create significant challenges for importers.
Businesses may need to respond to tariff changes, evolving regulations and shifts in global sourcing patterns.
A platform that provides earlier visibility into potential customs implications can help companies prepare for these developments.
Trade & Tariff Studio is designed to help customers identify potential classification issues, evaluate tariff exposure and understand regulatory requirements before products enter the supply chain.
This can support more proactive risk management.
Rather than discovering a problem after a shipment has arrived, companies can potentially identify issues earlier when there are more options available to address them.
Relevance for High-Volume Importers
The expanded platform is particularly relevant to businesses managing large and complex international supply chains.
High-volume retailers may manage thousands of products across multiple markets.
Manufacturers may source raw materials and components from numerous countries.
Regulated industries may need to comply with requirements from multiple government agencies.
Multinational enterprises may also face different customs requirements across every market in which they operate.
For these organizations, centralized trade intelligence can potentially reduce fragmentation and improve consistency.
The combination of AI-assisted classification, bulk processing, regulatory monitoring and audit support can help address multiple stages of customs management.
Integrating Trade Intelligence With Logistics
The development of Trade & Tariff Studio also complements Maersk’s wider logistics and customs capabilities.
Maersk operates across multiple areas of the global supply chain, including ocean transportation, logistics, terminals and customs services.
Connecting trade intelligence with physical supply chain execution can provide customers with a more integrated approach to international trade management.
For businesses, customs decisions are closely connected to the movement of physical goods.
A classification decision can influence duties. A regulatory requirement can affect documentation. A tariff change can alter sourcing economics.
By connecting these elements, businesses can potentially gain a more comprehensive understanding of how trade decisions affect their supply chains.
The Growing Role of AI in Customs
The expansion of Trade & Tariff Studio also illustrates the growing role of artificial intelligence in customs and supply chain management.
AI can process large amounts of information quickly and support activities that would otherwise require significant manual effort.
In customs management, potential applications include product classification, regulatory monitoring, document analysis and compliance support.
However, effective use of AI requires reliable data and industry expertise.
Maersk’s approach combines AI capabilities with its customs knowledge, providing a foundation for applying the technology to real-world trade requirements.
The goal is not simply to automate individual tasks but to create a connected environment in which AI can support decision-making across the customs lifecycle.
Preparing for a More Dynamic Trade Environment
Global trade is likely to remain dynamic as governments adjust tariffs, introduce new regulations and respond to changes in economic and geopolitical conditions.
For businesses, this means customs management will increasingly need to become a continuous process rather than a one-time compliance activity.
Companies will need to monitor changes, evaluate their impact and adjust sourcing or logistics strategies when necessary.
Platforms such as Trade & Tariff Studio can provide technology to support this ongoing process.
By bringing trade intelligence into earlier supply chain decisions, businesses can potentially become more proactive in managing customs exposure.
A Broader Vision for Customs Management
The latest release of Maersk Trade & Tariff Studio represents a broader vision for how customs can be managed in the future.
Instead of treating customs as a back-office activity focused primarily on declarations, the platform positions trade intelligence as a strategic component of supply chain planning.
Classification, tariffs, sourcing, regulatory requirements, customs execution and audits are interconnected.
Understanding those connections can help businesses make more informed decisions.
The platform’s expanded capabilities are designed to bring these areas together through AI-powered workflows and a conversational user experience.
Maersk’s expanded Trade & Tariff Studio represents another step toward a more connected and proactive approach to customs management.
Building on the platform’s initial launch in 2025, the latest release extends its capabilities across trade planning, AI-assisted classification, tariff analysis, regulatory monitoring, customs execution and post-declaration audit support.
The platform is designed to help businesses understand customs implications earlier, evaluate sourcing decisions, manage large product catalogs and respond to regulatory developments.
Its conversational AI interface also provides a more accessible way for users to interact with trade intelligence, including through natural-language questions, product images, technical documents and product links.
For high-volume retailers, manufacturers, regulated industries and multinational enterprises, these capabilities could help address some of the growing complexity associated with global trade.
As tariffs and customs regulations continue to evolve, companies increasingly need visibility into potential risks before goods reach the border.
By connecting customs intelligence with sourcing, product development and supply chain execution, Maersk is positioning Trade & Tariff Studio as a broader trade management platform rather than simply a customs filing tool.
The development ultimately reflects a larger transformation taking place across global logistics. Customs decisions are becoming more closely connected to procurement, sourcing, product design, transportation and financial planning.
For businesses operating international supply chains, the ability to understand those connections earlier could become an increasingly important competitive advantage.
With its combination of artificial intelligence, customs expertise and integrated logistics capabilities, Maersk’s expanded Trade & Tariff Studio aims to help companies move from reactive customs compliance toward more proactive, data-driven trade management.
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