Additional warehousing gears up for agri-product growth

Although mineral exports from Africa took a bit of a beating from the global recession and the resultant international slowdown in the refining industry, at least copper seems to be recovering somewhat, according to Quinton Giles, group sales manager of Bridge Shipping. Copper movements from DRC/Zambia slowed down towards the third quarter of 2011, but the Bridge group tonnages have now grown back to the levels experienced in mid-2008, he told FTW. “This growth in the copper sector has been a major boost,” he added. “And it’s not only for the movement of copper through our Ndola/ Durban facilities, but it once again allows us to overcome one of the biggest challenges facing us in dealings with Africa, and that is cargo imbalances. “When there is a slowdown in copper exports southbound we have more cargo flowing in one direction than the return leg. But the pick-up in copper volumes allows us to ensure that the majority of capacity under our control – both road and rail – is utilised on a bi-directional basis.” Giles is also confident that agri-product exports will be on the up and up this next season. “To meet this expected volume increase, we have recently taken on additional warehousing in Johannesburg to allow for larger-than-normal agricultural type cargo tonnages which will be under our control during the 2012/13 season,” he said. CAPTION Quinton Giles … ‘copper recovering.’