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FREIGHT & TRADING WEEKLY
The Freight Community’s Weekly Newspaper for Import / Export decision makers – on subscription
FRIDAY 31 July 2009 NO. 1873
‘Taboo’ fuel theft issue costs operators millions By Liesl Venter Shippers are ultimately paying the price for fuel theft in higher rates, according to industry sources. Fuel theft, much like corruption in African countries, does not exist. And talking about it makes the non-existent problem even
worse, say those in the know. “What would be the point,” says one freight forwarder, who wanted to remain anonymous. “Everyone knows it happens, so it just gets budgeted for ahead of the truck leaving the yard.” According to Sean Jackson, managing director of Trucktek, ascertaining
the exact extent of the problem is difficult for this reason. “Getting the figures from players in the industry is problematic as no organisation will readily give out the information. They see it as compromising their operations.” On the other side of the coin trying to quantify the amounts
of fuel being stolen is just as difficult because anyone buying stolen diesel is unlikely to give an indication of how much they have bought. But the figures are staggering. A company operating a fleet of 100 trucks is losing an average of R1 million a month due to fuel theft, one operator told FTW.
“You should be costing a minimum of 50 litres per truck per trip,” he says. “The black market for diesel is an industry of millions of rands. And sadly there is very little you can do to stop it. So most operators just ensure the loss is made up in rates and pricing.” To page 8
Cronin dons a maritime hat The global shortage of skilled maritime personnel and the importance of training during an economic downturn were among the topics discussed when South Africa's Deputy Minister of Transport, Jeremy Cronin, visited Samtra (the SA Maritime Training Academy) in Simon's Town last week. Samtra is a not-for-profit organisation that provides
high-tech, affordable, accredited and globally recognised training for the entire maritime sector.
Samtra's deck instructor Dave Wolfaardt with deputy minister Jeremy Cronin and Safmarine's Fred Jacobs.
UNIVERSAL AFRICA LINES (SOUTH AFRICA)
Contact UAL-SA general Agent Seaclad Maritime. For bookings or further information. Sham Naidoo: mkt@seaclad.co.za +27 82 783 4206 Angelique Augistine: expjhb@seaclad.co.za +27 11 442 3777 UAL (SA) (PTY) Ltd, 8th Floor, 71 Loop Street, Cape Town, 8001 Tel: +27 21 422 3210; Fax: +27 21 422 3212 (Cape Town) Head Office. Tel: + 27 11 880 2904 (Johannesburg). FTW4483
. … D R A O ALL AB
UAL is now sailing from South Africa into West Africa. UAL now runs a fortnightly service from Durban, Cape Town and Walvis Bay into Lobito, Luanda (Sonils), Soyo, Porte Noire, Port Gentile, Onne (PHC) and Malabo. (Moving Breakbulk, Containers, Heavy Lifts, Projects and General Cargo)
UAL-Rodach’s first berthing in Cape Town on Friday 10th July 2009