Airfreight exports have dipped in the first few months of the year compared to 2024, as subdued market conditions persist. This decline comes as the sea freight sector has seen an improvement in operations, leading to increased volumes moving by ocean.According to Jacob Pretorius, general manager for airfreight at SACO Shipping, the performance of South Africa’s ports has significantly improved compared to a year ago, resulting in higher ocean freight volumes.“The ports are functioning better and ocean freight volumes have increased. Naturally, this has a negative impact on airfreight volumes,” he told Freight News. “We are hopeful that demand will pick up from March onwards.”He added that the industry was closely monitoring developments in the Red Sea, which were continuing to affect global shipping. “Shipping lines are still not ready to use this channel again and are instead sailing around Cape Point. This has kept ocean freight rates high, allowing airfreight to remain competitive,” said Pretorius. “However, once this situation changes, we expect a drop in ocean freight rates and transit times, which would likely lead to a decline in airfreight volumes.”Additionally, tariff increases in the US are disrupting global trade, with potential knock-on effects for South Africa. “ Ta r if fs on Chinese products are rising and there’s a possibility that these goods may start coming to South Africa,” he said. “This could result in increased volumes, benefiting local markets.”On the import side, volumes have remained steady, continuing the positive trend of 2024. “We have worked hard on developing our import products over the past two years and believe our customers have experienced this first-hand. As a result, they trust us to deliver on time,” said Pretorius.Traditionally, SACO Shipping has focused on airfreight exports, as many agents rely on their own networks for impor ts. However, in recent years, the company has shifted its focus to imports to better compete with these networks.“South Africa is predominantly an import-driven market and we will continue to develop our import product to offer customers an additional option for their shipments,” he said.To enhance its service offering, the company has also introduced crating and packing services, allowing customers to handle the process in-house.“We want to provide a more complete service. By offering packaging solutions, our customers can bring their cargo to us, knowing that it will be handled according to airline specifications,” explained Pretorius. “Our goal is to ensure shipments are ready for carriage without the risk of airline rejection. We often receive cargo that needs to be re-crated at the airline’s request, which results in additional costs for customers.”SACO Shipping recently achieved Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) accreditation, making it the first fully neutral NVOCC in South Africa to receive this recognition.“This accreditation demonstrates our commitment to being a trusted partner, giving our customers peace of mind that they are working with a reputable and compliant service provider,” said Pretorius. LV
