“With large
amounts of
cargo being
exported
from South Africa to East Africa,
we are able to offer one-way use
of containers with collection in
SA and drop off in Mozambique,
Kenya and Tanzania,” says Francois
du Plessis, regional sales manager
of the Almar Container Group.
“This offers shippers great
flexibility and allows them to negate
the risk of demurrage and the cost
to return the containers to South
Africa,” he says.
The containers are then made
available for lease or purchase in the
respective East African countries.
“In Mozambique, we currently
have containers in depot facilities in
both Nacala and Maputo,” he says.
Almar was established in 1988 by
managing director Alistair Forbes,
with the core business of leasing and
trading containers.
It now has a global footprint,
which includes offices in South
Africa, Dubai, Brazil, Mombasa,
Luanda and Dar es Salaam.
A Mozambican-registered
company was opened a year ago
in order to cater for the growing
demand, says Du Plessis.
“There are a number of very
large projects currently on the
go in Mozambique, namely the
coal terminal currently being
constructed in Nacala as well as the
upgrading of the railway lines to
Beira and Nacala from Tete.
“These are substantial projects
and will drive a great deal of activity
in the country. In the short- to
medium-term, these projects are
great.
“However, from a long-term
sustainability perspective,
Mozambique has very minimal
industrial output and its growth
is all off the back of its mineral
reserves.
“That said, a recent investment
announced by BP of 62m Euro
into the modernisation of local
infrastructure is one of numerous
signs from the global business
community that Mozambique has a
lot to offer investors,” he says.
In Mozambique, Almar supplies
shipping containers for sale or
rental “largely focused on domestic
or static requirements”, as well as
inland logistics needs.
“We have an alignment with
LBH Mozambique, which has
offices in Maputo, Nacala, Beira
and Pemba and has been operating
in the country for over 20 years.
“Their services include clearing
and forwarding and logistics, so
there is good synergy between the
two companies.
“We also supply flatpack
accommodation modules that have
been very successful in providing
instant space for a rapidly growing
demand for accommodation,
especially in Nacala and Palma,” he
says.
Almar is in the process of
assembling an accommodation
block in Nacala that is due for
completion by the end of November
2013.
Du Plessis says the establishment
of the Mozambican company is part
of a broader African strategy.
“We are looking to expand into
East Africa and Mozambique is just
one of the countries we are looking
to develop.
“It is still early days for us, but we
are positive about the prospects of
the region, especially in the short to
medium term,” he says.
INSERT & CAPTION
Mozambique has a lot to
offer investors.
– Francois du Plessis
