Antwerp fruit logistics centre woos local shippers - Ray Smuts

BELGIAN PERISHABLES specialist Guy Goossens is in South Africa to fish, not for piscatorial species, you understand, but to land business for a new state-of-the-art fruit logistical centre opening in Antwerp on May 2 after 10 days trial.
The ambitious venture known as Antwerp Fruit Logistics or Afru-Log, has been developed based on GoossensÕ experience of more than 50 years in the perishables business and combines shipping with handling, warehousing, controlling, document handling and transportation.
Phyto-sanitary certificates and customs controls will be available when required and the companyÕs watchword will be flexibility as it offers a 24-hour a day service to include weekends and holidays.
In Cape Town last week to meet with shippers and exporters, Goossens told FTW that 85% of all fruit and vegetables shipped to Northern Europe was off-loaded at either Rotterdam or Antwerp.
ÒThey are in competition with each other but we believe Antwerp is particularly suited to handle the logistics for European countries and the United Kingdom. We are also aware that the South African market could be very important for us.Ó
As to AntwerpÕs desirable location, the new, wholly-independent facility is only 300km by road from Paris - a substantial market - 400km from London and 280km from Cologne.
Located a mere 500 metres from quayside and about the same distance from the major turnpike feeding freeways to a number of large European cities, Afru-Log is being developed on 55 111 sq metres of land with three railway spurs each capable of handling 22 refrigerated wagons, parking for 450 trucks and power connection for 50 reefer containers.
Being undertaken in phases, the first will have capacity for between 5 000 and 7 000 pallets of fruit and vegetables. Phase 2, with 8 000 tons of freezer capacity, will be commissioned on June 1 to include a special facility for caviar - first of its kind in the world.
Due to follow in September is a 2 000sq m fruit and vegetables packing and repacking facility after which the remaining two planned phases wll be undertaken upon evaluation of further requirements.
Basil Petzer, m.d. of importer/exporter Byki Produce and South African representative for Afru-Log, says: ÒThis is a substantial undertaking and should be of considerable benefit to South African fruit and vegetable exporters requiring a modern facility to store and distribute products quickly and efficiently.Ó