DCL, VANGUARD EXPAND BRAZIL SERVICES

DCL, VANGUARD EXPAND BRAZIL SERVICES    Non-vessel-operating common carrier Direct Container Line and its sister warehouse management firm Vanguard Logistics Services have expanded freight consolidation services to and from Brazil.
   The most recent addition to the companies’ services to Brazil is a direct service every two weeks from Miami to Manaus. DCL’s first direct container to Manaus will depart Miami on May 22. Manaus, located along the Negro River, is considered the industrial capital of Brazil’s Amazonas state.
   “This is one of the few direct consolidation services available to this market,” said Bruce Ericson, vice president of sales for DCL, a subsidiary of the NACA Logistics Group. “Before this, customers generally booked a 20-foot container, even if they only had 10 meters of freight, to get it into Manaus on a scheduled service.”
   DCL and Vanguard have continued to expand North American services to Santos via Houston, Atlanta, Chicago, New York and Miami. The companies now offer five weekly direct sailings to Santos. Scheduled services are also available to Rio Grande and Rio de Janeiro.
   The companies have also started direct consolidation and full-containerload services from Santos to South Africa. Weekly consolidation service is available to Durban, and fortnightly service is offered to Capetown. On-forwarding services are available to Botswana, Kenya, Lesothos, Malawi, Swaziland, Zambia, Zimbabwe and other South African destinations, such as East London and Port Elizabeth via Durban. Cargo in South Africa is handled by DCL’s partner SAEL.
   To support its Brazilian operations, Vanguard has opened a global accounts department in Sao Paulo. The department provides consultancy services, covering customs clearance, and air, ocean and inland transport. Cristina Castell will manage the new global accounts department.
   “This department gives many of our forwarder accounts the opportunity to have on-site, dedicated service for global accounts doing business in Brazil,” said David Keen, commercial manager for Vanguard in Brazil. “For project cargo shipments, or vendor sourcing from Europe, Asia, and North America, this is particularly helpful.”