Monday, February 05, 2007 Aboitiz logistics arm to upgrade services
A SHIPPING company will focus on supply chain and logistics services for this year, its ranking official said.
Aboitiz Transport System’s (ATS) 2GO president Sabin Aboitiz said they are set to phase out 100 container ships this year and until 2011 and replace them with roll on-roll off (Roro) vessels.
2GO is the integrated logistics solutions provider under the ATS, the transport and logistics company of Aboitiz and Company and owned by publicly listed arm, Aboitiz Equity Ventures.
“The Roro service eliminates a lot of the middle steps in the supply chain, no more need for many warehouses,” Aboitiz noted, adding that a “client can send and receive cargo as if it was running on dry land, because the truck runs on the road, gets on the boat, rolls off at the port, then drives to the end destination.”
Recalling the time when they launched the Road Roro Terminal System (RRTS) in 2004, Sabin said they were able to double their target for this year.
Units
2GO represents four units of its freight business, namely, Express, Freight, Solutions and Logistics.
While admitting that the Roro ships are more expensive than containers ships, Sabin said they prefer to shift from containers to Roro because “they are faster, more efficient, and can make three trips a week compared to two trips a week for container ships.”
Time
Moreover, Aboitiz said it only takes two hours to clear a Roro ship in the port. It takes 14 to 16 hours to unload containers using a crane.
“The trucks inside just have to roll in and roll out,” he said.
2GO vice president Mike Camahort, for his part, said transporting the goods to their client only takes three days with Roro than the six days using container vessels.
“In terms of time, it takes an average of six days using a container ship and just an average of three days via Roro, with less handling and waiting,” said Camahort, adding that all their trucks have bar codes and clients just have to log on their website to check on their cargos.
Product
Aside from the removal of the container ships, 2GO sales manager Jerome Santos said they are also set to introduce another product called Plus, which will be pulled by the 2GO truck.
Santos said they have at least 11 units of the Plus at present and they are set to purchase another 50 more this year.
Among the clients of 2GO are Jollibee, Nestle, and Universal Robina Corp.
The company is looking at 13 new big accounts for this year. (Sunnex)
