Co-ordination is key to effective cargo control

ALAN PEAT A LOT of people are claiming to be “project cargo specialists”, when the best boast they have is moving an occasional 200-ton machine unit, according to Peter Krafft, MD of Röhlig Grindrod. “There are only a few people who handle true project cargoes of at least 20 000-freight tons – not the small one-off shipments,” he said. “And this includes all sorts of shipping – bulk, breakbulk and even airfreight. It’s a total logistical supply chain that is needed to be in the top project cargo league.” Like the latest job awarded to Röhlig Grindrod – the Moma project in Mozambique from Batemans, which involved moving the whole plant to destination from Australian, European and South African sources. “That’s the total infrastructure from zero,” Krafft told FTW. This and a US$20-million bill for freight and related total logistics costs. This sort of cargo needs a wide range of specialised knowledge – everything from abnormal transport to customs and permits, from freight security to routing, and from financing to currency risk and insurance risk management. “You also have to use the correct specified equipment and ensure that it’s cost-effective,” said Krafft. “A lot of cargo control is needed. You can’t just leave it to the contractors alone.” It’s not just simple clearing and forwarding, according to Krafft, it’s the total supply chain. “You can’t handle this sort of thing in an ordinary import department,” he told FTW. “You need a specialised department with good co-ordination to meet the deadlines.” In the Röhlig Grindrod group this is provided by an international network of project handling companies – particularly in Australia, Europe and the Far East. “We pool our resources,” said Krafft, “and share the considerable expertise within the project group.”