From ports to apps – keeping cargo moving around the world

Bulk! It’s big, it’s dusty, it’s dirty – and LBH South Africa and Mozambique wouldn’t have it any other way. For managing director Athol Emerton, bulk isn’t just a business, it’s a passion rooted in childhood. “Every kid loves a bucket, a spade and the joy of digging in. Well, we’ve grown up, but the fascination hasn’t gone away. Today it’s bulk cargo we dig into: stockpiles, vessels, tons upon tons, every single day. And we still love it,” he said. LBH’s story in bulk shipping goes back to the mid-1980s. “We started with coal from South Africa into Rotterdam, then coal from Colombia into the US and Europe, iron ore from Brazil and Australia to China, and coal from Indonesia to India and Malaysia,” said Emerton. “It was an exciting time then – and it’s just as exciting today.” LBH operates a network spanning 25 countries and more than 100 offices, offering services from load port to discharge port. “Our prime focus remains bulk cargo. It is an industry that brings challenges every day, and our teams are constantly working to meet them. Most of the ships we handle are moving from one LBH office to another across the globe – a reflection of our interconnected network,” said Emerton. “We move vessels through key transit points with LBH Panama for the Canal and LBH Egypt for the Suez. Our marketing teams in eight global trade centres are in daily contact with customers, ensuring we remain close to developments.” The company has invested heavily in in-house technology. Supported by a dedicated development team, LBH has built multiple systems, including a client-facing app that provides live ship and cargo information during vessel loading or discharge. The platform is designed to be reliable and scalable, with the capacity to operate across ports worldwide. According to Emerton, LBH has been at the forefront of several bulk shipping milestones. “Over the years, we’ve seen all things bulk, including operating our own terminals for a few years. We were agents for the first coal cargo loaded from the ‘clean cargo’ side in Richards Bay, handled the first coal transhippers out of Beira – a task many thought impossible – and managed the first ilmenite cargoes from Mozambique, all among a long list of industry ‘firsts’ we’re proud of,” he said. He said the company’s expansion was continuing. “We’ve just opened LBH Kenya, with plans under way for another East African country office and two new countries in West Africa. Our growth focus is Africa – the biggest continent in the world, with the richest resources.” LV