Own depots help reduce transit time for consols

Growing its African footprint and extending services in and out of Africa is top priority for independent sea and airfreight consolidator and container freight station operator, CFR Freight. According to CEO Peter Schmidt-Löffler, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Mozambique have recorded significant growth in the past few months and are therefore high priorities going forward. “Our global network, the WorldWideAlliance, allows us to service the entire continent through gateways such as Hamburg, Antwerp and Rotterdam,” he said. “We currently have regular direct services to Maputo, Dar es Salaam, Mombasa, Luanda, Tema and Lagos.” Demand-driven expansion is however always on the agenda. Schmidt-Löffler said airfreight volumes into Africa were also on an upward trajectory. “We have seen a major increase not only in enquiries but also in actual shipments from all over the globe. Our network of neutral consolidators, The AirCargo Goup, has been a great contributor to the success.” Doing business in Africa is not without challenges and risks – and keeping track of cargo is a vital element in the mix. “We have to ensure the necessary IT capabilities are in place so that we can track shipments not just from CFS to CFS or airport to airport,” he told FTW. “We have all the milestones in place from when the shipment is booked to the final release at destination – be it an import or an export.” Operating in the highly competitive African market, adding value is a key differentiator, says Schmidt- Löffler. “By operating our own depots, ZacPak, we are able to reduce transit times on all transhipments as well as local deliveries within South Africa, and next day delivery is the norm,” he said. “Through our networks we are able to offer our clients, the freight forwarding and clearing agents, a complete package – both import and export – whether it is ex works or DDP. We also “freight collect” within Africa through our trusted partners and agents. “The economic climate is already tough and our clients need to be able to concentrate on their core business by trusting CFR Freight to be part of the supply chain. Neutrality is key.” INSERT & CAPTION We have all the milestones in place from when the shipment is booked to the final release at destination. – Peter Schmidt-Löffler