Plea from lines for timely forecasting

Greater consolidation in the perishables sector is one of the major trends of 2013, according to Graham Schrieder, southern Africa reefer channel manager for Maersk Line. “This is to gain economies of scale, market information and allows for the sharing of business platforms,” he says. Market dynamics have shifted back to the traditional trade patterns and growth has been recorded in key markets such as Europe, Middle East and Asia. South Africa to Europe has seen very strong growth in the first half of 2013. There is however still a strong interest in nontraditional markets, he added. Schrieder believes a key challenge is the accuracy of forecasting by customers. “Forecasting is essential to ensure that we have the right equipment available in the right ports at the right time where it is required on a global basis as well as locally in southern Africa. As an industry we have to look more closely at forecasting accuracy and reducing allocation volatility,” he said. “The seasonality of perishable products combined with the dynamic nature of the global markets place significant pressure on the local infrastructure and ocean carriers. The onus therefore shifts to the shipping industry to provide accurate and timely communication to enable carriers to plan accordingly and to ensure that we have space and equipment available.” Another major concern that has impacted the industry has been citrus black spot which has increased costs as well as time spent on documentation, he said. The challenges surrounding black spot are also adding to the pressures, with cargo being diverted to other markets before and after the vessels depart. “And while infrastructural constraints across the supply chain can create challenges with regard to delivering cargo on time, by improving accessibility to containers and landside facilities, costs can be reduced, thereby making South Africa more competitive globally,” he said. The company is currently trialling its Remote Container Management (RCM) programme and will be looking to roll this out commercially over the next few months. “This will provide customers with transparency and the ability to monitor the temperature inside the container during transportation.” INSERT & CAPTION Remote Container Management programme enables temperature monitoring inside the container during transportation. – Graham Schrieder