AWS expands footprint into Beir, Maputo

Zimbabwean full service logistics company Allan Wack and Shepherd (AWS) is strengthening its presence in the Mozambican ports of Beira and Maputo in order to reduce delays and costs for its clients. This follows the expansion of the company to provide services throughout the region, according to Sheila Mashiri, managing director. The AWS service portfolio includes customs clearing, forwarding, transportation and warehousing while the company has a presence in Zimbabwe, Zambia, Mozambique, Malawi and South Africa. “We will continue to provide our specialised logistics services from our base in Harare, but our focus is now regional. “It is time to expand from our base in the domestic market, and to capitalise on the skills, systems and network we have built up,” she says. The company currently has warehouses in Harare, Mutare and Blantyre. Both bonded and general goods space is available in the highly secured facilities. Freight services within Zimbabwe include same day and overnight collection and delivery making use of its own f leet of 3.5 ton trucks. Transport is contracted in for larger loads as part of the AWS philosophy of working with existing specialists rather than trying to compete against them. Where cargo agents have a presence on the ground and the necessary expertise AWS is happy to leave the clearing up to them while managing the forwarding and other aspects, says Mashiri. “We try to help people where we can. As long as they can do the job we will work with the smaller companies in order to share the cake,” she says. In Maputo AWS is making use of the Matola terminal to load and consolidate both inbound and outbound cargo for the hinterland. Matola is equipped to handle most types of cargo. Customers are successfully using the route through Swaziland to reach Maputo, she says. AWS decided to use both Beira and Maputo in order to evaluate the performance of the two ports and their connectivity. “Beira is Zimbabwe’s port of choice due to the much lower costs compared to Durban and quicker delivery times,” she says. INSERT & CAPTION We will continue to provide our specialised logistics services from our base in Harare, but our focus is now regional. – Sheila Mashiri