New multi-modal facility helps reduce costs

Ndola’s most modern multimodal and multi-user facility is open for business. The Bridge shipping warehouse and container park will cover six hectares of property alongside the T3 trunk road which leads to the Democratic Republic of Congo via Chingola. Investment in the new facility is in response to the market becoming increasingly competitive and shippers more demanding, says Bridge Shipping Zambia managing director Chris Chipimo. It will help Bridge to continue to add value to its services and reduce costs for its customers, he said. “All companies are under pressure to reduce costs. Logistics is one of the first areas they focus on. We believe we can help reduce costs by adding value.” One of the ways in which Bridge adds value is helping shippers to plan and constantly adapt their logistics routes. Until relatively recently the default choice was Durban. Dar es Salaam has since become an option, and now Beira and Walvis Bay are both attractive choices for certain cargoes and destinations, he says. Bridge Zambia offers a full range of logistics services, including warehousing, clearing, forwarding and transhipment. Its focus is on minerals and agricultural products – an area which is expanding due to government support for the sector. “Zambia has the best climate in the region for agriculture, and we have traditionally relied on smallscale farmers. It is the best way to create jobs and to diversify the economy,” he says. Agricultural equipment is imported duty free into Zambia, and farmers are also allowed to purchase second-hand tractors and other machinery. Low-cost interventions such as the banning of edible oil imports and forcing the chain stores to source items such as peanut butter and honey locally have already boosted agricultural production.