‘A competent agent is key for this difficult market’

The language barrier and unfamiliarity
with the local business systems are
the key complaints of shippers into
Angola, who nonetheless want to
break into the growing market there.
Gary Wagner of RB Freight
Management advises: “Angola
is very, very different from other
markets. Having a competent agent
in Angola is the key to success as
they understand and are safe with the
Angola systems.”
Forwarding company RB Freight
Management is headquartered in
Durban with a Jo’burg office. The
firm ships globally but specialises in
Africa, where its offices can be found
in Tanzania, Mozambique, Kenya and
Namibia. A new office will open in
Angola shortly, Wagner said.
“But we’ve been in Angola for
several years. We have a clearing
agent at the Santa Clara border.
Currently we ship mining equipment,
spare parts (motor industry and
mining), food, brewing equipment and
also offer a procurement option for
some of our clients. We use all major
shipping lines. For over a month
we have used our own vessel out of
Walvis Bay, the Soranjos, for carrying
unitised cargo,” he said.
With vessels stuck at outer
anchorage in Luanda port for long
periods of time, shippers must expect
berthing delays.
“Our airfreight department can
manage cargo by air and we are
looking into expanding this service.
In the past we have airfreighted
mining and other machinery for
servicing and reworking back to
SA, and then have re-imported the
equipment to Luanda and other
African countries after the servicing
and repair work was completed. A
problem with the (Luanda) airport
is that shipments go missing, due to
excess airfreight cargo in the air cargo
area,” Wagner said.
With all the challenges of doing
business there, is the country worth
the hassle?
In Wagner’s view there is no
question. “Angola is a very expensive
but a very worthwhile market.”