There have been concerns about the future of the African freight industry, particularly that of automated freight management. Is there a better way? OnePort 365 believes so and has developed a freight management platform that integrates containerised freight processes in a simple, orderly and efficient format. With the complexities in freight management, how is OnePort 365 revolutionizing the way imports and exports are facilitated in Africa? This interview explores this question as well as the issues underlying it.
1. What unique problem does OnePort 365 solve and what is a good example of how the company is doing that?
The freight industry in Africa depends on manual processes that run on highly fragmented freight management systems. This leads to several challenges involved with the import and export of goods from this part of the world.
One of the unique problems in freight management is having to deal with multiple middlemen and several communication channels. This results in complexities in freight management. Our solution streamlines and automates that process.
We have developed a freight management platform that integrates containerised freight processes in a simple, orderly and efficient format. With access to a personalised shipment dashboard, users of the platform can book a shipment in three easy steps. First step is to search for negotiated real-time rates on the platform. The second step requires clients to click to select preferred services for a comprehensive quote, and proceed to book the shipment with the simple click of a button. All of these at the user’s time and convenience.
Our solution also eliminates cumbersome paperwork to provide an easier and streamlined collaboration process. We have made possible the seamless exchange of both pre-shipment and post-shipment documents. Our users can log securely onto the platform and view all the documents attached to the shipments they have made.
Another notable problem is the lack of visibility for commodities entering and exiting ports throughout the supply chain.This usually results in missing containers and trucks being vandalised. Statistics have shown that in every ten containers going in and out of the port, about 2 or 3 get stolen or lost in transit. In providing 100% visibility for shipments, our platform provides powerful trackers that allow monitoring of shipments across every inland point.
2. Who exactly are your clients/customers?
OnePort 365 is committed to African SMEs looking to grow their export and/or import operations. They tend not to have the time, monetary resources, digital automation capacity or technical expertise required for optimal freight management. Our clients leverage our tech strength combined with our extensive freight experience service advantage to manage their shipments with ease and convenience.
We support Africa cross-border traders and large enterprises with a tech-driven platform that enables them to ship their containerised consignment from booking to the documentation process. Approximately 60% of our clients are SMEs from various industries, including agro-allied and agribusiness, solid minerals, recycling and manufacturing.
3. What’s the biggest thing OnePort 365 is working on at the moment?
In optimising trade operations for African businesses, we are expanding into new markets. We are building a footprint in Ghana, and we hope to expand to other African countries like Kenya and South Africa.
One of the things on our front burner is the digitisation of the sector, in conjunction with Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAS) of Government. Adopting innovative technology solutions has become imperative for the freight industry, as this can increase productivity by minimizing time, cost and errors.
We are in active conversations with NEPC, NACCIMA, The National Action Committee on AfCFTA and more, to drive the digitisation of customs, port operations and freight processes in Nigeria.
There are vast opportunities to enhance Africa’s participation in global trade. Through digitisation, our platform optimizes freight processes for local businesses, paving the way for optimisation in operational efficiency for scalable growth and cash flow.
4. Taking into account your unique role in revolutionizing how imports and exports are facilitated in Africa, what are some of the biggest risks to OnePort 365? How is the company poised to make a significant impact in the face of these risks?
Like most other industries, the freight management industry is currently confronting immense change; and like all change, this brings both risks and opportunities. Cultural gaps in the adaptation of digitization and poor infrastructure are some of these contending challenges.
Maritime transport remains the main gateway to the global marketplace, as Africa’s international trade relies heavily on freight shipping. Intra-trade in Africa tends to be low in comparison to its global counterparts because of poor infrastructure and the use of manual mediums.
The adoption of technology is therefore crucial to replacing opaque processes. Interestingly, there has been a forced adaptation to digitisation across the globe. We are poised to drive digitisation across Nigeria’s inland infrastructure for freight management, with a broader goal to enhance freight processes in the African cross-border freight landscape.
We achieve this by using technology to structure and automate a majority of the manual labour involved in freight management. This gives our clients operational efficiency through greater visibility and control over their shipments. Our digital solution provides optimised end-to-end freight management that simplifies the complexities that traders consistently suffer when trying to ship their containerised consignment.
6. As you think about the future of OnePort 365, what are you most excited about?
A key competitive advantage for indigenous trade businesses, besides the quality of products shipped, is the efficiency of their supply chain. Leveraging our technology and experienced service advantage, we have helped indigenous businesses scale.
We see massive trade opportunities for African businesses to scale globally, and we are excited to be part of the digital revolution that is optimizing trade operations using technology.
Based on a report by the U.S. Trade Representative for African Affairs, Africa has about 2 percent of all world trade, which is hard to believe when you think about all of the tremendous resources that we have – oil, diamonds, gold, not to mention all the agricultural produce such as coffee, tea, and cocoa.
Africa relies heavily on freight shipping to service its intercontinental trade. By simplifying trade operations through the provision of all-inclusive and transparent freight management solutions, these traders can focus on high-quality trading products, explore new markets, and cultivate satisfied buyers.
7. What are the company’s five-year projections?
We currently provide freight management services to the Nigerian and Ghanian markets. We entered the Ghanian in H2 2021 and forecast that by 2025, 6 in 10 containerised cargo destined or originating for/from the African continent would be booked via OnePort 365’s platform.
As a pan-African solution, we are expanding across key markets in Africa like Ghana, Kenya, Ivory Coast in the near future. By the end of 2022, we should be across 8 countries in Africa.
Africa accounts for a small share of world commodity trade by value, about 2.5% of exports and 3% of imports as of 2020. The establishment of the Africa Continental Free Trade Area is expected to boost intra-African trade by 52.3% by 2022.
Digitalisation is the future of freight management in Africa. We foresee an Africa where platforms that offer online shipment bookings will become the minimum standard in the freight sector. Five years from now, technological disruptions such as freight process automation, data analytics and internet of things will gradually become the order of the day in freight operations.
8. Anything else you’d like your clients/customers to know?
Digitalisation is the next big step for Africa. OnePort 365 is playing a major role in the digitalisation of freight processes in Africa and other emerging markets in the near future.
Unlike traditional freight services, we provide fully digitised end-to-end freight solutions. The OnePort 365 freight management platform integrates and coordinates the value chain services from origin to port, providing convenience, transparency, and accountability. Real-time quotes across inland prices can be accessed by users on the platform, at any time, from the comfort of their location.
The technology that Oneport 365 provides combines industry experience, a solid technical advantage and enhanced supply chain security on a single platform. Our platform equips users with visibility of shipments. With this, businesses can notify their customers about the expected delivery date and timing of shipments. This will positively impact their bottom line and help businesses manage their shipments seamlessly. Our tracking device feature also reduces the risk of revenue loss by reducing the risk of cargo theft or loss. Also, delivering shipment on time helps our clients build reputational assurance with trade customers and supply vendors.
Cross-border traders, large enterprises and SMEs who choose OnePort 365 enjoy operational efficiency in freight shipping, which creates capacity to expand into new markets, scale to additional demand and grow sustainably.
To learn more about OnePort 365 visit www.oneport365.com. Follow @OnePort 365 for the latest news and updates.