CaroTrans, Cleve & Zonen partner in Benelux

CaroTrans, Cleve & Zonen partner in Benelux Non-vessel-operating common carrier CaroTrans International has entered a new agency relationship with Cleve & Zonen Rotterdam for its U.S. and Oceania operations.
   Cleve & Zonen is one of Europe's largest ocean freight consolidators with operations in Rotterdam and Antwerp.

Howard

   Greg Howard, chief executive officer for Union, N.J.-based CaroTrans, said the new arrangement will 'give our company a stronger position in the Benelux market.' CaroTrans decided to end its agency relationship with Brussels-based Ziegler Group.
   Through Cleve & Zonen, 'we will offer many more point-to-point direct loadings, with the positive result of reducing or eliminating bottlenecks at ports,' Howard added.
   'Cleve & Zonen is a strong neutral NVOCC, as we are, and goes to market in much the same way we do,' Howard said. 'We share many agency relationships in South America, the Mediterranean and Asia. Our U.S. inbound customers will enjoy direct loadings from the Benelux region to a more comprehensive scope than ever before.'
   'Two-way trade along with comprehensive pick up and delivery services in the respective regions strengthen the service capabilities of our new cooperation,' said Gerard van Pelt, president and owner of Cleve & Zonen. 'The one-country-one-deal principle has driven us in this direction.
   'The connection will allow us to serve global forwarders in a much more effective manner than ever before,' van Pelt said. 'We already share the same agents in various countries; but, we will continue to explore opportunities to work closer together.'
   CaroTrans and Cleve & Zonen have already established electronic-data-interchange connections, 'allowing for improved documentation and data integrity along with greater cargo visibility,' Howard said.
   For more detail about CaroTrans' latest activities, read the July American Shipper, page 46.