Independent container terminal opens its doors in Lusaka

Kevin Mayhew AN INDEPENDENTLY operated container terminal facility that offers a full spread of services for shipping lines and agents for the storage of empty and full containers recently opened its doors in Lusaka. The Independent Container Terminal in the Chinika area of the capital will hold up to 5000 containers when all its phases of development are completed, according to Yogesh Kuntawala of Celtic Freight Zambia, which established the facility as an independent company. “The old container depot closed down some time ago and we decided to open the new facility as it is now needed again given the improvement in the economy,” explains Kuntawala. The new terminal began operating on April 1 and is already being utilised by two shipping lines, he said. In May, Celtic opened a modern weighbridge to allow for vehicle packing by measuring both gross vehicle mass and axle limits. At present the company is negotiating with the Zambian Road Traffic Council to have its weighbridge certificates accepted as accurate which will have an impact on policing of overloading and insurance issues. The depot has a stone surface, tight security, and forklifts for up to 15 tons with spreader unit and two side shifters that can offload/load containers of up to 34MT gross weight. Celtic is an independent freight forwarder with its head office in Johannesburg.