Shippers get wise to benefits of project-friendly containers

As types and sizes of cargo get bigger and heavier, the logistics industry has to transform itself to accommodate the movement of this cargo. Arun Kumar Jaiswal, business development manager: Africa trade lane for Sarjak Container Lines, says in Africa it is resulting in probably the biggest challenges for project experts. “Cargoes with big dimensions are part and parcel of project cargo and can be challenging because at times port infrastructure is severely lacking in terms of lifting capacity. But if equipment is not available at the load and discharge ports or even at transhipment ports, for the most part it’s easy to handle for Sarjak, ” says Jaiswal. “We have introduced containers that are not normally owned by an NVOCC or shipping carriers, such as the super rack and high-cube hard top and open top containers. These are innovative solutions that extend the payload capacity and improve safety of the cargo.” Project owners no longer need to rely on breakbulk vessels as they can carry over-size and bulk cargo in a Sarjak container and transport it faster and more economically. Now in its tenth year of operation, Sarjak Container Lines previously focused on serving the trade lanes between Nhava Sheva and the Middle East. It has now expanded its African footprint to South Africa, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Mozambique, DR Congo, Zambia, Angola, Nigeria and Ghana. With the ability to handle an array of different cargoes from diverse industries, Sarjak has seen stellar progress in its business to and from Africa, says Jaiswal. While there was initial hesitation from customers to shift from breakbulk carriers to Sarjak’s containerised solution, Jaiswal says there has been gradual recognition of the benefits and inquiries have increased steadily. “Africa has always figured prominently in Sarjak’s business drive and expansion plans and due to the many projects in diverse fields we are very bullish – not only in South Africa, but throughout the continent,” he said. Seaclad Maritime are local agents for Sarjak. INSERT & CAPTION Project owners no longer need to rely on breakbulk vessels as they can carry over-size and bulk cargo in a Sarjak container. – Arun Kumar Jaiswal CAPTION Sarjak containers accommodate over-dimensional cargo.