Burgeoning freight industry reflects buoyant economy

Kevin Mayhew THE GENERAL increase in economic activity mainly in mining within Zambia and countries that transit through it has driven economic growth to about 4% per annum and this will probably be maintained and sustain the freight industry. Executive director of SDV Zambia, Bernard Guillot, points out that there are about 250 clearing companies in Zambia which indicates that the freight industry is very competitive and reflects the importance of this sector’s activities in the general economy. “The movement of goods is vital to the growth of the economy although by far the largest portion of the freight forwarding activity is conducted by a handful of major companies,” he says. Freight forwarder SDV Zambia is one of that handful and part of the French-based privately owned Bollore, parent company of Delmas shipping line which operates a fleet of 60 ships between Europe and Africa and the Far East, East and West Africa. The 1998 purchase of Belgian company AMI strengthened its presence in lower and central Africa. All this means that it has access to 130 countries throughout the world. From its Lusaka head office it has staff at Zambia’s airports and main transit border posts who mainly undertake freight forwarding, but it is also involved in stevedoring at key African ports. “We pride ourselves on offering a full logistics service so it means we will consider any services necessary to meet the needs of the marketplace, including rail transport,” explains Guillot.