Imports down, but
exports looking good
for MSC Logistics
THERE HAS never been a better opportunity than the present, with South Africa and its northern neighbours experiencing an economic recession, to show how the quality of service counts, says Lawrie Bateman, director of MSC Logistics.
Having been established for 15 years, my company is well placed not only to maintain service levels to existing principals and clients, but with the assistance of the worldwide network of Mediterranean Shipping Company's agents feeding information, to take advantage of new opportunities that present themselves throughout southern Africa, he says.
At present we are maintaining import volumes coupled with increased export volumes. In fact, we are quite satisfied with our operation in South Africa.
Looking northward, Zimbabwe is in the midst of an economic downturn, which shows on import traffic which is down on 1997, especially pertaining to luxury items. But here again, export traffic has increased with the southern corridor through Durban still handling the majority of cargo.
Zambian traffic volumes are up and there is a lot of increased activity at present in movement of goods. We are still moving traffic to the Democratic Republic of Congo, and there is an expectancy of a major increase in traffic there in the latter part of 1999.
Botswana is once again on track and good volumes are moving into that country, while at present we are waiting on the agricultural season in Malawi which, by all reports, will maintain export volumes.
With offices now situated in both Swaziland and Lesotho, we've seen a difference in the volumes we are now carrying, especially in the case of Swaziland where we have had substantial increases over the last year.
We are now looking forward to the latter part of 1999 for an expected boost in all-round volumes.
BY LEONARD NEILL
