Export volumes via ocean
freight are down by five
percent this year largely
due to labour unrest in the
mining and steel sectors. Yet,
as an industrialised nation,
South Africa should be
doing better in general as an
export nation.
So said Dirk Hoffmann,
managing director of
Safmarine Southern Africa,
speaking at the Transport
Special Interest Group (SIG)
Forum in Johannesburg
last week around the need
to develop the maritime
industry in South Africa.
He noted that if South
Africa wanted to retain its
status as a gateway in the
sub-Saharan region and
compete as a meaningful
global maritime trade
player, it needed to invest
in skills and boost its
manufacturing capacity.
Hoffman said the
sanctions imposed on Russia
by many of its traditional
trading partners had also
opened up new export
opportunities for South
Africa.
He also noted that the
industry needed move
towards more automation
and standardisation to make
it easier to do business with
the shipping lines.
INSERT & CAPTION
South Africa should
be doing better as an
export nation.
– Dirk Hoffmann
