DHL enhances India-South Africa trade route
DHL is pushing trade between India and South Africa by launching a new direct Less than Container Load (LCL) service from Mumbai to Durban. The service will be operated by Danmar Lines, DHL’s in-house carrier.
With trade between India and Africa having risen almost four-fold in the last five years, from $9.9bn in 2004-05 to $39bn in 2008-09, DHL Global Forwarding said it sees vast potential in the India-Africa trade lane.
Christoph Remund, CEO, DHL Global Forwarding India, said, “The launch of our direct India to Durban LCL service reflects our commitment to customers who have increasing business activities in both markets.
“The company has allocated significant resources to facilitate growth in the India-Africa trade lane by setting up dedicated India Desks in ten African countries to help businesses there, with plans to establish additional Desks this year.”
Africa is emerging as a key market, with freight volumes between India and Africa expected to grow significantly in the coming years. “With expertise in several key sectors, including oil and gas, telecommunications and IT, we are well-positioned to leverage our capabilities in Africa and further increase our LCL volumes this year,” said Clas Thorell, head of LCL Management Asia Pacific, DHL Global Forwarding.
Sanjay Tejwani, director of ocean freight, DHL Global Forwarding India, added: “This new service will benefit customers with direct connectivity between Africa and India, especially the small and medium enterprises which are increasingly turning to ocean freight for greater cost efficiencies. We are optimistic about the growth potential of this business supported by the strong intermodal network across Africa.”
To reinforce focus on this important sector, DHL Global Forwarding has recently appointed Joseph Oguta as Head of LCL for Africa, based in Kenya. Oguta’s appointment will provide a strong thrust to enhance the company’s competitive edge in the fast-changing global business environment, the company said.
