‘Staff training should be a key focus’

A continued upswing in project cargo destined for Southern African countries is predicted for the foreseeable future as the world’s attention turns to Africa, according to Alwyn Nel, managing director of Kingfisher Freight Services. “Whilst many projects have been secured on a regional basis, our involvement continues on the global front,” he told FTW. “Whether it is expansion projects taking place locally or regionally there is much happening in the sector. Coupled with the involvement of many South African enterprises working and developing projects offshore, the outlook for project cargo is very positive.” And according to Nel, costeffective project management is crucial. “Project cargo by its very nature comes with many intricacies and abnormalities and it’s the management of these that makes the difference,” he says. “Be it the identification of areas where special attention is required or the incorporation of special site requirements, one has to overcome many challenges that are often not taken into account and can be costly for the parties concerned.” In this regard Nel says continuous training and re-training of staff working in the project cargo environment to ensure they are up to date with trends and shifting requirements remains a key focus. INSERT & CAPTION Project cargo by its very nature comes with many intricacies and abnormalities. – Alwyn Nel