Carramore International Limited
Carramore International Limited

Freezers to Mwanza

The logistical challenges we face in making shipments, to which we have committed, are sometimes greater than expected. We quoted for three large upright freezers, delivered duty unpaid to NIMR in Mwanza. The freezer heights demanded that they be shipped on a cargo aircraft, and the route entailed two flights. The final destination of Mwanza had only one scheduled cargo aircraft flight per week, from Nairobi, with the airline operating only a single aircraft. We had supplied large upright freezers and fridges to Mwanza previously, so our proforma invoice was generated, and a purchase order was received.

Just after the freezers had been received in our warehouse, but before we had despatched, we learned that the aircraft had been grounded in Kenya, and permission to fly had been removed. Although the aircraft operator then acquired a replacement aircraft it was smaller and not able to take the height of the cargo to which we were already committed.

The best option was to coordinate a long overland journey through Kenya, once the goods had arrived at Nairobi on the first leg of the journey. This presented many problems:

• the cargo had to enter under bond in Nairobi as it was consigned to Mwanza, Tanzania
• we had to find a haulage company who were able to provide a suitable vehicle on which the freezers could be loaded and remain in an upright position
• they had to have permission to carry cargo under bond and under escort to Mwanza
• we had to co-ordinate customs clearance procedures at the border crossing between Kenya and Tanzania, including payment of standard border charges
• and of course we wished to ensure that the freezers arrived safely at Mwanza after a long and arduous journey

Those of you who have had experience of customs clearance procedures will appreciate it can be difficult enough under one customs regime never mind when two regimes are involved.

Nevertheless the Carramore team, both in the UK and Kenya, worked extremely hard in attempting to overcome these logistical challenges and after many e-mails and phone calls we were able to give the go-ahead for the journey. Continued vigilance by our team ensured that the freezers finally reached their destination in good condition.