For over 32 years, since its inception in 1992, Kuehne+Nagel has been supporting Angola's development and significantly growing export industry from its headquarters in central Luanda and five other locations across the country. 

Angola's treasure

"Our team of experts specialises in tailored services and a holistic approach to project logistics, which our customers require," explains Cyril Bourguignon, National Manager at Kuehne+Nagel Angola.

Tailored services often include unconventional approach, and so Kuehne+Nagel offers administrative support for the embarkation and disembarkation of vessel and rig personnel – a task that requires around the clock care and high-level organisation, as numbers reach around 6,000 personnel per month. But that's not all. Thousands of healthy lunches are supplied to the personnel during the port operations to avoid delays and disruptions and provide an efficient movement of people and goods.  

Unlocked potential

A highly skilled team of professionals operates from six locations: Soyo, Lobito, Namibe, Cabinda, St. Clara, and headquarters in Luanda. 

"Angola is the second largest Lusophone (Portuguese-speaking) country in both total area and population and has a rich trade history. Our team works tirelessly to provide best-in-class services and contribute to the country's development," adds Cyril Bourguignon.

Ever since Kuehne+Nagel started its operations in the country, the company has been dedicated to handling healthcare products, pharmaceuticals, and humanitarian aid to those in need. 

Recently, the company provided complex logistics solutions for transporting building materials and medical equipment to support the construction of two hospitals in Luanda, the Hospital Geral de Viana and the Hospital Geral de Cacuaco. Once fully operational, each hospital will have operating rooms, inpatient wards, diagnostics centers, emergency services, and specialised clinics with over 350 beds each.

Every year, the team participates in beach cleaning activity, often in partnership with the largest customers, to spread environmental protection awareness and save Angola's pristine coastline for future generations. 

The future

Developing infrastructure and easing regulations and laws aligned with international business standards facilitate intra-Angola and global trade. Last year, Angola opened the new Dr. António Agostinho Neto International Airport (AIAAN), which will, when completed, serve 15 million passengers and handle up to 440,000 tons of cargo annually. It also introduced visa-free entry for nationals from over 97 countries, opening its doors to mass tourism.

Agriculture could be the next go-to industry thanks to fertile soil, a mild climate with alternating rainy and dry seasons, and considerable water resources. 

"The non-oil sectors, such as agriculture, mining, and renewable energy, are not just in our focus area; they are the future of Angola's economy. It is especially exciting when considering the global network and expertise of Kuehne+Nagel," concludes Cyril Bourguignon.

Alumichem, a leading Nordic water treatment solutions company, has appointed Kuehne+Nagel as a logistics partner in Ghana for the second consecutive year. The partnership aims to deliver clean drinking water to communities in Ghana.

To maximise the efficiency of the delivery of water treatment chemicals to the country, Alumichen has selected Kuehne+Nagel to provide optimised logistics solutions, including sea logistics solutions for the transport of the chemical components between Denmark and Ghana and domestic road logistics solutions for the deliveries to Ghana Water Company.  

Denmark-based Alumichem has been working with Ghana Water Company, a state utility water producer, to improve the efficiency of the water treatment processes and provide advanced water treatment technologies, including aluminum-based coagulants and flocculants, which are highly effective in removing impurities and contaminants from water sources.  

So far Kuehne+Nagel has handled over 194 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) of water treatment chemicals on behalf of Alumichem.

"We rely on Kuehne+Nagel's expertise in global logistics and supply chain management to deliver a product that provides access to clean drinking water, which is a fundamental human right," says Isaac Mensah-Boansi, Business Development Director, Africa at Alumichem. "Together, we make a positive difference in the lives of those who need it most."

"Kuehne+Nagel prioritises partnerships that bring a positive change to the socio-economical situation of people in Africa," says Alexandre Muratore, West Africa Cluster Manager at Kuehne+Nagel. "By providing reliable and efficient logistics solutions for the deliveries of the water treatment products, we improve the quality of lives of Ghanaians. It is an example of the logistics industry and its dedication to support human needs merging into one," he concludes.

Like many countries in the region, Ghana suffers from water scarcity and poor water quality, which affect the health and well-being of local communities. Often, unclean wastewater is discharged directly into land or rivers, affecting the drinking water supply. Ghana Water Company currently operates 88 urban water supply systems throughout the country, that produce on average 870,000 cubic meters of water per day. The demand, however, is estimated at almost 1,132 million cubic meters of water per day.  

Kuehne+Nagel operates in Africa from its locations in seven countries and supports customers in 36 countries across the continent. With over 1,000 logistics professionals, the company provides tailored road, sea, air, and project logistics solutions and additional services such as customs clearance and last-mile delivery to support customers from a variety of industries.

Kuehne+Nagel has entered into a long-term agreement for a new airside facility strategically located in the airport zone of OR Tambo International airport, Johannesburg, South Africa – the largest and busiest airport in Africa. As part of this agreement, Kuehne+Nagel offers customers a set of logistics solutions, including warehousing, transportation, customs brokerage, supply chain management, and airside support to project-specific charter in- and outbound shipments. Core to this offering is a comprehensive cold chain solution, ensuring around-the-clock temperature-control to safeguard the integrity of highly sensitive pharma products.

The new offering is pivotal to supporting Africa’s aim to become more self-reliant in healthcare operations. South Africa, Nigeria, and Algeria are leading the manufacturing charge in sub-Saharan Africa, while imports from Europe, North America, India and China remain crucial to meeting Africa’s demand for medicines and basic healthcare. To support its healthcare customers – both importers and manufacturers – in executing their strategic growth plans for Africa, Kuehne+Nagel’s new facility is designed with healthcare and pharmaceuticals in mind.

“Pharmaceuticals in particular are highly-sensitive, time-critical products,” says Gereon Niemeier, Managing Director, Kuehne+Nagel South Africa. “Every minute these products spend on the tarmac exposes them to temperature fluctuations, physical damage, and loss. Our new facility addresses all these challenges to ensure product stability throughout the journey.”

“Our people have the expertise for plane-side access that other logistics providers don't,” Niemeier points out. “In addition, the facility is so close to the charter parking area that we can provide in-person visibility resources, as well as a unique dollie solution, that greatly reduce the risk of ground handling errors as well as shipment claims. On-site monitoring protects product stability — whether temperature-controlled, high value or time critical — throughout the entire journey.