NVOCC almost trebels SA/Mauritius business

Since formalising an exclusive partnership two years ago, independent groupage operator International Liner Agencies (ILA) and ED Logistics Mauritius have seen their collective business almost treble. The recently launched weekly direct Cape Town LCL service – the route used to be from Port Louis via Durban to Cape Town – shaves almost a week off the time it takes to move goods between the two ports. Kevin Taylor, sales director of ILA, ascribes the success between the two partners to a similar service ethic. “Customers still want a reliable, cost-effective service that offers the most efficient delivery times. By having strategic alliances in place on key trade routes, we ensure a seamless f low of information, provide end-to-end visibility and broaden our scope of services.” he said. ILA trade lane manager, Vimlen Govender, added that both parties had an alliance with the same overseas neutral non-vessel operating common carrier (NVOCC) operators, which further boosted the groups’ transparency and the ability to offer customers the best solutions for crosstrade development. According to Eric Wong, MD of ED Logistics, the Mauritian government is committed to growing global trade – including trade to and from South Africa – and is planning to increase the port terminal capacity as well as the airport to accommodate more seafreight and airfreight carriers. Wong was on a twoweek visit to South Africa earlier this month to market the new weekly direct LCL service into Cape Town from Mauritius, as well as to promote a transhipment service from Mauritius into the other Indian Ocean Islands, namely Madagascar, Reunion, Seychelles and Comores. INSERT The Mauritian government is committed to growing global trade — including trade to and from South Africa. – Eric Wong CAPTION Partners... Kevin Taylor, Eric Wong and Vimlen Govender.