New perishable facility opens in CT

HAD AIRCRAFT space been available, we could have handled 2000 - 3000 tons more cargo last season.
That was the message from Rohlig m.d. Peter Krafft at the official opening of a new 3335 square metre warehouse and 1000 square metre office complex built for Rohlig Airfreight and Perishable Cargo Agents
in Cape Town.
The new complex is situated adjacent to Customs House and the SAA freight terminal . In accordance with Rohlig's ISO9002 accreditation, the facility was built to SABS/ISO/EU standards. The warehouse has four freezer/chill transit rooms and palletised cargo can be stored at temperatures of -15 deg. A controlled atmosphere holding facility can accommodate up to 14 airline pallets.
Problems were expected in the first season in a deregulated market, but negotiations are already underway with the major airlines for the next peak season, he said.
He warned, however, that future exports would depend strongly on negotiations in Brussels regarding the full acceptance of SA to the Lome Convention and the question of duty free access of agricultural products
into the EU market. Presently our neighbours have the privilege of duty exemptions where South Africa has duty on C & F value enabling our neighbours to offer higher freight rates to the carriers. A lot of airspace is thus lost to Harare or Nairobi. But Krafft is adamant that everything possible will be done to ensure increased capacity in the coming season.
Rohlig is also in the throes of a major upgrade of its computer equipment. South Africa has, within the world wide Rohlig organisation, taken the lead to develop an EDI system between offices here and abroad.
Our aim is to have the system fully in place by the end of the year.
By Steve Saunders