BP sets up Beitbridge office

Mitigating delays at the Beitbridge border
post between South Africa and Zimbabwe is
part and parcel of every operator’s strategy
– and a strong motivation for the opening of
an office at the border by BP Freight.
The company, which specialises in
consolidations between South Africa and
Zimbabwe, has seen a significant increase
in volumes over the past year, according
to director Peter Loram – and increased
volumes translate into increased congestion.
“Setting up an office at Beitbridge should
help us to speed up cargo movement and
minimise delays,” he told FTW. The office
opened last month (January).
Loram says transit times through the
border range from two to four days.
“Trucks can sometimes sit in the queue
for more than a day after customs clearing.
Regular power cuts on the Zimbabwe
side add pressure. “While they do have a
generator, they cannot process entries.”
The actual customs clearance process
is a lot more efficient since EDI was
introduced, says Loram, but it’s a question
of volumes outpacing the resources.
“Beitbridge is the entry point not only
for Zimbabwe but for Mozambique where
there’s a lot of development, Malawi,
Zambia and the DRC. As the region’s
economy is growing, so are the volumes.”
The key is to eliminate problems before
trucks reach the border.
“That means getting authorisation from
the importer or clearing agent to ensure
that all duties are in place in advance of
arrival.”