Africa’s project industry keeps charter operator buoyant

Transporting large transformers and regulators to mines in the DRC and Tanzania is all in a day’s work for charter operator Chapman Freeborn. “African mines often have to create their own reliable power supply,” says director Africa Iain Clark, “and mines are happy to pay for the quick and safe delivery of this urgently needed equipment.” Charters into Africa however present their own set of challenges, says Clark. “Red tape and bureaucracy add to the time and costs involved. We often have to transport customs officials to and from the mines with us. Infrastructure is also limited.” Chapman Freeborn has seen a buoyant start to the year, but charters have slowed down. “I anticipate improvement towards the end of the year. Projects in the pipeline are mostly in mining, energy, oil and gas, in Eastern, Central and West Africa and Mozambique,” said Clark. “Occasionally we have unusual jobs – we recently delivered vehicles from the Middle East into Bujumbura. We are finding ourselves transporting a lot of oversized pieces.” In an otherwise depressed charter market, Chapman Freeborn has had a good year to date, including being named the Air Cargo Broker of the Year for the sixth year running, and making it into the Sunday Times International Track 200 for 2012 which this ranks Britain’s midmarket private companies with the fastest-growing international sales measured over their latest two years of available accounts. CAPTION: Outsize oil equipment moved by Chapman Freeborn from Entebbe to Prestwick on a B747F charter for an oil company in Uganda.