While most attention on a global scale goes to the larger macroeconomic moves, bottlenecks and pricing, there are always interesting movements and trends being seen elsewhere.
Deccan Freight Logistics started as a forwarder 15 years ago in 2009, but the fast changing nature of shipping into Kenya and East Africa led CEO Thabith Kaja Mhideen to soon open also Access Maritime Services as a shipping company operating both as ship’s agent and chartering party for movement of shipments into East Africa
“Trends are changing” confirms Thabith. “In the past, East Africa was importing its trucks second hand from UK and European makets. Now everything is coming in from China and everyone is going for the new trucks“.
He adds that European trading companies are also buying from China and selling to Africa, although it makes you wonder how much longer an intermediary can remain in the game with every more efficient information flows and connections.
Deccan Freight Logistics has offices in Kenya and Uganda, but is about to open in Tanzania too. They give coverage for the whole region: Malawi, Burundi, Zambia, Congo, South Sudan, Rwuanda. They also have transhipment services to Somalia.
In addition to vehicles, Deccan handles substantial quantities of HRC coils and wire rods that are shipped to both Mombasa and Dar es Salaam (Tanzania). These materials play a crucial role in various projects, including the Kingfisher Oil Project, Uganda’s inaugural oil field venture. Uganda is gearing up to extract and refine oil, with considerable backing from key players like the Ugandan Oil Company, Total Energies from France, and CNOOC from China.
A region to watch for! We also watch SCN member Deccan Freight with ship operations in Kenya and growing into Tanzania.
Interested in Deccan’s ship agent services, or also forwarding possibilites?
