Beware suitcase operators

Shippers and investors
wanting to move cargo in,
out and through Namibia
are putting their reputations
and their operations at risk if
they opt to contract with oneperson
agencies – or “suitcase
operators” – rather than
established companies, warns
Nico Oberholzer, business
development manager at
Walvis Bay-based Logistics
Support Services (LSS).
He says there are
approximately 80 registered
clearing, forwarding and
shipping agents operating as
logistics suppliers in the Port
of Walvis Bay now.
Some of them do not
have the business support
required to ensure that
their operations are fully
compliant with local and
international standards and
regulations, he warns.
Established companies
like LSS cannot afford to
take risks or short cuts
to circumvent rules and
regulations because of the
reputational risk, he says.