Clearing agents in Zambia are lobbying the Zambian Revenue Authority (ZRA) to allow them to clear consolidation cargo directly in bond from the border into a bonded warehouse rather than at the border, according to Hilton Tait, business development manager at Transtech Logistics. The company’s partner on the Zambia route, Bester Clearing and Forwarding, is dealing with a request for a ruling which would allow final clearance to be done in Lusaka. “As the consolidator we will absorb these bond clearance costs as it will allow Transtech to save approximately three days on the average transit time and will eliminate all delays caused when one late entry holds up the entire truck. “Clients will benefit from better service, and Transtech will turn trucks more quickly and reduce the round-trip transit time – ultimately resulting in more trips per annum,” he says.
