ABRIE de Swardt, the new managing director of Capespan Exports, a fruit company operating in Southern Africa, is among the senior perishables industry executives confirmed to speak at the upcoming Cool Logistics Africa 2012 conference.
    The event, taking place from April 24-26 in Cape Town, will bring together key players to explore how to deliver the cold chain capacity, skills and infrastructure needed for Africa to compete fully on the world perishables' stage, a statement from Cool Logistics Resources said.
    Mr De Swaart, who took up his new post in January following eight years with African logistics and supply chain specialist Imperial Logistics, will give a keynote speech in the opening session on Trade and Infrastructure, focusing on the role of intermodal logistics for South Africa's fruit export trade. Providing a second keynote address is David Williams, head of Southern Africa Cluster for Maersk Line, who will assess what South Africa needs to do to maintain its gateway status for southern hemisphere produce.
    Benchmarking Africa's cold supply chain performance and logistics costs with other regions focusing on perishable exports will be a major theme of the conference.
    Held just ahead of the South African citrus export season, the conference is expected to provide a timely forum for shippers and carriers to discuss latest volume forecasts, capacity, and the rates outlook for the peak season, covering both containerised and specialised refrigerated container shipping.
    Developments in West and East Africa are also on the agenda, including an update on developing the sea transport option for the Kenyan flower export trade. The conference will also explore regional perishable logistics strategies and how to maximise pan-African cold chain logistics prospects.

(source:shipping online)