Partnerships to open up Zimbabwean trade

Bridge Shipping
Zimbabwe, Standard Bank
and Cargo-partner have
joined forces to create a
banking and international
logistics partnership
to assist importers and
exporters rebuild their
businesses.
Standard Bank Private
Equity acquired a 30%
stake in the Bridge
Shipping Group in 2008
as part of a management
buy-out. Standard Bank
is present in 17 African
countries, with a global
presence in 21. A strategic
partnership with China’s
largest bank, the Industrial
and Commercial Bank
of China, has opened up
further opportunities, says
Michelle Hayes of Bridge
Shipping.
Cargo-partner is an
international full-service
forwarding company, with
its head office in Vienna
Austria. It has over 100
offices around the world.
Bridge Shipping
Zimbabwe, based in
Harare, offers the full
range of road, sea and air
freight services, providing
clearing and forwarding
and specialising in tobacco,
cotton, coffee and sugar
exports.
“The Zimbabwe
operation plays an integral
role in the Bridge Group’s
total service offering,
providing clearing at
various border crossings
throughout Africa,
warehousing facilities,
inland truck and rail
transportation, clearing and
international forwarding,
procurement into Africa
as well as chartering and
sourcing of bulk vessels
at all Southern African
ports,” said Hayes.