‘Tough in the short-term – but goods will continue to move’

The next 12 to 18 months will be a difficult period for the freight industry because of the global economic slowdown, says Martin Keck, managing director of independent groupage operator CFR Freight. “It’s inevitable that forwarders and shippers will experience a slowdown.” But speaking generically, the freight industry will continue to move forward because goods have to move around the world, he added. “The world is becoming one big global village and that trend will continue. Freight movement will always happen, it cannot stop. In the medium-to-long-term, shipping will always be there and will continue to grow,” he said. From a company perspective, CFR plays a vital role in the supply chain and will continue to do so, says Keck. “We are part of a worldwide alliance group. The order of the day for us in future is optimism. As CFR, we are confident that we will grow and prosper in the next 10 to 15 years. “The next year-and-a-half will be difficult and some of the smaller players in the industry will probably disappear because of it,” he said.