Shippers’ Council spearheads collaboration initiative

The words “collaboration platform” are top of the agenda at the South African Shippers’ Council (SASC), according to executive director, LM Pelser. In South Africa approximately 1.5-billion tonnes of cargo are moved every year. “To obtain optimal execution,” Pelser said, “all the role players in the freight supply chain will have to work together at strategic level.” The SASC – which wields 200-million tonnes of cargo shipped by its members each year as its bargaining muscle – is determined to remove itself from the day-to-day individual commercial issues in the freight supply chain and to focus on high-level collaboration between all the stakeholders and government. The council serves as a representative body of cargo owners in Southern Africa, with members from all the major industry sectors such as paper, mining, building, petro-chemical, fruit and metals. The principle of collaboration is a strategic necessity, Pelser added, if the council is to truly fulfil its mandate. “In terms of its objectives, the council has taken a decision to pursue only matters of principle. It will therefore not involve itself in any commercial relationship between a shipper and its logistics service providers, other than where such relationship implies a matter of principle, not only to the specific shipper, but also to shippers in general.” This principle has already met with full support from the SASC membership, with all those in attendance at last September’s annual council conference agreeing to the proposed collaboration platform. Pelser summarised the major focus areas of the collaboration platform as: • A sharing of futuristic needs (strategic level); • Identifying shortfalls and non-conformances in the present supply chain system; • The development of supply chain needs; • The meeting and understanding of partner requirements; • The optimal usage of infrastructure; • Enhancing SA – and making the country attractive for investors; • Increasing SA’s international competitiveness. “Our early approaches to government have met with an extremely positive response. In our discussions with the Department of Trade and Industry (dti) and the SA Revenue Service (Sars), for example, both these departments see only benefits and will participate. “Also, during an informal discussion, the trade statistics division of Sars indicated that they would participate in the collaboration platform.” Discussions are also under way with other relevant government departments – such as the Department of Transport (DoT) and the treasury – and major service providers (both public and private), to confirm their participation. “Now is the time to become a role player in this very important initiative,” Pelser added. “Let us work together, to make South Africa a leading country in the world.” Cargo owners or freight supply chain service providers who wish to participate can contact LM Pelser at: lm.pelser@absamail.co.za