Zambia's export container dearth solved

A decision to invest in its own container fleet and make the containers available to the forwarding industry at no extra charge is paying dividends for Zambia specialist Celtic Freight. For many years the market for freight into Zambia was serviced by the cabotage of containers to Zimbabwe, says Celtic Freight managing director, Adrian Friend. “Hauliers would pick up a container, pack with cargo for Zambia and enjoy a fee for turn-in in Harare. But the market has completely changed with containers now being earnestly required by Zambia’s exporters, and very few containers required for Zim’s exports,” he commented. Friend says that there is simply never enough stock of export containers in Zambia, yet the shipping lines are still charging exorbitant turn-in fees, deposits and penalties for containers going to Zambia. “We are therefore reaping significant benefits from our decision to offer our value-added service,” he told FTW. Celtic has also set up offices in Zambia to be the agents on the ground for any international forwarder sending goods. “Add that to the daily dispatch of LCL cargo out of Johannesburg and Durban and the service is working well,” said Friend. He said degrouping agents in Durban were able to make use of Celtic Zambia’s presence in Zambia to be their de facto agent within the territory and have cargo “containerised” en route. “International freight forwarders have realised that to have an office in Zambia is extremely expensive and subject to the proverbial red tape to a degree that makes setting up an office almost impossible. We already have all the skills and facilities in place.” Friend said Zambia was enjoying an upsurge in small trade deals with the East, namely China and India, and Celtic was taking advantage of the opportunities arising from that. “With Emirates now flying daily out of Lusaka, traders are easily able to travel to China and India. They are purchasing smaller consignments and using the variety of reliable consolidation agents to get the goods shipped directly back to Zambia,” says Friend. INSERT & CAPTION The market has completely changed with containers now being earnestly required by Zambia’s exporters. – Adrian Friend