LOGISTICS Africa for 50 years and employs nearly 20,000 people in 41 countries. With 6,000 trucks, 64 million square feet of warehouse space, and operations in eight ports, it said it has the largest stevedoring and logistics network on the continent. In the United States, Bolloré is represented by its sister company SDV International Logistics. Besides reduced export revenues, Lafont said, “the second impact has been the reduction of foreign investment. Some projects have been cancelled, other projects have been postponed, and also competition over current projects has reduced. And the most developed country on the continent, South Africa, has also slowed down.” The global recession has not had as much impact on import volumes in lesserdeveloped countries. “Demand is largely for basic products and less vulnerable to the crisis,” he explained. Maersk Line said its first half volumes on Africa routes fell 14 percent. Volumes at affiliate Safmarine were flat. (Safmarine has some activity on east/west routes, but Africa-related activities are by far the majority of its business.) Stephen Hayes president, Corporate Council on Africa “Once you take energy out of the equation, even South Africa is a larger investor in the West of Africa than the U.S.” “Between us and our big brother, we probably have 40-45 percent of the West African market,” said John Boudreau, president of Safmarine Inc., Maersk’s U.S. arm. “In some countries Maersk is bigger, some countries Safmarine is bigger.” U.S. TRADE WITH SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA (Export, import values in $ millions) Despite its growth, U.S.-Africa trade has been a disappointment to some. It is still dominated by oil and a small number of other commodities, and most trade is concentrated with a few countries. Sub-Saharan Africa accounted for slightly more than 3 percent of U.S. merchandise imports. Petroleum products dominate, accounting for about 81 percent of total U.S. imports from Sub-Saharan Africa. As a result, big oil producers Nigeria and Angola account for nearly two-thirds of U.S. imports. Congo, Chad, Equatorial Guinea and Gabon are other large African oil exporters to the United States. South Africa accounted for 11.6 percent of U.S. imports from Africa in 2008. Among the major commodities from South Africa, platinum and diamond imports declined while vehicles, iron and steel were up. Leading U.S export commodities to Sub-Saharan Africa include motor vehicles, oilseeds and grain, petroleum and coal products, aircraft and parts, oil and gas machinery, and construction equipment. Most of the U.S. imports from Sub- Saharan Africa, including oil, are eligible U.S. Exports U.S. Imports 2.4% 3.3% 4.6% 21.5% 10.9% 22.2% 35.1% South Africa Nigeria Angola Benin Ghana Kenya Other 2.6% 3.9% 5.9% 3.9% 5.9% 11.6% 22.0% 44.2% Nigeria Angola South Africa Congo Equatorial Guinea Chad Gabon Other Item Value Motor vehicles $2,204.4 Oilseeds & grains $1,617.4 Petroleum & coal products $1,403.8 Aircraft, engines, & parts $1,358.7 Oil & gas field machinery & equipment $1,344.2 Construction machinery $1,142.4 Other general purpose machinery 1 $596.4 Industrial chemicals $447.0 Navigational, measuring, $427.7 electromedical & control instruments Grain and oilseed milling products $426.6 Communications equipment $394.1 Item Value Oil (crude & non-crude) $71,208.2 Platinum $2,966.9 Motor vehicles and parts $1,932.7 Diamonds $1,572.7 Iron and steel $1,235.9 Woven & knit apparel $1,151.5 Ores, slag, & ash $896.8 Cocoa $695.0 Organic chemicals $627.5 Petroleum gases & other gases $513.4 1 Includes pumps and pumping equipment, air and gas compressors, and material handling equipment. Sources: U.S. International Trade Commission DataWeb and U.S. Commerce Department, Census Bureau. 10 AMERICAN SHIPPER: OCTOBER 2009
YOU NEED TO SOURCE FROM EMERGING MARKETS. YOU NEED HANS MIEDEMA. For 37,000 Agility employees in over 120 countries around the world, success isn’t measured in parts assembled or products shipped. Success occurs when our business partners achieve their goals. It’s an intimate approach to global logistics that demands individual attention and personal ownership. It’s how Hans Miedema brings Agility to supply chain challenges. Hans Miedema Regional Support Leader Agility Global Account Team agilitylogistics.com
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