‘Regulated agent’ status will further streamline cargo movement

Ensuring safe and swift delivery of cargo requires attention to security concerns, and shipping to Angola is no exception. “Security and safety in the freight industry has always been a major problem. However, most of our cargo to Angola gets hand-checked and inspected by SGS, Cotecna or Bureau Veritas before loading. Numerous photos are taken and containers get sealed by the relevant inspection company,” said Hannes Rust, managing director of Sandtonbased Chavda Freight. “Most of our vehicles are fitted with satellite tracking and we’re also in direct and constant contact with our drivers. We have contact people at all the border posts as well as the major cities along the route. All vehicles stop at these points for checking cargo as well as documentation. We also make sure that when possible vehicles travel in convoys for added safety and security,” Rust said. For ten years, the Chavda Group has shipped to and from Angola, moving mainly mining and construction equipment but also cargo ranging from stationery, perishables and computers to big vehicles and earthmoving equipment. “We are also in the process of becoming a regulated agent as stipulated in Part 108 of the Civil Aviation Authority act which will result in the seamless movement of our cargo to the airline. If everything goes according to plan we should be regulated by the end of October this year,” Rust said.