Crossroads’ Africa division has overcome numerous challenges to curb costs shipping a client’s yellow metal from South Africa to Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) by roll-on, roll-off (ro-ro) vessel via the port of Mombasa in Kenya.
The ro-ro option avoids the road route between the two countries but required the Crossroads team to deal with sea port congestion challenges
The ro-ro option avoids the road route between the two countries but required the Crossroads team to deal with sea port congestion challenges, an Ebola outbreak in DRC that closed some
border posts, and border weight restrictions for some of the equipment.
“Our team got the job done in three weeks,” says Elise Stroh, Head of Africa at Crossroads. “The traditional road route typically takes seven to nine days, so it took longer, but the cost difference is substantial when moving equipment of this nature.”
The vessel departed Durban Harbour, South Africa at the end of June, 2019 carrying eight articulated dump trucks (ADT), a 520 excavator, and a 670 excavator for a total weight of 351,7 tonnes. The total parcel of vehicles used nearly 1 500 cubic metres.
They arrived at the Twangiza open pit mine about 40km southwest of Bukavu in DRC
They arrived at the Twangiza open pit mine about 40km southwest of Bukavu in DRC after being routed from South Africa to Kenya, to Uganda, Rwanda, then into DRC.
Crossroads’ Africa division is a non-asset-based operation that also partners with multiple commodities transporters in several African countries including Zambia, DRC, Ghana, Mozambique, Botswana and Uganda for air, sea, and road freight, project cargo, commodities and other services.
The partnerships encourage local economic participation and knowledge sharing with common, global safety and other standards.
About Crossroads
Crossroads, a subsidiary of Community Investment Holdings (CIH), is a diversified domestics and regional services group with associated capabilities internationally, owning an impressive blue chip customer base in its sector. It is a key role-player in the logistics and supply chain management environment in Southern Africa with an associated footprint in Europe. The business employs roughly 900 people, owns more than 380 vehicles, and has access to superior subcontractor vehicles and retains its own warehouses. Crossroads’ strategy combines the best available skills and supply chain management specialists and, where necessary, best in breed IT systems that enable it to provide customers with the most efficient and cost-effective logistics and supply chain management solutions available. Crossroads is Dekra-certified for ISO 9001, ISO 14001, OHSAS 18001, and is also SQAS-accredited. These qualities have seen the business quietly and consistently maintain robust partnerships with South Africa’s biggest and most successful organisations, such as Total, South African Post Office (SAPO), Xstrata, Hulamin, Air Liquide, Anglo Platinum, Distell, Kumba Iron Ore, and many others for the past nearly 100 years. For more information visit privately held Crossroads’ website at www.crossroads.co.za.
