Airfreight volumes are expected to stabilise in January after a spike at the end of 2022 due to the high season. According to Tiago Pocinho, country manager for Rangel South Africa and Zambia, this is a likely trend as businesses are increasingly opting for a just-in-time policy and reducing stock levels.Rangel Logistics, recently certified as an agent by the International Air Transport Association (Iata), has embarked on a strategy to grow its airfreight portfolio in 2023.“Being an Iata agent brings benefits such as access to better rates, improved control of the cargo, and compliance with international standards,” said Pocinho. “Growing our airfreight department has been a priority for the company. The certification by Iata and our World Cargo Alliance (WCA) offers serious opportunities for our airfreight business and our local clients, especially at a time when airfreight rates are starting to fall.”According to Pocinho, there is also a growing trend towards multimodal transport solutions in Africa, making it imperative that logistics operators have a strong foothold in all areas. “Currently, in the African market, due to insufficient routes with direct f lights, we see a growing trend towards combining air and sea transport with road transport. Our strategy is to increase our air cargo capacity and grow the unit within our business. This will allow us to strengthen our team’s ability in strategic sectors such as pharmaceuticals, fast-moving consumer goods, and food and per ishables.” He said the ability to offer various solutions to customers remained critical to the business, while covering the widest geographical area possible. “The air transport industry has been growing in recent years. Many customers switched to airfreight due to the constraints in ocean freight that were intensified by the Covid-19 pandemic. The increase in freight rates also played a role.”He said despite challenges in the airfreight sector, including the lack of direct f lights as well as the ongoing f light restrictions and cancellations, it was a sector Rangel had identified for growth, and ongoing investment in its airfreight capacity could be expected throughout 2023.
