Spoornet joins UN in cargo tracking venture

10 Dec 1999 - by Staff reporter

Providing an integrated information
system for the whole of Southern
Africa is the aim writes Ed Richardson

SPOORNET HAS joined the United Nations and a number of international agencies in
a drive to improve the efficiency of freight forwarding world-wide.
It is estimated that transport delays and problems cost companies around the world billions of rand a year in lost revenue.
In an effort to improve the operational efficiency of ports and other transport systems working in difficult conditions, Unctad's Advanced Cargo Information System (ACIS) has developed tailor-made software packages for developing countries.
According to Unctad Spoornet has agreed to cooperate with Unctad to link its Sprint tracking system to the ACIS RailTracker, thus providing an integrated information system on the movement of cargo and rail equipment for the whole of Southern Africa.
This initiative will be carried out under a project funded by the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and will provide customers and railways of the sub region with the opportunity to track goods and equipment on 15 railways, from Cape Town in the South to Kampala in the North.
In another initiative, the International Association of Ports and Harbours (IAPH) and Unctad have announced that they will work together to develop and implement information systems that respond to the particular requirements of ports in developing countries, thus reducing the technology gap with more advanced countries and providing these ports with adapted systems at acceptable cost.
Information technology has become an indispensable tool for ports to increase efficiency and to speed up the movement of goods.
But, information must precede the goods - rather than follow them, says Unctad.
Unctad brings to the partnership its expertise in improving port performance and developing low-cost software for transport systems, and the IAPH and its international network of members bring the experience in implementing technology-based trade facilitation measures.
The IAPH is a worldwide association of port authorities with over 400 members in 85 countries.
The International Federation of Freight Forwarders' Associations (FIATA) is joining Unctad to promote the development of international multimodal door-to-door transport and logistics operations.
The freight forwarding industry is playing a crucial role in these efforts, which could be strengthened through gaining widespread recognition of freight forwarders as carriers, says Unctad.
FIATA will make its network of national associations available to work with UNCTAD on national or regional technical assistance projects in areas of common interest.
Another programme to promote international rail traffic brings together Unctad and the International Union of Railways (UIC), an organisation representing 143 railway systems in 82 countries.
The ACIS programme will become part of the work of the UIC on developing an Electronic Data Interchange System aimed at creating a global standard railway messaging system.