US-sourced cargo on an upward trajectory

Project cargo from the United States has increased significantly in the past eight months – both to South Africa and as crosstrade to African countries. According to Colin Atkins, managing director of World Cargo Services (WCS), while there has always been a steady stream of smallish project imports from the USA, volumes are now on the increase. “These can be anything from specialised large vehicles and boats to large machinery,” he told FTW. “While projects in the mining and petrochemical sectors have been a bit slow, the energy-related projects are growing steadily.” Atkins said an extremely encouraging trend was the significant increase in projects taken on in countries throughout the world, controlled by South African engineering, procurement and construction management (EPCM) companies. “Having been forced by a slowdown and uncompetitive market locally, many of these companies have taken on aggressive expansion projects around the world and have come up tops in their tenders. With WCS’s international network we have been able to assist these companies with complex logistics as materials are sourced from East and West, even some from SA, which is really encouraging.” He said South Africans were continuing to prove they had the ability to be competitive wherever they have influence. “There is always some area in the world which is expanding rapidly and we as South Africans must and will exploit these opportunities.” Attention to detail and tuning into clients’ needs remain vital elements to success in the project sector, he said. INSERT & CAPTION Significant increase in projects taken on in countries around the world, controlled by South African engineering, procurement and construction management (EPCM) companies. – Colin Atkins