‘Success demands specialist expertise’

Alternative solutions are key ALAN PEAT ALTHOUGH THE US is a prime market for freight forwarders, Buffalo Freight, it’s a difficult market to deal with, according to MD Margrit Wolff. “You need to be a specialist in this trade, and have the appropriate expertise,” she said, “otherwise you could very easily come to grief. “It’s a very peculiar market, but we know what to do, and are experts at working it efficiently.” The problems can start as early as the shipping leg between SA and the US, Wolff added, with the major carriers on the trade having failed to live up to her company’s expectations. “We found the traditional “conference” services unable to fulfil our needs,” she said. “With the bulk of our export business to the US being seafreight, and shipped directly on to the customers’ assembly lines, we couldn’t allow any delays. So we were forced to find a viable alternative.” Although hesitant to name names, Wolff told FTW that Buffalo had found the answer in transhipment on a small “boutique” line. Airfreight, never mind the extra cost, doesn’t offer an alternative mode either, she added. “Direct connections between SA and the US are slim,” she said, “and again we had to look for answers in transhipment. “So, if you’re going to have success in either mode, you have to be able to find alternative solutions.” Cargo security, although possibly a necessity, also raises its own problems. “The actual regulations in the US are onerous,” said Wolff, “with the number of shipments stopped by customs – at an average cost of about US$600 per stop – just ridiculously high. “And it’s going to get worse. Some ports, like Boston, are already claiming to have US customs scanning 100% of shipments.” Again, there’s no answer here except through experience in the tricks of the trade. “US customs’ ideas on cargo category classifications seem to be very different from those of SA customs,” according to Wolff. “But we’re lucky. We’ve been doing it so long that we are comfortable dealing with US customs, and can reduce the costs. “However, it’s no game for the amateurs to play. The security measures are scary.”