Road-freight platform Saloodo! launches in Mozambique

Article written by Irma Venter
Digital road-freight platform Saloodo! has launched its digital logistics platform for shippers and transport providers in Mozambique, in a move the company hopes will further expand its digital road-freight solution in Africa.
Saloodo! is a subsidiary of DHL Global Forwarding, which is a provider of air, sea and road freight services.
With some 30 500 km of highways, the road network is essential to Mozambique’s economy, with agriculture a primary driver of economic growth and locals relying heavily on roads to transport fresh produce, says Saloodo!
“Despite challenges, DHL’s Global Connectedness Index sees Mozambique as having huge potential when it comes to the international flow of goods, capital, information and people,” notes Saloodo! Middle East and Africa CEO Tobias Maier.
“An efficient road-freight network will give an added boost [to the economy] as it is the key channel of trade within a geographically widespread country such as Mozambique.
“Saloodo! will inject greater transparency and efficiency into the road network by providing real-time visibility, enabling shippers to identify trusted and reliable freight carriers in Mozambique,” explains Maier.
“This, in turn, will help carriers manage existing fleets and optimise capacity with full truckload shipments.”
Saloodo! believes its service will also help address the high demands on the Maputo port, both from Mozambique and South Africa, while it will also provide a strategic advantage through the provision of transport services from the Nacala, Beira and Pemba ports, which have high activity connected to oil and gas projects.
Saloodo! is the first digital logistics platform available in Mozambique that offers a “single, simple and reliable interface for shippers and transport providers to best optimise cost, routes, cargo and transit times”, says Maier.
All contractual relationships on the platform are organised via the existing local DHL entity.
The Saloodo! platform’s first African launch was in South Africa in November.
The digital freight service has been active in Europe, as well as in the Middle East, since 2017.
Globally, the service has grown to more than 30 000 shippers and more than 12 000 carriers covering 35 countries.
How Does it Work?
Saloodo! provides shippers and carriers with a one-stop platform for road-freight connections for domestic shipments, as well as international movements, explains Maier.
It enables business-to-business companies (shippers) to find verified freight carriers and, in turn, helps carriers to find suitable full-truckload shipments to optimise their truck capacities.
The portal has a three-step process through which one is able to find a freight carrier, create a transport request, receive confirmation of the request and track the shipment in real time.
There are no set criteria as long as customers have access to the portal and are able to register successfully in order to keep track of the shipment.
“A carrier needs to undergo a detailed vetting process that is country specific (depending on the local regulations and requirements) to ensure we only have reliable transport providers on the platform,” says Maier.
“With Saloodo!, you can ship all kinds of full truckloads, including containers. We are working on extending our services to also cover partial truckloads soon.
“In the case of valuable, dangerous or theft-sensitive goods, shippers must inform Saloodo! of the specific transport request and, depending on the type and value of the goods and the current risks involved, this will enable us to connect them with the right providers, meeting the requirements associated with the specific shipment.” 
Original Source: https://www.engineeringnews.co.za/article/road-freight-platform-saloodo-launches-in-mozambique-2020-05-11/rep_id:4136