Corinne French and Claude Nuttall . . . ‘Our website is especially useful for customers who want information on their shipments, rates and any other information they may require.’ EVERYONE IS encouraged by the strength of the rand which is boosting imports, says Claude Nuttall, co-director of United Maritime Logistics. With the peak period approaching, coupled with the stronger rand, there is likely to be a lot more movement in the industry between now and December, he said, and United Maritime Logistics is on the expansion path. It represents the US-based Direct Container Line (DCL), one of the top groupage operators in that country. DCL has been operating for 25 years in the US and in September will have been in South Africa for 23 years. United Maritime, which operates weekly services to Durban, Cape Town, Port Elizabeth and Johannesburg from the US, has represented DCL since October last year. It offers high discounts on inland trucking rates, says Nuttall. The company has already expanded over the past year by taking on additional staff. “Because we do only the US/SA routes, we are very focused and are able to keep one step ahead of our customers and provide them with information about their shipments whenever they need,” he said. The company has an on-line sailing schedule and on-line track and trace facilities. “DCL spends millions on IT, realising its importance in rendering a good service to our customers,” says Johannesburg-based co-director Corinne French.
