Safmarine extends automotive service along the supply chain

AS SAFMARINE’S automotive customers in southern Africa extend their supply chains with their Asian partners, so the line is expanding and improving its service to auto shippers in this trade lane.
The line uses hub ports to ‘connect’ containers from different Asian regions onto a Safari vessel to ensure that all units arrive at the destination port in a single ship. “This service greatly enhances customers’ assembly and JIT requirements,” says Asia trade manager Wilson Liu.
“We like to think our approach is slightly different. Delivering materials inside Africa requires specialist knowledge, and we acquire that knowledge by having our people from Asia visit our South African customers to understand their requirements ‘on the other side’. We also regularly host visits from the Safmarine automotive team in South Africa who visit our customers throughout the Asia region to listen to their side of the story.”
According to Alex de Bruyn, Africa trades executive for Safmarine, South Africa is steadily gaining international respect as a dependable supplier of both built up vehicles and auto parts.
And the automotive industry, in common with other industries, is continually looking to shipping lines to provide more value-added services.
“Some of our special service packages to the automotive industry include managing the unpacking of containers and delivery of cargo to the production facility. Safmarine also oversees the returnable packaging from collection of empty packaging to shipment and operates on-site container depots at certain manufacturing plants.”
Safmarine transports both car components and assembled cars in containers. “Cars in containers score over the use of car carriers in terms of frequency of service, transit times, enhanced security, reduced damage and the ability to supply vehicles to smaller markets,” he said.