Panalpina opens new offices in Africa

The freight forwarder and logistics provider will expand its network with new centers in Morocco and Kenya.    Freight forwarder and logistics provider Panalpina has opened two new offices in bases in Casablanca, Morocco and Nairobi, Kenya.
   The company said in a statement that the expansion is part of Panalpina’s overall growth strategy in Africa and that both areas offer opportunities “predominantly in the energy and infrastructure sectors.”
   Panalpina said the new offices will provide global customers with a local presence and a single point of contact for the company’s air, ocean and logistics services in these expanding economies.
   “Expanding our global presence is part of Panalpina’s overall strategy, especially in growth economies such as Morocco and Kenya,” said Peter Triebel, Panalpina’s regional CEO for the Middle East, Africa and CIS. “With strong prospects in the two countries, especially in the energy and infrastructure sectors, establishing a formal presence is an important part of our long-term market growth and customer satisfaction objectives.”
   Morocco has recently made investments in onshore wind farms, solar power, as well as hydro and coal power plants, reducing its dependence on fossil fuels and creating opportunities for foreign businesses.
   Kenya has benefited from the discovery of major oil resources in its northern regions, leading to growth and investment in the oil and gas, telecommunications, perishables, chemical and healthcare sectors. A large port is under construction in the northern city of Lamu, Kenya, creating the need for additional logistics resources once roads and railway links are created.