₦airaland Forum

JOB PROFILE FOR SALES EXECUTIVE – GROUPAGE/LCL

LEVEL: JUNIOR OFFICER
TYPE OF JOB: CONTRACT
REPORTS TO: HEAD, GROUPAGE
LOCATION: LAGOS


JOB OVERVIEW

The Sales Executive will be responsible for promoting and creating awareness regarding FGSL’s Groupage/LCL Service.


JOB DESCRIPTION

• Liaise with the Head, Groupage to develop LCL Business and achieve LCL sales target.

• Maintain and expand LCL client database.

• Liaise with Groupage Head to actively promote sales/new business opportunities, exchange information and increase sales volume.

• Ensure conversion of prospective customers into new businesses.

• Identify and source for customers with LCL business trade links in Asia, US hubs.

• Establish strong business relationships with these customers by providing relevant market information to them.

• Generate weekly sales report on clients targeted per week

• Gather market information and provide relevant feedback on competitor’s rates

• Any other duty as assigned by the supervisor


EDUCATION

• BSC or HND in any discipline


JOB REQUIREMENT

• At least 2 years Sales experience

• Knowledge of the Freight Forwarding Industry will be an added advantage

• Excellent communication skills.

• Excellent interpersonal skills

Interested applicants should forward their applications to careers@fglobalshipping.com Application closes on 2 August 2018

Manufacturers need raw materials supplied early enough at a good cost so that they can satisfy the ever-growing demands of their customers. The retailer relies on the efficient delivery of their consignments to meet the diverse needs of innumerable customers. The average project engineer or offshore constructor require the efficiency and competence of a freight forwarder to achieve their logistics goals and beat project timelines.

If your goal is to move your freights to and from anywhere in the world better, faster, at a considerable cost and in the best condition possible, then the decision on which freight forwarder to engage, must be taken cautiously.

The domestic logistics space is awash with “freight forwarders,” but finding a competent one is a critical step towards your goal. The benefits of finding a competent and highly professional freight forwarder far outweigh the cost of not doing so. Though one can hardly exhaust the benefits of hiring a competent freight forwarder to manage the intricate processes of your freight logistics, the following are key benefits of doing so:



Expert Advice: A competent freight forwarder offers helpful advice ranging from the right kind of container or carriage material to use for specific or diverse kinds of shipment; how these items are or should be loaded; the most considerable rates for major and alternative routes and most importantly key information on destination regulatory requirements – including documentation and statutory charges. They are usually proactive, can anticipate possible pitfalls and proffer cost-saving solutions even before your freights are moved from origin.



Cost Saving: Competent freight forwarders understand the sensitive correlation between time and money and as such pay keen attention to the time span between order and delivery. Beyond profit consideration, the most important objective for a company like Fortune Global is to deliver within designated timeline because we understand the cost implications of delays in paying third-party charges like shipping and terminal, duty payment and other documentation charges required to clear shipments with regulatory bodies before delivery can be done. Such delays will incur high demurrage charges and increase your logistics cost if they are not addressed as quickly as required. This is not to say challenges (prompted by humans and force majeure) will never occur, they can but the key consideration is cost-saving and firm commitment nip costly error or mistakes in the bud.



Quality Assurance: This is where a competent freight forwarder deploys the most effective combination of systems(technology), processes, procedures and people to address and satisfy your specific needs. In this case, there is a seamless flow of information between you and the freight forwarder and the entire transaction from pick- up, loading, transportation from origin to arrival at destination; all the associated regulatory formalities to invoicing are visible to you (the customer) without any shadow of doubt. Quality assurance also means that transaction records and major incidents that may occur in the entire process are well documented. The purpose of this is to tighten all loose ends, adopt corrective and preventive measures to incidents or exposures that have the potential to mar genuine efforts towards service excellence and customer satisfaction.



Competitive Advantage: Some of the easiest ways to gaining competitive advantage is the ability to secure competitive freight transportation rates; gain access to the quickest routes and to make sure your goods arrive just in time and in the anticipated condition. A competent Freight forwarder like Fortune Global wants you to succeed and like to work with your own target timeline as though we are serving your own clients. We serve you with your own customers in mind. This commitment will naturally keep you ahead or at par with competitors. This will enable you to deliver within and even ahead of the designated project, production or distribution deadlines.



Regulatory Interface: Though all freight forwarders (competent or not) interface with regulatory agencies, the ones with a pedigree of compliance and competence in handling issues that pertain to documentation, valuation, and regulatory authorities will avert costly errors will not only save time and money, it will enhance your corporate reputation.



Global Partnership: One of the key attributes of a competent freight forwarder is the link to large global freight forwarding and logistics network. They leverage these networks of partners to picked-up, transport and coordinate your freights from origin to destination by land, air or sea. That is why the Fortune Global team can sit here in Nigeria and coordinate freights on behalf of customers from the United States to Nigeria; Russia to Ghana; from Argentina to Kenya; from Australia to Iceland and in many other similar instances without breaking a sweat.



In case you’ve ever had to contemplate on which freight forwarder to engage in Nigeria -especially if you have hardly done any business here, think Fortune Global. Even in the face of peculiar challenges, we have distinguished ourselves in service; remained resolutely committed to serving our customers excellently. Riding on the back of a successful pedigree, our commitment to excellence and customer success are a few among many other benefits that a customer can derive from engaging Fortune Global.

Source: http://blog.fglobalshipping.com/six-key-benefits-of-engaging-a-competent-freight-forwarder/
Credits: Fortune Global Shipping and Logistics Limited https://fglobalshipping.com/

As demand for the importation of Less Than Container (commodity) goods continues to maintain steady growth across the world, so also is the demand for dependable last mile de-consolidators at destination countries. This is because most of these retail traders or SMEs aim to save time, cut cost and secure every available technical assistance – ranging from documentation, cargo handling, to delivery.



A Consolidator in China, for instance, may have an assortment of SMEs, retailers or traders in Nigeria who depend on their services for the importation of LCL shipments but can hardly sustain or maintain these customers without a competent de-consolidator to perform all the destination formalities – including documentation and last mile deliveries.




We can hardly exhaust the pivotal place of the De-Consolidator in the LCL Logistics equation, but they are notable for key activities such as:



Business Relationship Management: De-Consolidators are the key connectors between the Consolidators and the customer at cargo destination countries. They stand in the gap and help the Consolidators to maintain healthy business relationship between them and their customers. This is particularly so because Consolidators may never get to know these customers or have any physical encounters with them but are able to meet their needs and deliver as promised through the help of a reliable De-Consolidator.



Performance of Regulatory Formalities: Given that there are rules and regulations governing cross-border trade in every country, Consolidators rely on the technical expertise of De-Consolidators at destination countries to process the requisite documents, sort-out statutory charges and ensure that containers are released from carriers, terminals where the containers are dropped; movement of containers to designated bonded warehouses where the consignments are de-grouped and Customs-cleared for and delivered to individual consignees.



Generally, the role of the De-Consolidator can take the following among many other shapes:


- They leverage Information Technology to facilitate the tracking of shipments from origin, providing shipment up-dates to consignees and local stores.

- Supervise the unloading of containers and sorting of cargoes according to individual Bills of Lading.

- Help retailers and SMEs to distribute products to customers faster, better and mostly at a reduced inventory cost.

- De-consolidators are effective salespeople who nominate customers with Less Than Container shipments to Consolidators in countries from where those goods are to be imported.

- Reliable Deconsolidators are great consultants to both Consolidators and their customers. They can provide useful guides on regulatory requirements to LCL shippers. On the other hand, they are well positioned to provide information on market opportunities and trends in their respective countries to Consolidators who are either dealing with customers in the said countries or are interested in exploring the opportunities in such markets.

- A lot have been either written or said about LCL Consolidation and most times with focus on the Consolidator but we must understand that while the job of the Consolidator is to gather small individual (LCL) shipments; owned by different people with different Bills of Lading at origin, a De-Consolidator (like Fortune Global Shipping & Logistics) ensures that upon arrival at destination country (Nigeria for instance), containers are picked-up from terminal to bonded warehouses where regulatory formalities are performed, consolidated shipments broken-down (de-consolidated, degrouped and sorted) before they are delivered to individual consignees.


That is why the place of Deconsolidators in LCL logistics is quite pivotal, given that the relationship between them and Consolidators can be likened to that of the neck and the head. While the Consolidator is the head, the Deconsolidator is the neck. Neither of them can function without the other.

Source: http://blog.fglobalshipping.com/the-importance-of-deconsolidators-in-less-than-container-load-lcl-logistics/
Credits: [url]Fortune Global Shipping and Logistics Limited https://fglobalshipping.com/[/url]

While it is common knowledge among experts and many industry stalwarts that the importation of project-bound equipment worth over $100,000 into the shores of Nigeria require Temporary Import Permit, the risk of not knowing when to apply for it, how to apply for it and above all the agent to engage to guarantee a hitch-free process remains a serious cause for concern. That is why engaging a freight forwarding agent who understands the intricacies of processing Temporary Import Permit and the A-Z of documentation requirements is key.



Having said that, in the interest of those who know little or nothing about Temporary Importation as a subject or those who already know but do not want to be complacent, here are ten things you must know about Temporary Importation (TI) in Nigeria:



What it means: Temporary Importation means goods that are temporarily imported into Nigeria for specific projects, with the intention to re-export same after a specific period. Permits are usually granted for an initial period of one year.



What Can Be Temporarily Imported: [/b]Goods/equipment that can be temporarily imported include Oil rigs, vessels (ships), barges, heavy duty cranes, aircraft and other heavy-duty project equipment, whose values exceed $ 100,000.



[b]Lease Agreement: Apart from documents like proforma invoice, equipment manual, registration certificates, covering letters, to Nigerian Customs and other statutory documents, Lease Agreement between the equipment owner and the Nigerian Importer must be submitted to Customs as well. The agreement specifies the lease period, the lease cost and the lease condition.



Formal Application for Temporary Import Permit: This is where the importer, through its designated agent issues a formal application to the Comptroller General’s office in Abuja for approval. The application is considered in tandem with other requirements before an approval letter is sent to the importer or importer’s designated agent.



Bond Security: Before a Temporary Import permit is secured by the importer or the importer’s agent on behalf of the importer, security for the Customs duty payable must be provided through a bond issued by Customs designated banks. That is why neither an insurance bond or a cash deposit is not accepted.



Extension of Temporary Import Permit: Temporary Import permits are usually granted for a period of one year; with a possible extension of two for two tenures of six months each. That means after the first one year, it can be extended for another six months and an additional six months at the end of the first six-month extension. However, the maximum period approved for Temporary Importation is two years. Extension beyond this period can only be granted on a case by case basis only for a period of three or six months.





Re-exportation: At the end of projects for which equipment was temporarily imported, the importer or the importer’s agent on behalf of the importer commences formalities for the re-exportation of equipment either by air or sea. This will include the processing of the Export Bill of entry and bond cancellation documents.



Export Bill of Entry: The essence of completing the Bill of Entry, which is obtainable at the Customs office is to enable the Nigerian Customs Service to examine and release the equipment to ensure that the information provided is accurate. It serves as an authority to process and ship equipment.



Conversion for Home Use: If at the end of the approved permit period, the importer/equipment owner wants the equipment to remain in Nigeria permanently, approval to that effect must be secured from Customs Head Quarters in Abuja. In case you also intend to sell, the equipment to a third party in Nigeria, approval must be obtained, and Entry for Home Use processed with the Customs at the initial sea or airport of entry. Note that at this point, the original duty payable and the VAT applicable at the time of importation are fully paid before equipment conversion is approved.



Bond Cancellation: To cancel a Temporary Import bond, the equipment importer or the importers’ agent must show documentary evidence that the equipment has either been re-exported or converted for home use.



Fortune Global is well positioned to resolve all your concerns in relation to the subject of Temporary Importation. For almost a decade now, Fortune Global has built a strong record of high performance in Temporary Import (TI) processing and management in major turnkey projects with high-profile clients in the Nigerian Oil & Gas, as well as Energy sectors.

Source: http://blog.fglobalshipping.com/the-fight-against-corruption-in-international-trade/
Credits: Fortune Global Shipping and Logistics Limited https://fglobalshipping.com/

One of the greatest challenges in the global fight against corruption is the inability to clearly outline the totality of what constitutes and does not constitute corruption. While there have been plausible attempts to substantiate the personality of corruption, the problem largely lies in the fact that corruption means different things to different nations, institutions, organizations, and people.

Though there are certain universally acceptable definitions of what does and does not constitute corruption, the entirety of the elements that constitute trade corruption in the US may not apply in China, India, Nigeria or even in the UK.

The question then is, What is corruption? What activities culminate in corruption?

At what point can one conclude that an individual, a group or an organization have engaged in corrupt practices? How do such practices affect international trade and the global fight against corruption?



What is Corruption?

Transparency International defines corruption as “the abuse of entrusted power for private gain” In other words, against the popular point of view, corruption does not begin and end with bribery alone. Abuse of legitimate authority or the deployment of same to influence clearly established procedures and defined courses of action for personal gains is corruption.

On the other hand, bribery is almost an acceptable norm in international trade – especially in the third world countries; a predictable evil and a conniving means of getting regulatory agents to expeditiously perform services that they are statutorily obliged to perform in the first place.

In response to this global scourge, the following laws among many others have been established to stamp-out corruption/bribery-related offences and punish offenders:

UN Convention Against Corruption (2003).
Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (US: 1977).
Bribery Act (U.K:2010)
The organization of Economic Cooperation & Development (OECD) Anti-Bribery Convention (1997)
African Development Bank (ADB)-OECD Action Plan for the Asia Pacific (2001).
African Union Convention on Preventing/Combating Corruption (2004).
G20 Anti-Corruption Action Plan (2010).
Amendment No.8 to article 164 (China:2011).
Federal Law No. 97-FZ (Russia:2011).


Together, these laws seek to stamp out or reduce corruption in business to almost a zero level globally and aim to standardize the following:

Punish those who offer bribes and those who accept them.
Making these laws extra-territorial i.e. applicable across global boundaries.
Making bribery of any kind of criminal offence.
Laws to apply to regulatory/public officers across the world.
Issue standardized penalties for both individual or colluding corporate entities.
Corporate liability for erring organizations – including the risk of being black-listed
corruption in freight forwarding

Risk Exposures to Bribery & Corruption

Nick Maxwell (Transparency International:2014) pointed out three major risks that are associated with bribery and corruption – legal, organizational and reputational.

Legal
Prosecution, leading to long-term legal battle which will cost the organization time and money.
Fines and imprisonment (for individuals) and corporate liability for organizations.
Large legal and compliance costs.


Organisational
Loss of focus – takes up management time to plan for the business because being on the wrong side of the law will distract any organization from its original business goals.




- Reputational
- Brand reputation damage
- Loss of trustworthiness, key customers, and strategic global partnerships
- Decrease in morale


Call it lobbying, tipping, blocking or appreciation (depending on what part of the world you’re operating), if it influences the decision of any party involved in a transaction process – even against established procedures, it is corruption.

Anything that causes a regulatory agent(s) like Customs for instance to commit an error of commission or omission or turns the natural course of events on its head, for gains other than those established by law, is corruption. We must admit that the global campaigns against it have recorded enormous success – especially in the US, UK, and many other advanced nations but the scourge is still very much alive in many developing economies – including Nigeria.

That is why Fortune Global continues to campaign for a corrupt-free business environment, having built her business on the firm foundation of transparency and compliance with the law.

Source: http://blog.fglobalshipping.com/the-fight-against-corruption-in-international-trade/
Credits: Fortune Global Shipping and Logistics Limited https://fglobalshipping.com/

Freight forwarders, forwarding agents or Non-Vessel Operating Common Carriers (NVOCCs) are primarily in the business of organizing shipments for either organizations or individuals on import and export basis. Ideally, all these activities are conducted within the limits country-specific laws, regulations and in line with global best practice. While it is true that freight forwarding regulations are designed to control the activities of freight forwarders around the world, many ‘forwarders’ have become agents of disorder and in direct contention with established rules and regulations.



Unregulated and self-serving agents (posing as freight forwarders) is one of the major challenges confronting freight forwarding in Nigeria and this is largely responsible for how the Nigeria freight forwarding industry is perceived globally. However, there are a good number of indigenous companies, that have excellent record of compliance; the requisite structures, processes, expertise, capacity, and experienced manpower to handle diverse freight-related transactions.



A clear understanding of these contending realities would serve as a guide to local and multinational companies; international partners and affiliates who are already engaging or yet to decide on engaging a Nigerian forwarder. Having said that, attention must be paid to the following commonest attributes of unregulated freight forwarders within the Nigerian logistics space.



Non-Compliance with regulatory requirements: [/b]This is very common and two major factors are largely responsible to its pervasiveness. The first is, lack of firm regulation and the second is corrupt regulatory agents who connive with forwarders to pervert established rules and procedures.


[b]Lack of transparency: Transactions with this category of forwarders are usually shrouded in a lot of dishonesty; mostly evident in false declarations and undervaluation which when discovered by the authorities would attract huge penalties, leading to additional charges or even confiscation of cargo.


Poor cargo handling: Most of them lack the capacity and technical competence in cargo handling and this exposes shippers to a lot of costly and avoidable damages.


Liability: These agents have little or no liabilities at any stage of their operation. Most of them have their entire offices in a suitcase. That creates the opportunity to connive with corrupt regulatory agents, who take advantage of the gaps in the system to cheat.


Lack of technical knowledge in managing the complexities of global logistics – including documentation, shipment coordination and offering the right advice to shippers.


Poor information management and feedback systems, leading to wrong shipping, booking and delivery information.


Fears about these commonest attributes in the Nigerian logistics space have persisted among global traders either due to a previous negative experience; general perception of the Nigerian industry from a global media perspective or otherwise. Though there are bases for these doubts, the Nigerian logistics space is characterized by two categories of forwarders. One is a bunch of self-serving, non-compliant and inept forwarders, while the other is an organized set of highly compliant, well structured, and highly competent forwarders. What this means is that if you’re interested in engaging a Nigerian forwarder, you must understand that there are as many trustworthy forwarders as there are shady ones.



Dealing with unregulated freight agents is a major challenge to every well-meaning person in the Nigerian logistics space because they have practically brought this industry to its knees and have caused great reputational damage, as well as how it is perceived globally. How do you deal with agents who hardly own any offices; with no clearly defined structure or processes; with entire offices in their suitcases?

The problem here has never been lack of legal framework to regulate the business of freight forwarding in Nigeria but firm application and enforcement of these rules by regulatory agencies. One is now moved to suggest that the Shippers’ Council should be empowered to enforce firm regulatory policies to ensure that freight forwarding in Nigeria is regulated to the extent that every intending or existing forwarder or forwarding agent meets all the basic requirements for operating in the industry. That way, we can have industry that is largely known for compliance, transparency and to the positive outlook of the industry as a whole.


Source: http://blog.fglobalshipping.com/unregulated-freight-forwarders-in-the-nigerian-logistics-space/
Credits: Fortune Global Shipping and Logistics Limited https://fglobalshipping.com/

Are you a commodity trader whose business depends on the importation of goods to serve the needs of your customers? Are you looking for a logistics solution that will enable you move small shipments by sea or air at a considerable cost, remain competitive and maintain a sustainable business growth? Then, think consolidation.


The primary goal of Consolidation as a logistics solution is to ensure that shipment of individuals importing from the same global hubs are put together as either one Full Container Load by sea or as consolidated cargo if they are to be transported by air at a much lower cost. It’s a very efficient distribution system that enables the delivery of shipment to several individual consignees at destination.


For instance, it would have been a lot more expensive for an individual shipper to move up to 200kg cargo by sea, as a single item in a container all the way from Asia, America, or Europe to Nigeria but thanks to consolidation, that can be achieved at a much lower cost. So, the logistics solution that Consolidation brings to the average commodity trader or importer is quite remarkable in the sense that people pay less when their shipments are consolidated and transported in group as a single shipment. Then, at destination warehouse, the consolidated shipments are deconsolidated or separated and delivered to individual consignees after the necessary regulatory formalities.


Again, the fact that Customs examinations and releases to individual consignees are done at designated bonded warehouses, saves consignees’ time and the pain of having to go through rigorous port procedures. For instance, if Customs clearance procedure is taking its toll on your profit margin, Consolidation becomes an option. This will not only cut cost and save time as stated earlier but take you through very light and less painful regulatory procedure.


The question at this point is no longer what to do to save time, cut cost and respond to rapidly changing customer demand as a commodity trader who is import dependent. It’s now about which Consolidation agent to engage to help you stay competitive.


All you need is a competent destination agent with the following attributes:


- Requisite structure, pedigree, and technical expertise to not only manage Consolidated shipments of diverse nature but is able to provide well-informed advice on possible outcomes.
- Strategic partnerships with Consolidators at strategic import hubs across the world.
- Requisite warehouse and efficient distribution system to help you meet your competitive needs.
- A sound knowledge of regulatory and documentation requirements for LCL shipments and a proven capacity to seamlessly manage Customs procedures.
- IT communication platform for real-time shipment up-dates.

If what we’ve seen is anything to go by, then one is moved to conclude that the decision of a commodity trader or an import dependent retailer to engage a competent Consolidation agent is as important as the decision to stay competitive. Hire a dependable partner to handle all your consolidated shipments by sea or air from all import locations across the world and avoid the costly error of engaging wrong agents.


Source: http://blog.fglobalshipping.com/5-major-errors-to-avoid-in-vessel-clearance/
Credits: Fortune Global Shipping and Logistics Limited https://fglobalshipping.com/

Vessel clearance is about the most complex and equally lucrative aspect of the maritime logistics industry. It’s so elaborate and technical that it requires top-notch expertise to handle the entire end-to-end process – including documentation, communication and interface with all regulatory authorities. Since Nigeria is our focus, a clearing agent must go through regulatory agents like The Nigerian Customs Services, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and Nigerian Maritime & Safety Agency (NIMASA) and satisfy all requirements to ensure a smooth inward and outward vessel clearance.

Every vessel that calls at the Nigerian port is subjected to regulatory scrutiny and checks which looks out for the registration of crew members with immigration authorities; registration of the vessel itself with the NPA, Pilotage charges to NIMASA, Temporary Import (TI) Processing (for project-oriented vessels) with Customs; mooring; inward vessel clearance; issued Statement of Fact; Notice of Readiness and outward clearance.

Given the complexity of the entire vessel clearance process, the following are 5 major errors that must be avoided when handling project-oriented or cargo carrying vessel clearance in Nigeria:


Engaging an incompetent agent
Failure to Secure Ship Entry Notice at the appropriate time
Wrong declaration
Wrong documentation
Creating process gaps


1. Engaging an incompetent agent: Engaging an incompetent agent will bring about inefficiencies, costly delays in the vessel clearance process and costly documentation errors. That is why experts must be engaged to handle the technical intricacies and detail involved in this exercise to guard against potential errors and guarantee quick turn-around of the vessel clearance process.



2. Failure to Secure Ship Entry Notice at the appropriate time: Ship Entry Notice (SEN) must be sent to Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA) online two months before the arrival of vessel. This would guarantee that the vessel would have berthing facility on arriving the shores of Nigeria. Failure to have this done as required means the vessel will queue-upon arrival and incur demurrages.

3. Wrong declaration: This can also result from incorrect or incomplete details of cargo and crew in the manifest submitted to regulatory authorities. The manifest should provide comprehensive and accurate information on the entire content of the vessel. The information contained in the manifest usually includes cargo volume, sizes, weights, shapes, ownership, nature of the cargo and the list of crew members. Incorrect declaration is usually costly and time-consuming due to sanctions, the amount of time it takes to resolve the errors.

4. Wrong documentation: This can occur when the vessel agent’s application to Customs regarding detail of the content of vessel contained in the manifest attached to the application is inaccurate. The application submitted to Customs for approval must capture the precise content of the vessel – including nature of cargo, volume, weight, and dimension and the vessel registration license. An agent is also expected to send a list of all crew members and their international passports to the Nigerian Immigration Services for immigration clearance before crew members can step-out of the vessel. If there are errors in details provided both on vessel crew and cargo, the consequences are usually very costly and that is why the potential for such errors must be identified early and nipped in the bud.

5. Creating Process Gaps: Process gaps can occur when a checklist of activities in vessel clearance process is not adequately outlined or followed as documented in. For instance, you can get every other thing right and still fail to invite regulatory authorities to carry-out inspection on crew and the entire content of the vessel. Authorities including the Nigerian Customs (Boarding & Enforcement unit), Port Health (Quarantine Services), Ships Agents and NPA. Here, a routine cross-checks carried-out on cargo manifest, crew list, Vessel hygiene and the health status of crew members are ascertained to avoid the transfer of communicable diseases in the country. This and several others is a very important aspect of the vessel clearing process that must be done before the vessel is certified to have fulfilled all requirements.



The foregoing is just some of the major errors to avoid in vessel clearance and this can be easily achieved when the right agents are engaged even before the vessel sets sail from origin.



Fortune Global has demonstrated expertise and capacity to deliver on complex turnkey projects – including vessel clearance for some of the very best organization in the Oil 7 Gas and project-based industries.

Our most recent stroke of genius was the masterly handling of the inward clearance and logistics of the EGINA FPSO Vessel. It came as no surprise to some industry stakeholders that we were appointed as the logistics agents for the inward clearance of this massive vessel because we have consistently demonstrated commitment to excellence and handling projects of similar nature in the past few years and in the years to come.

Our clients are rest of assured of our pedigree of:

Adherence to industry best practices
100% regulatory compliance
Accurate documentation and timely vessel clearance
Expertise in marine logistics
Planning and designing efficient logistics workflow for clients to maximize time and cut needles cost.

Source: http://blog.fglobalshipping.com/5-major-errors-to-avoid-in-vessel-clearance/
Credits: Fortune Global Shipping and Logistics Limited https://fglobalshipping.com/

Following the controversy generated by the cargo palletization policy, many shippers, importers, Freight Forwarders, stakeholders, and industry stalwarts have continued to throw questions around this policy, in search of answers to guide their own business decisions. Concluding from the past few weeks, the most frequently asked questions and responses are as follows:

What is the palletization policy about?

The policy is an initiative of the Presidential committee on ease of doing business in Nigeria which stipulates that all containerized cargoes coming into Nigeria must be palletized. This is to assist officers of the Nigerian Customs Service in providing an easy and faster way to physically examine containers being brought into the country.

What trade category does the palletization policy apply to?

The palletization policy is only applicable to all containerized cargo being shipped into Nigeria (i.e import cargo)

When is the palletization policy expected to be implemented?

The government has announced 1st January 2018 for the enforcement of the palletization policy for all containerized goods coming into the country. The policy will apply to all Nigerian bound cargoes departing various ports of loading/origin. Goods that have already been loaded for shipment into Nigeria prior to this date will not be affected by the palletization policy.

What type of pallets are acceptable?

At the workshop where the subject matter was extensively explained, it was stated that pallet dimension is 40’ x 48’ and has a capacity to carry goods as heavy as 1,000kg. However, we have not been officially notified on the approved size, weight capacity and nature of the material to be used as pallets.

Which goods are exempted from palletization? Items exempted from palletization are categorized by:

Weight: Example includes heavy metals such as flat steel sheets, aluminum in coils.
Mobility: Refers to commodities that can roll by itself such as motor vehicles, mobile gas cylinders, firefighting equipment.
Container space: Having adequate space of at least 2ft between each cargo for ease of movement inside the container such as earth moving tyres.
Fragility: Such as large, high precision diagnostic health machines We still await a full comprehensive list/guideline from the federal ministry of finance detailing what goods require palletization and what goods are exempted from palletization.
This policy is a game changer and will impact the importing of containerized cargo into the Nigerian seaports. Notwithstanding, defaulters will be subjected to stringent and very costly penalties which include 25% of Freight on Board (FoB) value (naira equivalent) of the unpalletized goods.


Source: http://blog.fglobalshipping.com/cargo-palletization-policy/
Credits: Fortune Global Shipping and Logistics Limited

Lack of regulations to protect indigenous operators in oil and gas logistics a challenge

Eric Opah is the Managing Director/CEO of Fortune Global Shipping and Logistics Limited. In this interview with OLATUNDE DODONDAWA, he states the challenges confronting indigenous operators in oil and gas logistics sub-sector and suggests what regulators can do in the best interest of Nigeria.

We have seen oil price rise significantly in recent months, how will this impact oil and gas logistics?

I expect a lot of additional businesses to spring up. The Petroleum Industry Governance Bill (PIGB) is still not signed into law, but with the oil price going up, a lot of projects will start. For us, our strategic direction is to create a strategic logistics base for Fortune Global. Ultimately, we will have a one-stop shop facility to load out and support the oil and gas logistics sub-sector. This will take our business to another level. We are currently evaluating our business plan in that direction. It’s all in a bid to become a Nigerian owned entity with the capability/capacity to deliver end-to-end logistics services.

Do local operators have the capacity to take over the logistics space if given the opportunity?

It would interest you to note that there is no framework or regulation to protect operators in the industry. We have experts in Nigeria with the requisite capabilities to deliver, but clients have a poor attitude with payments. There is no framework to handle payment related issues when logistics companies are owed. There is no regulation about data that could be shared and ultimately protect operators in the industry. We have seen it happen a lot in this industry where one client owes your company, doesn’t want to pay and jumps to the next operator. But this should not be the case.

How much potential do local logistics operators have?

Freight forwarding and logistics in places like China and India is a lucrative business. But locally, the major challenge is that people have not actually developed to the extent of understanding the business fully. Rather, they rely more on customs clearing, customs brokerage, etc. That’s not the business. The challenge starts from regulation. In Nigeria today, you cannot tell who a customs broker is, international forwarder, NVOCC, etc. Yes, there are licenses, but the specifics to be able to differentiate who is doing what within the sector is a challenge. Everybody gets a custom clearing license and jumps into the field without actually having the requisite knowledge.

But by right, the customs brokerage business should guarantee you to only do the customs brokerage business and not international forwarding. That is not how the system operates in other markets.

Funding is another challenge because most of the global brands are backed up. They have a brand already growing in their international market with lots of funds to support expansion into other markets.

Therefore, if our government promotes and gives some form of interest to this sector, it will make a lot of difference since logistics and maritime industry is a major revenue earner for the government.

What was the role of Fortune Global in the EGINA FPSO project?

As you know, we have already taken centre stage in the oil and gas/energy logistics. We handled the inward clearance of the FPSO which is a delicate asset. The performance of the inward clearance is really very important because one needs to ensure that all the documentation is done correctly, and the declaration is in perfect order such that when the FPSO sails away to its permanent location there will be no issue arising from all formalities. We handled the boarding and inspection from start to finish. So what we did has a lot to do with all authorities – Nigerian Ports Authority, NIMASA, Nigerian immigration, Customs, NDLEA, SSS, etc.



How did the Local Content law impact the EGINA project?

I must tell you that the most outstanding impact I’ve witnessed is what the local content has done with the EGINA project. Bringing the FPSO to do the integration in-country was the most outstanding. A lot of Nigerian contractors got involved – Dorman Long Engineering did a lot of fabrication; paints were manufactured even in Nigeria and shipped to South Korea. The EGINA FPSO shows that the Local Content Law is very effective. However, one of the challenges is the facilities developed to support these huge projects following the passage of the law. When the project is finished, I urge the government to ensure that these facilities are put to use with new contracts to ensure they are not sitting idle.


How much is Nigeria losing to multinationals in shipping and logistics?

I cannot be specific in terms of figures, but it’s huge. For instance, a lot of local projects running into millions of dollars have been awarded to foreign companies in the industry. I’m not saying that such should not be. But again, if you have a local company with the same competence, they should come first. What I’ve observed is that most companies that claim they are wholly Nigerian owned are only fronting for major foreign entities. Whereas that is not the case in a place like Ghana which has made it mandatory that you cannot operate in the oil and gas logistics industry unless a Ghanaian has a majority stake in your company. So, we have lost a lot of revenue because our government has not actually paid the desired attention to regulatory issues around the logistics business in Nigeria.



What volume of freight has Fortune Global developed as a logistics player?

We handled over 500 container import clearance of shipment to support the EGINA project before the arrival of the FPSO. Currently, we are still involved in supporting the project. We have chartered vessels out to deliver project equipment from Nigeria to Geoje in South Korea; and for import, we have supported with lots of import shipment by air freight as well as sea freight. In a year generally, we have a volume of about 2,000 containers all year round with different vessels that come into the country. We also do a lot of air freight, about one million tonnes air freight all year round, spread across different airlines because we have a strategic alliance with international companies that generate a lot of business for us.



How should government support the shipping and logistics industry?

First of all, the government needs to enforce the regulations to ensure that players in the logistics industry are qualified to trade since this is an integral part of our economy. If you have people with haphazard knowledge playing in the industry, it’s also a risk to the country. Again, the government needs to assist seriously minded companies in the sector to have access to loans. By so doing, the government will develop brands of Nigerian origin. This will forestall the foreign giants from taking over the market and also help Nigerian brands migrate internationally where they will earn income and repatriate it back to the country.

Also, the government should make effort to regulate some areas within logistics – say the ports for instance. The truck-transit parking system needs to be developed to solve the problems in congested areas such as Apapa.



How did Fortune Global start?

Fortune Global was incorporated in 2006. We started out as a customs broker and shipping agent. But from day one, the vision has always been to internationalise our operations. I worked for Panalpina World Transport Nigeria Limited, a global company. In the process, I discovered that what they did was inextricably tied to the international hub they had built for the business. That experience gave me some background regarding how to navigate with the vision when Fortune Global was incorporated.



What initial hurdles did the company experience?

The first challenge that Fortune Global encountered was how to gain customers starting from scratch as a brokerage business. As a new company coming from this part of the world, you usually don’t have everything articulated and a mentor other than your work experience.

But what helped create some kind of advantage was the fact that from the start, we saw the vast opportunity in building up an international network. As such, Fortune Global keyed into finding an international but independent freight network which we required to gain a competitive advantage over the multinationals. We joined international networks such as World Freight Network (WFN) and World Cargo Alliance (WCA) with the presence in over 120 countries. We leveraged this to generate business from across the world.



How did Fortune Global expand into oil and gas logistics?

For the last 11 years, we have been navigating this business – growing from a small brokerage firm to a bigger international forwarding company which has expanded into oil and gas. From 2010 till date, this expansion into oil and gas and energy logistics has seen us not only handling freight but also providing tailor-made solutions for the energy industry. Even before achieving this, we had gained recognition in the global forwarding arena where we worked with a lot of FMCG accounts. But 2010 launched us into the global oil and gas industry where we played an active role in the SPDC Forcados Yokri Integrated Project (FYIP). We handled the freight, support logistics of the movement of vessels in and out of offshore. We handled the meet and greet support services, security, procurement, etc. That is what differentiates us from other smaller brokerage businesses. Today, we provide consultancy service in marine support services for the oil and gas companies and play as one of the leaders in the oil and gas support service niche. Our services allow our clients to focus more on the core areas of oil production, construction and core energy services, of course with services tailored to individual client requirements.




Source:[url] http://www.tribuneonlineng.com/lack-of-regulations-to-protect-indigenous-operators-in-oil-and-gas-logistics-a-challenge-eric-opah/[/url][i][/i]

There’s no doubt that African countries have not fared well with Global logistics performance expectations. The reason for this lag in performance can be attributed to a combination of factors like poor infrastructure, regulatory bottlenecks, shortage of highly skilled and knowledgeable manpower, corruption and many other limitations that are not peculiar to Africa but really do exist in different shapes, sizes, and magnitude across the globe. Though the African logistics space is unquestionably fraught with its own painful challenges, human, material, financial and technological resource capacities have also been built to surmount or at least, get around the challenges.

While some of the challenges mentioned are both systemic and physical, there is a psychological challenge of misconception among many multinational stakeholders about 3PL providers in Africa. They view the average indigenous freight forwarder as largely incompetent, non-compliant and bereft of adequate knowledge to manage the complexities of international freight forwarding. While this might be prevalent, let’s also bear in mind that there are a good number of indigenous companies, that have an excellent record of compliance; the requisite structures, processes, expertise and experienced professionals to engage in all kind of freight forwarding services across the globe. That is why it is even more agonizing to classify these organized few along with the non-compliant ones who have little or no regard for structures and processes.

The following are the 6 major areas of misconception and they are key global Logistics Performance Indicators:

1). Customs Clearance: While there are incidences of poor documentation, compliance, document control and recording system in Nigeria (for instance), a reliable freight forwarder can provide precise and efficient end-to-end document related services and help you save time and money in your interface with the Nigerian Customs Service. Forwarder with firm grasps of regulatory requirements; team of highly experienced professionals as well as a pedigree of excellence are able to distinguish themselves from a sea of unregulated and self-serving freight forwarders.


2). Lack of Global reach: The inadequate global representation or coverage inhibits the average freight forwarder in this part of the world to pick freight from anywhere in the world, a good freight forwarder must have a comprehensive global network of structured partnerships to relieve clients of the moving freight to and from Africa. This also provides Clients/manufacturers with the opportunity to expand their business far across nations without breaking a sweat.


3). Poor Customer Service: Many logistics providers have cited most delivery deficiencies to poor communication. Service providers stand out by adding value, and customer service is a substantial part of the equation. The use of the proper communication/customer service techniques and tools goes a long way. Excellent Customer Service is now the Standard, Not the Exception.
A good and experienced forwarder will have a proactive customer service unit that runs regular checks and ensures customers’ needs are met, keep the customer/shipper engaged during the time taken to fulfill quote requests. Also, ensure customers rest assured they know their goals and are aligned to meeting them.



4).Poor IT infrastructures: Most processes are not automated and there is a poor information management due to the lack of proper IT tools. The most crucial tool available to successful 3pl’s is IT. A reliable 3PL company must possess an all-inclusive IT System that embodies a web portal that presents their portfolio and provides real-time updates regarding shipments which could be easily assessed by clients on whatever device of their choice. A system that integrates transaction management, business intelligence, workflow, collaboration, and forecasting. A proper enterprise integration tool that links the supply chain internally and externally to resolve customer-centric issues.


5).Lack of skilled personnel: The effect of skilled personnel on logistics cost, logistics time, reliability, flexibility, and safety of a logistics system cannot be overemphasized. This is a case of not having the right person that understands the technicalities and intricacies of the business. This is a threat to general professionalism in the industry.


6). Corruption and Non-compliance: The issue of corruption and non-compliance are consistently touted as Africa’s major challenges in freight forwarding and international trade. The commonest manifestation of these challenges is the demand and payment of “facilitation fees” which many would refer to as bribery, appreciation, and settlement, depending on the language givers and receivers chose to adopt at the time of their unpleasant exchange. While many stakeholders have argued for and against this misnomer, one only thing that remains constant is the truth. The truth is that there is no moral justification for engaging in acts that compromise compliance or making facilitation payments to tweak lawfully established requirements, procedures, and systems.


Fortune Global Shipping and Logistics Limited is an experienced Nigerian owned, TRACE Certified International freight forwarder that is backed by global offices in Houston, Belgium, Ghana, Mozambique, China, Nigeria and a strong global network of agents in over 120 countries.

We pride ourselves on superior price offering, transit times, services, and reliability.

We have developed a combination of experience, expertise and know-how in resolving complex and intricate custom related issues/challenges. Our systems/processes and structure support our ability to seamlessly manage the intricacies of documentation from origin to destination.

We have a robust IT System that enables us to offer our clients the following services with the requisite level of professionalism, expertise, and consistency.

The superior benefits of using a company with such wealth of experience, resources, and large network has made it easy for our customers to make us as their forwarder of first choice in Africa.

Fortune Global’s pedigree of high performance includes but not limited to the following:



Air Freight.
Sea Freight.
Value added service/personalized services to any destination.
Timely distribution.
Worldwide delivery.
Door-to-Door, Port to Port and Airport to Airport service with excellent transit times.
Full Container Load (FCL) & Less than Container Load (LCL) cargo service.
Project Logistics.
Heavy Lift transportation/Chartering service.
Customs services.

Source: http://blog.fglobalshipping.com/6-misconceptions-about-african-3pl-providers/
Fortune Global Shipping and Logistics Limited

One of the major objectives of organizations is to effectively manage and reduce unanticipated logistics cost in their supply chain to a level that guarantees profitability and customer satisfaction.
Unexpected delays can have negative effects on your logistics objectives, but there are ways to increase its efficiency. With a clear understanding of the dynamics of cost management, the following tips offer timeless opportunities and clues for effectively managing logistics cost:

Understand Customer Needs:

One of the major steps towards reducing cost in your supply chain this year is to identify customer needs correctly. Any lack of understanding in this regard will lead to either over-servicing your customers by deploying more resources (which goes with a higher logistics cost) or under-servicing them which will prompt dissatisfaction and customer attrition which is bad for business. More than anything else, you must understand that customers pay for the value you offer in service – especially when it helps them run their business better. Everyone in your team must understand this and work in tandem with your supply chain strategy for maintaining it

Manage Time Better:

One of the most effective ways of keeping your supply chain logistics cost down is effective time management. If you agree that time is money, then you must pay keen attention to the time span between order and delivery. For 3PL providers like Fortune Global, the most important objective for us is to deliver within designated timeline because we understand the cost implications of delays in paying third-party charges like shipping and terminal, duty payment and other documentation charges required to clear shipments with regulatory bodies before delivery can be done. Such delays will incur high demurrage charges and increase your logistics cost

Clarify Objectives:

Clearly established and well-communicated objectives help to then define the most suitable strategies for running your business and meeting customer expectations. Strategy driven by customer-oriented objectives will encourage cross-unit collaborations towards the common goal and break-down costly inter-departmental silos.

Plan Your Sales Operations:

Efficient and productive sales and operations plan do not depend on expensive software or overrated Enterprise Resource Planner. The truth is that these expensive systems need very efficient processes to drive them. That is exactly why many such installations have failed and become huge cost concerns for today’s organizations. My argument is that: effective sales and operations plan is largely determined by carefully designed processes that facilitate unimpeded information flow among staff at all level; between the organization and its customers. A process that brings everyone together under a structured, single plan that is defined across functional departments. The goal is to guarantee customer satisfaction and retention, which is a far less expensive endeavour than running after lost ones.

Get Your Supply Chain Network Design Right:

The more efficient a supply chain network design, the easier it is to reduce the cost of your supply chain logistics. An effective supply chain network design will help to minimize the costly risk of errors in material handling, storage transportation and delivery. Poor network design will lead to excessive handling, too many stock locations and poor utilization of distribution centres. The result is high cost of distribution, poor customer service and high customer attrition rate. To avoid these costly outcomes, clearly establish customer locations and lead time service expectation, forecast demand, pay attention to facility cost, inventory cost, transportation cost and current service performance.

Engage High-Flying 3PL Providers:

Entering into a strategic partnership with a very competent 3PL provider is particularly key to ensuring that your logistics is managed better, faster and at a very profitable cost. This will allow you to focus on managing your core business while the logistics of your business is outsourced to your 3PL provider of choice. This provider will deploy the requisite resources, capacity and expertise to handle the intricacies of your logistics (pick-up, packaging, freight coordination, handling, documentation and delivery) across (to and from) domestic and global locations.

Achieve More with Less:

Using a few assets to optimize your everyday logistics target is a lot better than incurring needless logistics cost with a vast array of under-utilized assets that brings little or no returns on investment. Examples will include more staff and vehicles (delivery trucks for instance), than necessary for your day to day operations

Track & Measure Performance:

Though methods of tracking and measuring performance vary from organization to organization, there are standard KPIs for measuring and determining logistics success or failure. According to the World Bank, the standard KPIs include efficiency, quality of distribution facility, pricing, visibility and quality of delivery. May I also add that the execution of projects within designated timeframe is a key consideration for measuring logistics performance in relation to cost management
The most important objective of tracking and measuring logistics performance is to improve service delivery and minimize logistics in doing so.

In conclusion, note that all the areas stated above require keen attention and must be considered for the effective management of your logistics cost this new year. While some organizations have fared better than others in these areas, there are many others who have either failed to identify with key cost management considerations or indecisive about adopting them. However, whatever side of the divide an organization finds itself is either you’re saving or losing money depending on how you manage and reduce your supply logistics cost and what principles you apply in the process.

Source: http://blog.fglobalshipping.com/tips-reducing-supply-chain-logistics-cost-2018/
Fortune Global Shipping and Logistics Limited
Trust to Deliver

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As the global economy continues to show very significant signs of growth in 2018, so also is the demand for raw materials and finished goods continue to rise across the globe, leading to a corresponding demand for the transportation of these goods through multimodal means to and from every corner of the earth. Demand for the services of 3rd Party Logistics providers to coordinate the movement of cargo and manage the cross-border regulatory formalities associated with it is a spontaneous response to the demand for goods and the need to transport them. However, the key consideration is not just to get these goods to customers, but to do so faster, better, and safer by the best means possible.



Every mode of transportation – be it air, sea, land rail has its own pros and cons but if you’re wondering how to get shipments of very high value and not necessarily high volumes across to places where they are needed across the globe, transportation by air easily comes to mind and here is why:



Speed: When your goods need to be moved quickly, airfreight is the best solution in comparison to the other modes of transportation.

Cargo Visibility: Here, it’s easier to track your goods and obtain the status of your shipments, with the IT-enabled platforms that many carriers now provide to their customers globally. This means that you can monitor your cargo globally from departure at origin to arrival at the destination port.

Reliability: Departure and arrival schedules of cargo flights are so reliable and predictable that they hardly fail to meet designated timelines.

Cargo security: Shipping by air is the safest mode of cargo transportation – particularly because the incidence of cargo theft is almost non-existence and the chances of shipments arriving at the destination in the right quantity and best condition possible is usually very high.

Global Reach: Many airlines have a very large network of destinations where they can either deliver cargo directly or through their airline network partner in a matter of days. What this means is that you can sit here in Lagos and export tons of Ofada Rice to Honiara, in Solomon Island in less than a week.

Less Need for Packaging: Unlike ocean shipments that require heavy packing, air shipments require effectively light packing materials, while saving time and cutting cost.

Pharma Logistics Optimization: The pharmaceutical industry relies on the speed and efficiency of air transportation for moving high-value, time and temperature sensitive cargo – especially vaccines to places where they are needed across the globe.



Having seen some of the top benefits of air freight logistics, are you still wondering how to move your freight to and from distant locations or across complex transit routes? Or a competent partner to take the burden off your shoulders? Think Fortune Global! With a proven record of accomplishment, expertise and high performance in handling the logistics of airfreight shipments to and from all parts of the world, we are well positioned to serve you better at a considerable cost.



Fortune Global has built strategic alliances with major international airliners and network of partners to deliver cargo to all cities, countries, and continents as well as the expertise to efficiently handle the coordination, documentation, and destination clearance formalities with the following benefits to customers and partners:



Competitive rates
Same day shipment pick-up on arrival
Use of direct flight for most of our shipments which guarantees seamless delivery.
Our delivery Options include:

Door-to-Airport
Door-to-Door
Ports-to-Door


In conclusion, while it’s a known fact that the delivery of goods and services to customers in all parts of the world requires transportation from one place to another, it’s important to seriously consider how to achieve it better faster, through the kind logistics expertise we offer – which involves the effective planning, management of the requisite information and resources in the process of moving shipments, coordination of shipments, documentation requirements, ensuring compliance with destination regulations or laws and timely delivery to customers.

Source: http://blog.fglobalshipping.com/7-reasons-why-airfreight-logistics-is-best-for-your-business/
Fortune Global Shipping and Logistics Limited

Though there are conflicting versions of what the 8th Wonder of the World truly is, global logistics has all the trappings of a truly global wonder. People all over the world rely on the efficiency of logistics planning to transport essential commodities, including fuel, foodstuffs, goods, and services that are so vital in their everyday lives, delivered to their doorsteps, in a matter of hours, in good condition and at an affordable cost.

Riding on the back of technology and globalization, logistics facilitates the seamless flow of shipments from distant locations, moving them across multiple borders, receiving them in various ports, delivering them to customers at specified locations through networks that properly balance transit time with cost; while challenges are resolved within seconds and the cost of potential delays averted or reduced to the barest minimum.

Technological integration, global freight coordination and the universality of barrier-breaking trade terms are some of the few points that further buttress logistics as a 21st-century wunderkind.

Technological Integration:

Technology integration in global logistics facilitates the necessary linkages between parties involved in logistics processes and enables the effective flow of information relating to the movement of shipments from one point to another. Transaction payments are also processed online via IT-enabled platforms from any part of the world in a matter of seconds as well. Companies across the world are leveraging technologies such as cloud-based software, automation, and data analytics to gain competitive advantage.

Technology integration platforms like Cargo Smart, Magaya, and many others have enhanced cargo visibility, real-time information about sailing schedule changes, shipment status, alerts about potential delays, and business intelligence reports to measure and optimize logistics performance.

Global Freight Coordination:

This is also an IT-driven process where freights are picked-up, shipped and coordinated from origin to destination by land, air or sea. This process is also facilitated by strategic allies or network partners from origin, through transit hubs to destination. This means that one can sit here in Nigeria and coordinate freights from Russia to Ghana; from Argentina to Kenya or From Australia to Iceland with the help of partners in those places, make money, receive shipments from any part of the world, maintain a healthy business relationship with partners and customers without any physical or initial face-to-face contact. That is the world right now with logistics!


Elimination of Trade/Language Barriers:

Though elements of language barriers still exist, in the logistics of today, International Commercial Terms (INCOTERM) is the only universal language for which there is no confusion. They are globally recognized standard trade terms used in logistics contracts all over the world to define who is responsible for the cost of transporting shipments, including insurance, taxes and duties; where the goods should be picked up from and transported to and who is responsible for the goods at each step during transportation; who bears what risk and at what point; delivery and payment for the nature of services delivered and in what currency, as agreed. For more information on INCOTERMS, see
https://fglobalshipping.com/incoterms/

In conclusion, the beauty of global logistics is that it has broken trade barriers; united institutions of diverse global origins and made the transfer of people, goods, services, knowledge, and ideas to end-users more seamless than ever through technology-enabled platforms.

Source: http://blog.fglobalshipping.com/logistics-8th-wonder-world/
Fortune Global Shipping and Logistics Limited
Trust to Deliver

Lagos, Nigeria, January 29, 2017: Leading indigenous shipping and logistics company, Fortune Global Shipping and Logistics Limited, recently cleared the entrance of Total’s Egina Floating Production Storage Offloading (FPSO) vessel into the country.

The expert logistics team of Fortune Global ensured that all formalities relating to logistics and inward clearance of the EGINA FPSO were handled seamlessly.

Speaking during the FPSO arrival ceremony at SHI-MCI QUAY, LADOL Free Zone, on January 24, 2018, the Managing Director of Total, Mr. Nicolas Teraz stated that The EGINA FPSO is the deepest offshore development carried out in Nigeria, with depths of over 1,500 meters. According to him, the FPSO had been designed for 25 years of operations and would generate significant activities for local contractors in various sectors as well as opportunities for training and development for Nigerians in various domains in the industry.

Speaking to a cross-section of stakeholders, just after the arrival of the EGINA FPSO, Chief Executive Officer of Fortune Global, Eric Opah, said: ‘’The role Fortune Global is playing in this project is a clear indication that we have built a pedigree of excellence and compliance with best industry standards in handling projects of this magnitude. Total has embarked on an unprecedented project in the Nigerian oil & gas sector which would invariably make a positive impact on both the sector and the economy at large, and we will support the project as partners by making sure that all checks are in place.’’

With a storage capacity of 2.2 million barrels of crude oil and a daily production of about 108,000 bpd, the much vaunted Egina FPSO is set to revolutionize the indigenous oil and gas sector. In addition to that, the vessel is 35 meters high, 330 meters long, equipped with a 100 meters high flare boom and can comfortably accommodate 200 people.

Fortune Global is a proud logistics partner of the EGINA Project and has provided diverse level of logistics support for the project. From the design, planning and execution of the transportation of Steel Structures (Riser Porches) from Nigerdock Free Zone to SHI-MCI/Ladol Free Zone, (which was part of the logistics support for OML 130 Total Egina FPSO Project), in collaboration with SAL Heavy Lift GMBH in June 2017 to the handling of inward clearance and logistics of the EGINA FPSO, Fortune Global has consistently shown class, expertise and capacity to deliver as promised.



For this current project, Fortune Global remains committed to delivering excellence and ensuring that the logistics management of EGINA (the largest FPSO in Africa) records a remarkable success till she is delivered to Egina Offshore field – OML 130 sometime this year.

Source: https://fglobalshipping.com/fortune-global-is-a-proud-logistics-partner-of-the-egina-fpso/

Fortune Global Shipping and Logistics Limited were the Authorized customs clearing agent for the biggest FPSO in Africa (EGINA)... We made this possible.

https://fglobalshipping.com
#teamfgsl

The increasing role of Exports in today’s interlinked global economy cannot be overemphasized.

In any nation’s economy, export plays an important role such as influencing the level of economic growth, employment and the balance of payments.

To be an effective player in this industry can be an overwhelming task particularly with many stakeholders out there saying “it seems like a guarantee for trouble, especially when it comes to exporting”.

Truth be told International Trade is not easy. A lot can turn out badly when attempting to export particularly on the off chance that you are not expecting it. But as the familiar adage goes “When you know better, you can do better.”

Sequel to our Previous post on Export Documentation we have decided to come up with the Do’s, Don’ts and Risks common to exporting to help you improve as an exporter and having a glitch-free international trade experience.



The Dos of Export Procedure

Get organized
Use documented process checklist.
Learn everything you can about export.
Use document templates
Use shipping solution export documentation software.
Maintain a complete record of your export shipment.
Keep your records accessible.
Keep track of your International sales team and partners.
Audit your export compliance effort.


The Established Don’ts

Avoid wrong contact, packing and payment information.
Avoid wrong classification of goods.
Avoid presentation of the wrong value of cargoes.
Avoid wrong description of goods.
Avoid having the wrong person fill-out dangerous goods form.
Avoid wrongfully assuming your goods qualify for preferential rates.


Risks Associated with Export:

Payment Risk
Foreign Exchange Risk
Performance Risk
Delivery Risks


Payment Risk: These are risks associated with situations where contracted payments are not received by the seller from the buyer or the buyer’s bank. To mitigate this kind of situation, a seller is expected to secure a Letter of Credit by the buyer, through the buyer’s bank, guaranteeing payment for services provided.

Foreign Exchange Risk: Foreign Exchange risks are risks associated with fluctuations in FOREX as we are currently witnessing in Nigeria. The simple mitigant to this anomaly is for invoices to be issued in local currencies to guard against unpleasant imbalances in FOREX values.

Performance Risk: These risks that have to do with one party in an export transaction not performing according to the agreement. The mitigant factor is for the exporter, for instance, to obtain a Performance Bond, which covers the cost of issuing a Letter of Credit and other costs associated with non-performance in accordance to established terms of contract.

Delivery Risks: This is a situation where buyers don’t receive delivery as promised by the seller. In this situation, there has to be a deliberate commitment towards delivering as promised in order to build trust and mutual reliance in international trade.

For the updated/revised, Export Documentation requirements click here http:///2hcyeyZ

Source: http://blog.fglobalshipping.com/the-dos-donts-and-risk-associated-with-export/
Credit: Fortune Global Shipping & Logistics Limited

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Logistics Mistakes To Avoid In 2018

Managing the damages arising from fundamental errors in logistics is costlier than investing in measures aimed at identifying, monitoring, and eliminating or preventing potential mistakes. So, if your goals include cutting cost, saving time and staying competitive, the proactive approach to managing potential errors in logistics is a far better option than the reactive (damage control) approach.

To guard against costly mistakes and fundamental errors in logistics, one must first understand their nature and diversity. That is why we have outlined the following as the commonest logistics mistakes to avoid in 2018:

Basic Documentation Errors: The key documentation errors that must be avoided include those of Form-M, Bill of Ladings/Airway Bills, Packing Lists, and Commercial Invoices. Bills of Lading/Airway Bills are important because they provide detail of the type of goods, quantity, countries of origin, destination of goods being carried and consignee(s), classification of goods. If information provided are found to be misleading, inaccurate or contain errors in weight or wrong description of goods, it would lead to very costly sanctions and confiscation of goods.


Under-Valuation: Since the total value of all items in your shipment determines the duty payable, failure to accurately capture it in your commercial invoice, will attract dire consequences.


Wrong Invoice Value: Since commercial invoices are required for international shipping, accurate information such as: Date and terms of sale, quantity of goods, weight or volume of items in the shipment, description of goods, per unit value of items described, insurance cost and shipping charges are required. This is so because a 3PL provider like Fortune Global will be led into wrong invoicing if consignees fail to provide accurate information. This will attract customs queries, stiff sanctions, and bring your providers to some disrepute.


Wrong HS Code: This is the code that helps with the accurate definition and classification of goods. It helps to determine the right tariffs, duties, eligibility for exemptions, qualification of approved manufacturers and calculation of additional taxes where necessary. Harmonization Systems (HS) codes ensures consistency between Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) and Customs via the Nigeria Single Window for Trade. That is why importers need to declare the accurate HS codes for their goods at the Form-M stage, prior to SONCAP certification.


Non-Compliance: Reluctance to comply with regulatory standards will attract dire consequences. Importers must collaborate with their agents to comply with all documentation requirements by Customs, Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON), NAFDAC and so on. Failure to do these or attempting to cut corners with non-compliant clearing agents and their conniving regulatory agents, would attract strict sanctions, reputational damage and more cost.


Wrongful Declaration of Country of Origin: If declarations as to origin are wrong, or simply cannot be proven or documented, huge sanctions including seizure of the goods in question will be attracted.


Engaging Unregulated Agents: Engaging unregulated and self-serving clearing agents (posing as freight forwarders) is a very serious mistake and a major reason the industry is largely characterized by a lot of cageyness and mistrust between regulators and freight forwarders. They are largely non-compliant, disorganized, un-refined, inept and fall-short in the capacity to manage the complexities of 21st century logistics and freight management. Their activities explain why multinationals view the average Nigerian Freight Forwarder as incompetent and non-compliant (which is not the case).


Incurring Excessive Operational Cost: This can arise from poor operational planning – leading to poor execution or engaging in costly activities; with little or no consideration for effectively managing cost and achieving your target. So, you must engage highly competent 3PL providers if you must cut cost, save time and remain logistically competitive.
In conclusion, while one agrees that experience is the best teacher, learning the hard way is a lot more painful than seeking to understand the broad range of mistakes that could occur when the wrong approach to managing logistics is adopted. That is why you need to engage a 3PL provider with the right pedigree, proven capacity and expertise to handle your end-to-end logistics. You do not need to look to far. Fortune Global is your strategic partner of choice in providing a competent solution to your logistics needs and help you to permanently stamp-out potential logistics errors.

Credits: Fortune Global Shipping and Logistics Limited
http://blog.fglobalshipping.com/logistics-mistakes-avoid-2018/

Cc Lalasticlala
Seun
Mynd44
Marpol

yinkay007:
Utest , TestBird

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