Tag Archives for " Africa Shipping Logistics "

Mar 26

ECTN SOUTH SUDAN INTRODUCED

By Godfrey | Blog

Juba, South Sudan | March 26, 2019

The South Sudan Customs Authority has introduced an Electronic Cargo Tracking Note (ECTN) for all shipments to South Sudan with effect from 1st April, 2019.

Through a government circular dated 23rd March, 2019 sent to all the regional Ports authorities; shipping and transport companies, the Director General notified the authorities on the implementation of the ECTN for all shipments to South Sudan (transit cargo included).

The shipper or forwarder is required to issue an ECTN which is elemental to import clearance by the South Sudan Customs Service, must be issued and validated at origin. Any Cargoes arriving without a valid ECTN will be blocked for delivery by the local customs in South Sudan until clearance of fines and presentation of an appropriate VALID ECTN is issued.

Each Bill of Lading must be covered by at least one ECTN. Shipping lines have been ordered to insert the UNIQUE ECTN NUMBER in the Bill of Lading and cargo manifest. Failure to comply with this new regulation will amount to attracting heavy penalties or fines against the Shipping lines amounting to more than US$5000 per infraction.

This new regulation takes effect as from April 1st 2019 (date of Bill of Lading).

Procedure to get an ECTN validation

  1. The Consignee/ Supplier/Shipper abroad or at Port of loading sends a commercial invoice, Bill of Lading, Freight Invoice, Export document to Africa Shipping Logistics;
  2. With the said documents Africa Shipping Logistics registers and opens a file in the ECTN system to apply for the ECTN;
  3. Once a proper ECTN application has been lodged a UNIQUE number is assigned to the ECTN and the Authorities can validate of Reject the ECTN if the information provided do not comply;
  4. Once the ECTN has been validated, Africa Shipping Logistics acting on the Consignee/supplier/Shipper’s instructions provides the validated ECTN to be indicated on the BL.

Africa Shipping Logistics is fully compliant to issue out ECTN for all your shipments destined to South Sudan. Please get in touch with us on +31 10 476 02 41 or send us your request to: info@africashippinglogistics.com and or s.sudan@africashippinglogistics.com

Nov 25

India set to bolster her Commercial Shipping Trade

By Godfrey | Blog

ET – New Delhi | November 25, 2016

The government of India is planning to develop a number of new and small ports for commercial shipping transportation, to bolster its trade according to the Ministry of Shipping circular.

Based on the traffic and cargo scenario of the country’s 12 Major Ports, a master plan has been prepared for expansion of port capacity, which includes a number of new ports.

Namely, it is understood that India’s Kolkata Port proposed the development of a port at Sagar Island, West Bengal, in an effort to reduce the constraints including long river navigation, available draft navigation due to persistent siltation and high dredging cost. Projected traffic is to be around 3.5 million tons per annum in 2020 increasing to around 27 million tons in 2035.

The cost of the first phase of the Sagar Island port is pegged at $314Millions. Enayam Port is expected to generate income of $246Millions per annum by the year 2020. Its first phase will cost $1.409 Billion, while the total project cost is pegged $5.912 Billion.

Additionally, V. O. Chidambaranar Port proposed the construction of a port in Enayam near Colachel, Tamil Nadu. Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the site is currently under preparation and the first container berth in Phase-I is expected to be operational by December 2020.

Furthermore, Paradip Port Trust suggested the development of Paradip Outer Harbour in Odisha, which would increase the port’s capacity from from 140 to 250 million tons per annum by 2020.

Techno-Economic Feasibility Report (TEFR) for the Paradip Outer Harbour upgrade has been prepared and a Detailed Project Report (DPR) is expected to be completed by the end of May 2017

For all your Door to Door cargo logistics out of India subcontinent to any destination in Africa, get in touch with Africa Shipping Logistics on +31104760241 or mail us: info@africashippinglogistics.com

Nov 22

New Marine Cargo Insurance rule on Import Cargo to curb expatriation of $4.89Billions from East African economies

By Godfrey | Blog

Nairobi, Kenya | November 21, 2016,

ASL-truck sThe East African economies have been losing billions of dollars annually in form of Marine Cargo Insurance (MCI) premiums, which are being repatriated to foreign insurance underwriters. The regional shipping body Intergovernmental Standing Committee on Shipping (ISCOS) has attributed this trend to lack of proper knowledge by shippers and poor implementation of the existing state laws.

Kenya and Uganda have been losing More than $170M and $90M respectively to foreign insurance firms in form of Insurance premiums.

In the region, Kenya is setting up pace following the Kenya National Treasury’s directive to cargo importers requiring that all imports to Kenya be insured by Kenyan underwriters’ insurers with effect from January 1, 2017.

Permanent secretaries of the Ministries of Transport and Trade in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia met in the Port City of Mombasa where they directed ISCOS to spearhead the Marine Cargo Insurance initiative in all the member states.

The Regional Shipping body, ISCOS has already held various meetings with the Insurance authorities from the member states in a bid to work on modalities for the implementation of the policy directives when it comes into force.

The policy directive from ISCOS’ coordination committee gives it impetus to drive to on-shore MCI in the region, with a projected annual savings and retention of Millions of dollars in ISCOS member states’ economies.

According to ISCOS, Burundi, Congo, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, Malawi and Zambia, exported marine insurance premiums worth more than $ 4.89 billion between 2009 and 2013.

Africa Shipping Logistics can arrange all your door to door cargo logistics and Marine Cargo Insurance for your cargo to any part of East and Central Africa from anywhere around the globe. Call us today on +31104760241 or email us: info@africashippinglogistics.com

May 14

Tanzania’s new air cargo terminal to handle more than 80,000 tons near completion!

By Godfrey | Blog

Dar Es Salaam | May 14,2016

Tanzania is constructing a state-of-the-art Air cargo terminal one of its kind in Africa, which is set to be completed at the end of this month (May).

The US$ 13m new terminal will have a capacity of handling 80,000 tonnes, will be the first that uses radio frequency identification (RFID) for ease of cargo identification. RFID cuts down tracking process and time from the previous 30 minutes to merely a few minutes. The new cargo facility will be able to automatically sort small parcels of less than 50 kilogrammes and put them into special racks that will eventually make handling and delivery easier and faster.

julius-nyerere-airport-terminal-3

Currently the biggest airline landing at Julius Nyerere International Airport, Dar Es Salaam Tanzania delivers only 15 tonnes. The new cargo facility will have special cargo areas for live cargoes; dangerous goods; human remains; pharmaceutical; a strong room and cold storage facilities with a temperature controlled range of between -20 and 8 degree Celsius.

julius-nyerere-airport-terminal-3bThe new cargo terminal will have an ample space to allow more cargo agents process cargo documents with customs more effectively. The facility is also a multipurpose building constituting of banking and business facilities; Customs offices; training centre; airline cargo offices; Customs brokerage and forwarding agent offices.

Africa Shipping Logistics your ONE STOP LOGISTICS SERVICE CENTER to any part of East and Central Africa!! Call us today on +31 10 476 0241 or email us on info@africashippinglogistics.com. For more information about our services check our website today www.africashippinglogistics.com .

We look forward to serving you!

The views expressed in this report do not necessarily reflect the positions or opinions of the publishers of www.africashippinglogistics.com

Aug 12

SHIPPING CORPORATION OF INDIA’S DEFINING END IN CONTAINER BUSINESS

By sowmedia | Blog

BY INDIAN PRESS, MUMBAI | AUGUST 11, 2014

 SCIState run Shipping Corporation of India (SCI) is considering gradual reduction of its exposure to the loss-making international container service.

 SCI, India’s biggest ocean carrier is losing money heavily from operating five container ships (it has a total fleet of 72 ships). The losses from this business have only added to the poor performance of its bulk carrier and tanker unit—the main profit centre of the company in the last two years. SCI, 63.75% owned by the government, is India’s only mainline container ship operator servicing the country’s export-import trade.

Though there has been a marginal improvement in rates compared to last year, they are still ruling at uneconomic levels, said a shipping company official. In the case of SCI, its operating expenses are higher than its global competitors. While the India line operates smaller vessels of 4,000-6,000 TEUs, global players like Maersk and MSC operate with 14,000-16,000 TEU ships.

 While SCI wants to reduce its global liner operation, the company is keen on expanding its container services along the coast. It is also exploring the scope of deploying some of its larger vessels for coastal operations. The new Government is expected to come out with policy that will promote coastal shipping and SCI is likely to play a key role.

 Strategically, it is not a wise move for SCI to exit the international container service entirely, said a former official of the company. For the national carrier, its presence in the container trade is important. Instead, the company should be rationalising its service to make it economically viable, he said.

 The company’s container carrying unit has posted operational losses in four of the last five years with accumulated losses running up to Rs.728.11 crore.

So far, the container shipping business was subsidized by revenue from dry bulk carriers and tankers. But with the dry bulk and tanker unit also posting operational losses since financial year 2013, the future of the container business has come under a cloud.

Sci-1

SCI reported overall losses in financial years 2012, 2013 and 2014—Rs.428.2 crore, Rs.114.3 crore and Rs.275 crore, respectively.

According to the guidelines of the department of public enterprises for government-owned companies, a company will lose its so-called Navaratna status if it posts losses for three consecutive years. The government is yet to decide on the Navaratna status of SCI, a ministry spokesperson added; the tag gives greater financial autonomy to state-run companies.

The global shipping industry is yet to fully recover from the financial crisis of 2008. SCI’s local rival, Great Eastern Shipping Co. Ltd, though, has been reporting net profits during this period, one of the worst for the shipping industry in decades.

The contrast in operating performance is a reflection of the way in which the two companies are managed under different ownership structures—one state-owned and the other private, said a Mumbai-based shipping analyst.

“SCI is not able to respond quickly to market dynamics in a highly volatile industry such as shipping the way Great Eastern Shipping does. Its decision-making is often influenced by fear of government auditors,” the analyst said, asking not to be named.

“Something drastic, out-of-the-box, has to be done,” chairman and managing director Gupta told shipping agents at the company’s annual worldwide agents meet on 3 March in Mumbai, emphasizing that a situation of continuous and heavy losses at the container unit cannot be sustained any longer.

“Minor restructuring of services, sacrificing commission, renegotiating terminal charges, container freight station and inland container depot charges may not help.” SCI restructured some of its container shipping services two years ago, but with the industry plagued by overcapacity and container rates trending below operating costs, the restructuring plans have suffered.

The company’s shifting focus from the container business was reaffirmed when it cancelled orders for building three new container ships, two of them each with a capacity to load 6,500 standard containers. This was the firm’s first attempt at buying bigger container ships, in line with the industry trend of owning large carriers to achieve economies of scale.

Since April 2013, SCI has cancelled orders for building nine ships, including the three container ships, to preserve cash. SCI’s predicament mirrors that of at least another ocean carrier that halted its container services from 2012.

For door to door cargo logistics inquiries to Africa from India sub-continent, please call us today on +31104760241 or email us: info@africashippinglogistics.com. Visit our webpage for more information about our services: www.africashippinglogistics.com