Logistics expertise, experience and service capability are among the fundamentals which a Miami-based freight company plans to bring to the local market following the opening of its offices here.
PAS Cargo USA Inc, a freight company which has been providing air and ocean consolidation and shipping services across the Caribbean and the United States over the past ten years officially opened its operations here at a simple ceremony held at the Grand Coastal Inn on the East Coast of Demerara last evening.
Senior Vice President of the company Sridat Naraine, told a gathering that the company has top-tier industry expertise to offer customers in Guyana. He said that while Guyana is seeing growth and development emerging in multiple sectors of the economy, the company is putting on notice its intention to complement such aspects of development.
He said that PAS’ expertise in logistics for larger scale projects has been proven as the company has been the key logistics provider to the gas and oil industry in neighbouring Trinidad and Tobago where it had its initial start up.
Naraine noted too that the company’s core focus is cargo consolidation, an area which he noted PAS Cargo has been excelling in. He said that while PAS does not have its own ships, the company will be utilizing the services of all shipping lines that serve the market here, a scenario which he noted will give the company “great flexibility” in ensuring that its service delivery aligns with the needs of its customers.
Giving a brief description of the company’s history, Naraine said that the freight company was founded by Guyanese Dirk Chee-A-Tow, who started the company via an alliance in 2002 with Piarco Air Services Limited, a veteran passenger and cargo handling company in Trinidad. The company grew within a year of its formation and was regarded as the primary cargo consolidator for both air and ocean shipping services between Trinidad and South Florida in the US. It has grown to expand its market to a number of islands within the Caribbean, namely Barbados, Jamaica, St Lucia, Grenada and Haiti to name a few.
Chairman of the Shipping Association of Guyana, Andrew Astwood, noted that the company will bring a range of services to the local industry. He briefly told the gathering that the sector has seen a number of changes in terms of development within the past several years, noting that the newest member of the industry has chosen the opportune time to enter the market.
Astwood said that the shipping industry has shown an improved performance in recent times, noting that in terms of container movement, figures for 2010 when compared to the previous year indicate an increase of 20%. He noted too that PAS Cargo’s plans to offer a cost effective and efficient service will add to the competition which already exists on the local market.
Private Sector Commission (PSC) chairman, Ramesh Dookhoo noted that the private sector will benefit from the input of companies such as PAS Cargo, noting the “re-emergence” of the private sector sees the economy as being less dependent on the traditional areas.
Dookhoo said that the range of services being offered by the freight company will be of benefit to the country and the various sectors, and he singled out the refrigerated container services as an area which the agro-processing sector will be looking forward to taking advantage of. In addition to the aforementioned service, PAS Cargo will be offering LCL (less than container load) shipping services, project cargo, an area which the company noted it has vast experience as it has handled major construction projects as well as the shipping of telecommunication and oil platform drilling equipment.
The company will also offer documentation and hazardous cargo and dangerous goods transshipment; aircraft charter services, local trucking pick-up and inland transport as well as insurance and customs clearance and brokerage.
According to the company, PAS Cargo will be partnering with all the major cargo carriers serving Guyana and the company will take advantage of the different arrival days of the main carriers which serve the industry.
The company has appointed Ace Cargo Logistics located on Lombard Street, Charlestown as its exclusive agent while goods will be shipped to and from the John Fernandes warehouse terminal on Water Street in the city.
