Afrilog cuts transit times for West Africa-bound cargo

In a challenging market area for
SA companies, Afrilog Groupage
Services (AGS) has successfully
reversed a traditional norm,
according to Simon Busang, business
development manager.
“Historically,” he told FTW, “West
African countries, such as Senegal,
Mali, Nigeria and Cote d‘Ivoire,
have had strong trade links with
European countries. Different factors
like close proximity to Europe, and
Anglo-Franco political relationships
which go back to the colonial days,
contributed to that status quo.”
But AGS felt the need to tap into
the West African market – one that
SA companies were reluctant to
enter.
To succeed at that, the company
had to devise new strategies which
countered the historical connections.
“By embracing more direct
trade routes,” Busang added, “like
transhipping Asian cargo destined
for West Africa via SA, we were able
to reduce shipping transit periods by
up to 50%. For example the typical
transit period between Hong Kong
and Dakar via Europe would take
50-70 days; the AGS routing via SA
equated to 30-35 days.”
You have also got to learn to play
the right tune, according to Busang.
“We are unusual in that we have
offices in SA, West Africa and
Europe – and thus we understand and
relate to Africa’s rhythms.
“In having these strategically
placed offices, as well as
international partnerships, we offer
the freight industry cross-trade
movements from anywhere in the
world into West Africa – with direct
service from SA and ‘flexible freight
collection’ arrangements.”
AGS has also adopted a robust
approach to establishing relationships
with various freight companies.
In Busang’s mind this has aided
the company in addressing the
challenges of offering what he felt
could be described as a unique
service.
“That,” he said, “was in the
handling of freight for the freight
industry, cargo consolidations and
optimisation of transit-time lines
and costs. Effectively managing the
process of transporting cargo in and
around the West Africa region with
minimal difficulty and guaranteed
deliveries.”
Achieving this has served two
primary purposes.
“We are not only meeting our
clients’ needs,” Busang added, “but
creating new and exciting paths
forward for the SA freight industry
into West Africa.”