Keeping the Volvo Yacht Race moving …

It’s not only the participants who have had to face up to the challenge of the Volvo Ocean Yacht Race to which Cape Town has played host. For GAC Laser, which is the local logistics provider via associate GAC Pindar, the official logistics provider for the race, it’s been a mammoth task – and with no room for error, says GAC Laser CEO Simon Hayes. “Identical pavilions of the sponsors and team areas are required in each of the ports. To do this two replicas have been built and then flat packed. While one village is in use the other is shipped to the next port – it’s a leapfrog system,” he explains. GAC Pindar provides a complete logistics support package, including transportation, customs clearance of pavilions and hospitality infrastructure for the race villages, broadcast and other support equipment to the ports over the duration of the race. The 12th Volvo Ocean Race kicked off in Alicante in Spain in the first week of October and ends in June 2015 in Gothenburg in Sweden. A total of 38 739 nautical miles is clocked up and 11 ports visited during this time – with exactly the same race village constructed at each port. “It is a logistical challenge. Over and above all of the cargo for the race village, the cargo and clearing also includes the team gear, spare parts for the yachts and everything the teams need for this enduring adventure,” he says. “The deadlines are exceptionally tight – not only in getting the cargo to the current village being constructed but packing it up and shipping it out to the next port.” The yacht race, which started in 1972 and is held every three years, previously saw individual logistics service providers contracted in each country to handle logistics, but a decision was taken to contract one global company to ensure a more consistent and smooth service throughout the event. There was a lot of preparation from a logistical point of view prior to the start of the race, with the GAC Pindar team travelling over 30 000 miles themselves to recce each of the host ports and understand the specific requirements in each country. As the logistics service provider, the company is responsible for ensuring that each race village is in place by deadline. The value of the cargo runs into millions of dollars, with the spare boat parts being strategically stored by teams across the globe and valued at several million dollars. “Logistics management is absolutely crucial to the operational delivery of the Volvo Ocean Race,” says Hayes. The yachts departed Cape Town on November 19 heading for Abu Dhabi. The South African cargo will be shipped out by the end of November destined for Sanya in China. The GAC Laser team will pack up the containers and pallets and have them ready for shipment within a 10-day time span. INSERT & CAPTION While one village is in use the other is shipped to the next port – it’s a leapfrog system. – Simon Hayes