FIFA World Cup 2010 – the crowning glory of soccer is coming to South Africa.. Yippee.. Tourism, sports, shopping malls, game reserves, hotels, shebeens, local spaza shops, even prostitutes are said to benefit from this month long soccer extravaganza..

Has the shipping industry benefitted so far or do you think the shipping industry will benefit from the world cup..?? Logically, you would expect large scale import of construction material/equipment, soccer merchandise, sound and visual equipment, stadium items, etc etc.. Has this happened yet, if so who are the main people involved in this from within the shipping industry..?? Who are some of the nominated logistics companies handling the same..??

Maybe those people/companies involved within the shipping industry with the FIFA World Cup 2010 can share their experiences with us.. Interesting to know..

This blog was started in October 2008.. From then it has been great being able to write on various topics/articles that i thought would be useful to the various readers..

I think it is time to get some feedback from the readers/subscribers about the blog with a view to improving the blog and make it more effective..

So here is what i would like you to comment on :

• Effectiveness – is this blog effective and does it help you to understand the process and nuances of shipping..??
• Topics – are there any specific topics that you would like me to cover..??
• Frequency of articles– are you comfortable with the frequency of the articles..?? Am i posting too often or too little..?? How often would you like to receive new articles..??
• Content – is the content matter understandable and clear..??
• Language – is my language simple and easy to understand..??
• Site Design – is the site easy to navigate and read..??
• Subscription methods – are the subscription methods easy enough to understand and subscribe
• Any suggestions/feedback..??

This is a non-commercial/non-profit blog, something that i spend a lot of time working on, so would be glad to have you participate and provide your inputs..

Any honest, constructive comment is welcome as long as it relates to this blog and the topics covered and will help with the running of this blog..

I will try and respond on all your comments.. You can leave your comments either here in the comments column or if you want to send it to me privately please do so via email to hariesh@manaadiar.com..

Removal Companies , are companies that assist people emigrating or immigrating to/from (example) South Africa with their shipping requirements.. Various removal companies also specialise in corporate relocations..

The services of removal companies include but not limited to :-

• door to door service
• packing and crating the cargo
• storing at a suitable facility
• negotiate the best rates with the shipping line on behalf of the client
• book the required containers
• packing the cargo into containers
• take care of customs clearance on behalf of the client
• issuing the relevant shipping documentation
• unpacking of the cargo at destination

Some of the removal companies also offer the option of relocating pets which are quite important to many people..

Some of the popular removal companies in SA are British International Removals, Crown Relocations, Elliott International..

This is one of the questions that many people ask.. The answer is that in the current economic and business scenario, the line dividing these two is quite thin..

Freight Forwarder : Essentially secures the business of various exporters and importers and has the ability/facility to

• storage the cargo belonging to the clients at their warehouse (usually all big forwarders have their own warehouses)
• arrange the distribution or “forwarding” of the cargo as per the instructions of their client.. This could be a regular routing or various routings
• negotiate freight rates with the shipping line to cover the interest of their clients
• book the cargo with the shipping line as per the requirement of the client
• prepare bills of lading and associated shipping/negotiating documentation (F178, Certificate of Origin, etc)
• issue their approved house bill of lading as applicable
• MAY or MAY NOT also do Customs Clearance
• may or may not be accredited to customs, port etc and cannot do customs clearance if not accredited
• almost viewed by clients as an alternative shipping line

Clearing Agent : Essentially takes care of the customs clearance aspect of the business..

• is a company accredited with the local customs authorities, border agencies, port etc
• arranges to pass the relevant documents at customs
• arrange for customs inspections as required
• check and process Duty and VAT payments as applicable
• apply for refunds etc where applicable
• cannot issue own bills of lading if not registered or acting as a freight forwarder

These are the major differences between a Freight Forwarder and Clearing Agent..

Many a time an exporter and shipping line have got into a tussle over the condition of a container which the exporter picks up for packing.. People have been varied in their opinions on who is liable..

In my opinion, the responsibility should be shared between the container depot representing the shipping line and the transporter representing the exporter..

The container depot has a responsibility to release clean, sound, dry and cargo worthy containers to the transporter and the transporter has the responsibility to check if such a container will suit the exporters needs..

The exporter or packing warehouse from their side have to maintain a checklist from their side.. This should ideally cover and check :

• the empty container received is clean, dry and free from any unusual smells, stains on the floorboard
• no roof holes
• the doors shut tight and without gaps
• the lock rods close and lock properly
• the slots for the seals are present and usable
• floorboard is not cracked or broken

These quick checks if done, will prevent any major claims at a later stage.. Of course the condition of the container is directly related to the type of cargo that the exporter intends to ship..

For example for containers carrying food products, normally the exporter or his agent will “specify” a food grade container which if requested will be prepared by the shipping line usually at an extra cost on a/c of the exporter..

Do you follow any other check points for your packing..??

I think this is an interesting question and a topic that will have many views..

What is your criteria when you nominate or choose a shipping line to carry your cargo..??

There are many factors to this equation, like

• Price
• Service
• Accessibility
• E-Commerce
• Frequency
• etc etc etc etc

It would be interesting to know from you how you decide.. And while you are at it, would also be great to know which is your favourite shipping line and why..

All of you have seen the markings on a container, specially the door.. Ever thought what they signify..?? See the image below to find out.. For those of you that might have not seen a container upfront, below is what it looks like.. If you want to download it, here’s it in a pdf format..

I presume the explanations shown are simple enough to understand except for maybe the CSC, ACEP certifications.. This i will cover in another post.. If you are unclear about anything, please do let me know or leave a comment..

Not sure how many people know this, but there is a simple and easy way of tracking which ships are where at what stage within South Africa.. Its called SHIPSCENE..

Check out the website http://www.shipscene.co.za.. Here you can track ships that are currently in and around 6 of the South Africa harbours and approaches with updates sent every 3 minutes via SMS or email.. The ports / approaches covered are

• Durban
• Cape Town
• Port Elizabeth
• East London
• Richards Bay &
• Ngqura / Coega

Using the Automated Identification System (AIS) which transmits from all commercial vessels, the ship tracking charts are updated on average every 3 minutes, giving an independent, almost real time overview of the movements of these vessels in and around all of the major ports in South Africa..

This ship tracking information, together with other data freely available in the public domain, is intended for all users who have any interest in the shipping and freight forwarding industry in South Africa..

You can view a quick tour on http://www.shipscene.co.za/Tour.aspx..

This was a question one of the readers had.. Yes, it is a free blog.. Subscription to this blog is free..

This blog is aimed at enhancing the shipping knowledge to people who are in need of enhancing it and designed to impart knowledge about shipping and freight to those who are new to this industry..

This is also an interactive blog where everyone’s participation is welcome.. Everyone are free to share their views, experiences, knowledge, questions related to shipping, freight and maritime industry here..

This is a guest post by Carol Knox (see profile page) who is the Skills Programme Manager for the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers South Africa Branch.. Their website address is www.icssa.co.za.. If you wish to write a guest post for this blog, please send details to hariesh@manaadiar.com.. Thanks..

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“Whatever you can do, or dream you can do, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it. Begin it now.” Johann Wolfgang von Goethe – Faust, 1835, translated from German.

By way of introduction, employers who pay PAYE are obliged by National Legislation to contribute 1% of their wage bill to the Skills Levy Fund. The Mandatory Claims portion of this fund enables employers to claim back 70% of this amount on educating current employees. Since most employers are not claiming this amount the funds become available for payment under the Discretionary Grant provision. This means that the Discretionary Funds become available to competitors who are investing in the knowledge and skills development of employees. Those companies who are not training are becoming weaker in a highly competitive market, especially in these harsh economic times.

If Skills Development Facilitators submit Workplace Skills Plans that include accredited courses from accredited providers such as the ICS, (TETA08-137) then companies can properly reclaim on their skills levies paid, and place themselves in a strongly competitive position when the economy “turns”. The signs are there that the “turn” is underway, with economists proclaiming a change of fortunes in the media.

If training budgets have been cut, then this is the time to fully make use of the Skills Development Fund. This is the magic moment, as the economy “turns”, to begin to train staff and secure a strong position for your company. Research has shown that employees who are trained experience improved employee relationships and become valuable staff who are able to align their personal goals with that of the company. Given these advantages, combined with meeting legislated equity and skills training targets, this is the moment to begin!

Call Carol Knox at ICS on (031) 207 8115 or e-mail: carol@ics.za.org

Website: www.icssa.co.za