Inter-modal Logistics

Inter-modal and multi-modal logistics is on the rise when it comes to driving business sustainability. By combining the most efficient transport modes based on each customer’s logistics needs, IMPERIAL Logistics not only keeps freight costs down, but greens the supply chain. Since fuel is a large component of the cost price of transportation, inter-modal solutions allow for important trade-offs when compared to considering traditional road transport only. Application thereof enables a more holistic and total transportation costing, which provides customers not only with environmental but also key economical benefits.

For us, the Holy Grail is a lean, green, efficient and sustainable supply chain that enhances operational dexterity. Inter-modal solutions help us deliver high performing supply chains that operate at optimum total logistics costs. From barge driven delivery down Germany’s Rhine River to inland water shipping connections from Cologne, Dusseldorf and Duisburg to Antwerp and Rotterdam – across continents to rail and road connections between Cape Town and Mazabuka, Zambia – we deliver timeously and cost-effectively.

Whether connecting the supply chain by air, sea, rail or road, we not only offer access to the appropriate mode but have established strategic relationships with transport carriers. Having owned transportation vehicles and access to sub-contractors for various modes of transportation, we are a key resource in providing inter-modal logistics solutions and integrating the supply chain integration. Managing service levels between Logistics Service Providers (LSPs) and across the supply chain, we ensure efficiency and value for our customers.

	Air We provide airfreight for a variety of products including hazardous cargo, pharmaceuticals, high tech electronics and general cargo. We charter aircrafts for customers to address their particular cargo needs and delivery schedules. With access to a vast network of carriers we have the capability to source aircrafts best suited to carrying our customers’ cargo type to its destination, while providing a competitive service. We also assemble cargo (import and export) from multiple suppliers into one shipment, reducing costs and increasing control. Our flexible approach enables us to assist everyone from first-time shippers to regular importers and exporters of freight. Sea / Waterways We offer Full Container Load (FCL) and Less-than-Container (LCL) shipments by sea. Our global reach extends from Europe to India, the USA and the Far East. We are the leading inland ports operators along the Rhine River to inland water shipping connections from Cologne, Düsseldorf and Duisburg to Antwerp and Rotterdam. neska, an IMPERIAL Logistics International company, is responsible for the transhipment of 1 200 000 containers and 8 000 000 tons per year, including the handling and processing, storage and transportation of bulk and general cargo. Another member company, Brouwer Shipping and Chartering       provides short sea solutions and maintains routes from Europe to the Far East, USA and India, delivering shipment of grain, feed, fertiliser, steel, coal, timber and scrap. Founded in 1963 as a shipbroker in Hamburg, the company today delivers transhipment of more than 20 000 000 tons per year. As part of our international service offering IMPERIAL Reederei operates > 600 inland vessels with a total cargo capacity of 1 000 000 tons. Rail We offer direct controlled, overland rail services to both local and international business partners. The Department of Transport (DoT) in South Africa together with Transnet are working towards improving and expanding the southern African rail system and invite private collaboration. IMPERIAL Logistics is well positioned to leverage our knowledge and participate in the planning process to ensure successful outcomes. In South Africa there is approximately 21 000 kms of railway track under the control of Transnet. In improving the country’s logistical capability, it is critical to maintain and expand this track to allow fast, safe and cost effective passage of trains carrying railway centric cargo. With our capability and expertise, we provide rail logistics solutions that can alleviate pressure on the southern African road system, bringing back to rail heavy duty commodities such as coal, ferrochrome, iron-ore and manganese as well as containers best suited for rail transport. With an improved railway system we can expand our rail logistics service offering, enhancing the benefits for our customers even further. As part of our rail logistics service offering we provide total rail solution management from loading to offloading points, facilitation of access to rail networks, system solutions for infrastructure and asset management and optimisation, loading and offloading supervision, comprehensive daily tracking reports and forward planning. e-Logics and Pragma, both members of the IMPERIAL Logistics Group, provide rail maintenance management. These technological solutions are developed to improve the management of railway systems, including the facilitation of maintenance, infrastructure asset surveying, asset location and configuration management, analysis of maintenance performance, planning and scheduling, performance measurement, activity-based cost models and risk management among others. Road With > 6 000 vehicles internationally and access to > 3 000 sub-contractor vehicles, we have the flexibility to offer customers customised road transportation solutions. In 2009, our local fleet has travelled 419 000 000 kms which is equal to 545 times to the moon and back. We offer primary and secondary transport of bulk, breakbulk and general cargo, refrigerated transport, tanker transport of hazardous, non-hazardous and specialised products, container transport, tipper transport, local courier and truck rental services. Our road logistics services span across 14 African countries as well as internationally in Europe. Where possible, we consolidation and group truck loads to save cost and improve efficiency. These benefits are given through to the customers. On a 4PL basis we also coordinate and aggregate the activities of multiple LSPs to provide a single source to the customer. Safety is at the core of everything we do. We have a trained and qualified national SHERQ (Safety, Health, Environment, Risk and Quality) team available in all regions and offer services to conduct route risk assessments, quality control and safety checks. Superior track and trace systems ensure that we track of the cargo moved. We employ world-class fleet management systems and satellite navigation providing real-time information and visibility, which allow our customers to be up to date with the status of shipments at any given time. Our fleet comprises the complete range of vehicles, including taut liners, flat decks, pantechnicons trailers, rigid vehicles, tippers and refrigerated trucks. We continue to lead the logistics industry in environmental terms. Together with Mercedes Benz South Africa we have introduced Euro V engines in addition to utilising Euro III and IV engines in our vehicles. Furthermore, we have introduced the state-of-the-art ecoFridge. Three new semi-trailers and one rigid combination have been commissioned with the ecoFridge nitrogen system. The major benefit of the ecoFridge is no carbon emissions and no noise pollution. The trailers are designed to maintain three different temperature regimes in each trailer.