Rhenus Logistics South Africa has acquired an airside facility at OR Tambo International Airport (Ortia) to ensure the safety of vulnerable cargo, according to the company’s risk manager, Martin Taylor.“The safety of cargo in transit is one of the biggest challenges for the logistics industry in South Africa,” he said.Crime statistics for the first quarter of the year confirm these fears, with a massive 107.6% increase in truck hijackings and 142.1% uptick in cash-in-transit heists.“The challenge to the logistics of vulnerable and high-value goods is not just en route but also on arrival. This makes the need for secure airside facilities with quick turnaround times critical,” he told Freight News.Even though the international airports in South Africa are deemed national key points, the brazen theft that occurs after airline touchdown makes these airports happy hunting grounds for syndicates. Taylor said having an airside facility at Ortia allowed the company to eliminate some of the risk. “It gives the logistics specialist full control over the handling from the moment the consignment touches ground.”The Rhenus facility is particularly suitable for the secure handling of high-risk cargo. These goods include electronics, pharmaceuticals, currency, and other high-value items. “Such items may be particularly vulnerable to theft or pilferage, and we have the level of expertise to minimise the risk of theft and combat the criminal element,” said Taylor, who explained that the facility had been acquired to create an end-to-end solution for vulnerable air imports and exports, enabling it to draw cargo directly from the airside and control the full handling process from the moment of landing. “Our team is onsite and handles the process in its entirety. “Our facility includes material handling equipment, racking and bulk storage, as well as a category 5 vault on site. We provide the highest level of security with 24/7 camera surveillance, armed guards, as well as advanced access and perimeter security that is completed with a generator,” he said.“We are well-positioned at Ortia as our facility enables direct access, bypassing third-party handling, to eliminate costly delays and risky exposure. This means faster transit times from Ortia to our warehouses, improved transparency, better communication, and lower risk due to reduced waiting times.”According to Taylor, from arrival at the airport to goods loading and out of the gate only requires two hours, cutting down the transit time to a minimum.
