Three years since the
launch of a focused strategy
on the China-Africa route,
logistics major Bollore
Africa Logistics is reaping
the rewards.
“We are upbeat about
future growth,” regional
commercial and marketing
manager for Southern
Africa, Jacques Baudelot,
told FTW.
“In the past our focus
was more on China to
Europe, US and the Middle
East, but three years ago
our commercial department
in Paris turned the focus on
the Africa leg.”
Inbound cargo is largely
project-related, and while
the Bollore Africa Logistics
push is for end-to-end
solutions, the China-Africa
leg is largely controlled
from China, says Baudelot.
“If the exporter prefers
to manage the international
leg, we take over from port
or airport to remote sites.
This is where we want
to make a difference and
where we feel we have the
expertise to do so.
“From a zero base
we have developed this
business to 350 000 tons
moved into Africa last
year,” he said.
The company is also
looking at the bulk export
market out of southern
Africa, moving the likes
of manganese, iron ore and
ferrochrome to China.
The main challenge in
this sector is transport
capacity, says Baudelot.
“A shortage of trucks is
seen as a potential problem
in 2013.”
While Bollore Africa
Logistics’ 400 owned
trucks are an advantage,
volumes demand that it
outsources a large portion
of the haulage, and nonavailability
of trucks can be
a problem.
“In an uncertain global
economic climate, where
demand and supply dictate
volume growth, there’s
a question mark over
the prudence of further
investment in vectors of
transport at this stage,” he
said
And while rail would be
an attractive option, the
service currently ends at
Lusaka. “We are keeping
a close watch on what
Transnet is doing, but for
the moment, road transport
remains the main option.”
CAPTION
Jacques Baudelot … upbeat about
future growth.
