Courier service also on offer Leonard Neill WHILE MANY road transporters shy away from the practice of removing goods in bond, it’s just one of the services which Shipping & General provides in its vast service portfolio. “No company can be flawless,” says Shipping & General’s Regan Moodley, “but by keeping our finger on the pulse of all transactions, and seeing to it that all cargo removals, whether in bond or not, are carried out efficiently, mistakes are minimised. The company’s 60-vehicle fleet carries both export and import goods throughout the domestic market with a comprehensive range of services. One, however, which Moodley is finding more and more in demand is the collection of LCL (less than container load) cargoes from licensed depots. These are then delivered to clients, with the company’s Germiston base a mere five km from the City Deep container terminal providing strategic leverage. “Spoornet’s current shortage of rolling stock has worked to our benefit,” says Moodley. “It is forcing exporters to switch more and more to road deliveries to get their boxes to meet stack dates in Durban and Cape Town. That’s where we have come in on a strong basis. We have 20 vehicles dedicated to a rapid service in any emergency and they are called on regularly to meet clients’ needs in the most severe emergency.” One aspect which has not been overlooked has been the multiple provision of drivers to ensure continuous movement of the vehicles so that a single driver does not become over-stressed or tired. There are never less than two drivers in any emergency call, he says The company also offers a courier service to the manufacturing industry providing for the collection of finished products and their cartage to local destinations.
