Volumes have been softer than expected in 2019 but neutral consolidator CFR Freight remains confident that the market will rebound. In the interim, said Martin Keck, Group CEO, a lot of effort was going into securing additional capacity on key routes ahead of demand.
According to Keck several new services have been launched in recent months including sea freight imports from Vietnam and Bangladesh to Durban, and Turkey to Cape Town. Hilton Tait, CFR road freight manager, said the company’s new road freight consolidation service into the DRC servicing both
Lubumbashi and Kolwezi via Kitwe in Zambia had been making inroads. In the airfreight space the company’s blocked space agreement (BSA) with Virgin Atlantic Cargo from the US into South Africa was proving to be very successful. “It has now been operational for just over five months and we have already had to request additional capacity for this,” said Stephen Bishop, airfreight director. “The service hubs cargo from all around the US into London where it is consolidated and sent
into South Africa with guaranteed capacity.” According to Keck a targeted strategy to deliver growth across all modes of the business remains in place. This requires continuous development and investment in IT solutions, hard and software as well as staff. In Cape Town, a new depot manager had been appointed for ZacPak, said managing director Willie Nel. In Johannesburg, both the road and airfreight teams increased their staff contingencies. The company also appointed Mike Whysall
as the new trade lane manager in the ocean freight department. Lee Viljoen, the company’s ocean freight director, told FTW that it was all about ensuring the right staff were in the right position. “As CFR and its WWA network enjoys the most direct services to and from South Africa, it is critical that regular and detailed analysis is done on all cargo movement. This allows CFR and its partners to be proactive with the development of bespoke products around new areas and verticals to align with the needs of our clients,” she said. Plans were under way to move the Cape Town facility while an expansion of the Johannesburg headquarters was also on the cards, said Keck.
CAPTION: Several new services have been launched including seafreight imports from Vietnam and Bangladesh to Durban. – Martin Keck
