It's about buy-in from all parties

Energy projects in Africa are big business and getting cargo to these sites is a top priority, not only for freight forwarders but for shipping lines and other roleplayers. According to Hendriette Theron, global business development officer Europe/ Africa for BBC Chartering, there is often a time constraint involved and getting the cargo to its final destination as soon as possible is of utmost importance. “It is important that every partner in the logistics transport chain therefore understands what an energy project is and what the unique requirements of these projects are. Also, when it comes to energy one is often transporting very sensitive cargo such as transformers and turbines that have to be handled with utmost care as any damage will mean an impact of months on the project.” Speaking at the Breakbulk Africa conference, Theron said the equipment was of such a specialised nature that even a single knock could damage it permanently. “There are no supermarkets where you can walk in and pick up a new transformer – they take years to build. In the African context it is therefore very important to know who you are dealing with, where you are moving the cargo and how you are going to do that.” She said with several energy projects under way across the continent it was important to carefully look at logistics to ensure the project could be serviced efficiently and timeously.