Stronger rand makes charter cheaper

JOY ORLEK THE STRONGER rand is playing into the hands of local air charter users who are paying half the price to charter a plane than they were two or three years ago when the rand was almost double its current value to the US dollar. Charter rates are billed in US dollars. But even so, it’s generally a decision that is taken only when all other modes have been exhausted. “When we mobilise a contract, depending on the timing requirements we often need to get involved in charters to get the cargo on site in time,” says FH Bertling’s Mike Benney. “There are often large penalties for delays and in the long term it’s cheaper to airfreight the cargo if timing is critical. The quicker you get the project up and running, the quicker you get your revenue stream moving. A delay of just one day can cost a lot of money.” Logistics specialist FH Bertling is heavily involved in the movement of project cargo, with its time-critical logistics demands. “We’ve just completed a number of charters to Sudan where seafreight delays forced the airfreight option for plant and equipment that were vital for the start-up of the project,” said Benney. “When you mention airfreight, generally the customer runs for cover, but in the greater scheme of things it’s often cheaper to charter. And this is where our expertise makes the difference.” FH Bertling’s London office has its own dedicated charter division – Boss Cargo – which facilitates the procurement of charter aircraft.