Speedy customs clearance provides the edge

Roadfreight shippers may lament the state of Angola’s road conditions and seafreight shippers may bewail the country’s port congestion, but for SA shippers sending cargo to that destination this is background noise that does not lessen their desire for quick delivery of their goods. Firms that have shown a knack of achieving speedy deliveries to Angola have found customers gravitating their way. “What helps us is we do customs clearance right in our Johannesburg office. All the documents that are needed are completed before the cargo is shipped out,” said Moses Abbosey, managing director of the clearing and forwarding firm Royal Gold Shipping Agency, located in the city’s Central Business District. “When clients started coming to us to have cargo shipped to Angola, they knew we were capable of shipping any kind of cargo and we knew we could make an impact in that country. We are targeting that market, and believe we are the fastest in terms of clearing goods,” said Abbosey, whose firm moves cargo for individuals and corporations from perishables like fruits, vegetables and frozen food to consumer items and project cargo. The seafreight leg is done by Royal Gold Shipping using MACS and other lines, while road freight is handled by liaising with surface transporters. What happens at the border is crucial to swift delivery of goods. “We have a network agent there who specialises in customs clearing. Our volumes to Angola now are such that we are opening an office there either at the end of this year or at the beginning of next year,” said Abbosey.