Press release: ‘From Mine to Market’ - The Bridge Shipping Group breaks infrastructure barriers to ensure supply meets demand
05 June 2012
Logistics companies compete for a position in an ever demanding market and are faced with infrastructure that is placed under ever increasing pressure. The ability to remain focused and driven is fuelled by the importance of having functional and predictive operating systems and procedures.
Paper-and-labour-intensive systems
“The services we offer are, by nature, very paper-and-labour-intensive from a systems perspective. It is therefore critical to ensure that the operational procedures we have in place are capable of tracking every shipped item to the nth degree, at every point of its journey,” says the Bridge Shipping Group’s Chief Executive Officer, Colin Emanuel.
Emanuel points out that, one acquires a collection document as the first point of contact with the cargo, together with the relevant customer-specific documentation. The cargo is then received at the relevant Bridge Shipping Group depot and a document is produced for its receipt. When the cargo leaves the depot a further document is produced, accompanied by security transit documents and border documentation.
When the cargo crosses the border, the relevant paperwork is completed and an entry document is issued by the border post officials. Finally, documentation is required when the shipment reaches the Bridge Shipping Group depot and again when it leaves the depot and arrives at either an exit port or its final destination “It is clear from this audit trail that shipping cargo is extremely paper-intensive and requires infinite attention to detail,” says Emanuel.
Cross-border regulations knowledge
Emanuel points out that cross-border operations have always functioned independently, therefore it is important for a logistics company to ensure that they are up to speed on the requirements for each country through which the cargo enters or exits. “The Bridge Shipping Group utilises its own operating system – Bridge Operating System (BOS) – but we also need to be aware of and work closely with the specific operating systems intrinsic to each country’s border post.”
“The South African border control authorities have spent the past few years implementing and fine-tuning their operating system to a stage where it is much easier for cargo to readily cross the border when all the correct documentation is in place.
EDI and ‘BOS’
The system, known as EDI (Electronic Data Integration), allows for a virtually paperless environment. This is useful from both the perspective of companies that have already adopted this philosophy, and from its reduction of carbon footprint. However, it will be some years before other countries achieve this same level of automation,” Emanuel comments.
The BOS provides the company’s operations with commonality of documentation. “This consistency results in an increased logistics flow, since all documentation produced will be identical, no matter in which country Bridge Shipping employees are accessing it. This is also important in terms of simplifying each individual country’s legal and statutory requirements,” Emanuel explains.
Understanding in-country culture and operations
Emanuel believes that having an operational knowledge of each geographical area in which a logistics company operates, greatly assists in addressing the relevant physical infrastructure challenges. “The Bridge Shipping Group is already extremely entrenched in five of its operational areas. Senior management of the company is required to spend up to two years cross-border, in order to familiarise themselves with the particular regulations and business culture of this country. Surprisingly, even within one country, the requirements at different border posts can be vastly diverse, which makes it even more difficult to understand a country’s requirements when operating systems from a physical distance.”
Zero tolerance of corruption
The subject of corruption often rears its head in cross-border operations. “The Bridge Shipping Group has adopted a policy, from the outset, that under no circumstances will we negotiate with corrupt officials. We stand by our principles of producing the relevant documents, the relevant entry and exit fees, but we will not pay bribes. We have a strict code of conduct in place and our adherence to ethical practice forms a large part of our accountability to our stakeholders,” Emanuel affirms.
In spite of the limitations placed on each corridor, the Bridge Shipping Group is under obligation to guarantee that a specific route to market will be provided for its customers, by dominating that corridor. “This entails prior planning and implementation of a sustainable plan of action.”
Depot network strengthens presence
“One of our strengths in the market is the presence of depots within each country of operation. These depots allow us to pre-assemble and dismantle cargo, store cargo, use both rail and road transport and to develop import cargo for our customer base.
We have built the Bridge Shipping Group’s reputation on the premise that customers are provided with the entire supply chain from ‘mine to market’. We are able to leverage our import and export experience to maintain and grow these corridors,” says Emanuel.
Emanuel adds that all Bridge Shipping Group depots are served by a rail link. “This obviously provides us with a great advantage, since we can predetermine the most expeditious route for a customer’s cargo, based on the volume of cargo, its final destination and the fastest route.”
Great supplier and rail operator relationships
“We are fortunate that we have developed strong and synergistic relationships with Transnet, National Railways of Zimbabwe, Rail Systems of Zambia and other counterparts which allow us to maximise our utilisation of rail transport. In addition, we have built up an extensive database of preferred road transportation suppliers. By being able to offer our customers preferential service, based on our capacity, capabilities, systems expertise and local, in-country knowledge, we can guarantee a seamless and qualified logistics service,” Emanuel concludes.
Ends
(946 words)
Note to Editors:
About the Bridge Shipping Group
The Bridge Shipping Group has over 30 years’ solid experience as a logistics company, with a well established footprint of blue chip clients in areas including the agriculture, mining and minerals, project cargo, bulk containerised commodities and raw materials fields.
This privately owned company provides a one-stop logistics resource, with synergistic divisions handling freight services; warehousing; ocean freight; as well as a clearing and forwarding service for ocean, air and project cargo.
Company-owned warehouse facilities throughout Southern Africa are linked by a railway line infrastructure, allowing the Bridge Shipping Group to react instantaneously to client requests. The company is the largest exporter of containerised cargo in Southern Africa and is able, through its skilled staff complement of 500 people in five countries, to tailor solutions to get client goods quickly to market.

Editorial Contact:
Kendal Hunt
Managing Director
Kendal Hunt Communications PR and Media Liaison Agency
011 462 6188
082 823 6533
kendal@kendalhunt.co.za