Our global freight forwarding network keeps our customers freight moving across the world.

Solar power a shining example of export progress across sub-Saharan Africa

Solar energy is becoming increasingly important for bolstering sub-Saharan Africa's trading potential, with supply chain executives telling The Loadstar that Kenya and Nigeria are two of the fastest-growing markets for the technology. By the end of the first quarter, Nigeria had climbed into the top 10 of solar panel suppliers to the US, with some 40% of the country's total exports of the technology, totalling $64bn, ending up in the US. That growth has been felt by forwarders and logistics partners. DHL Express's chief executive for Sub-Saharan Africa, Hennie Heymans, told The Loadstar the company was seeing "incredible growth" in solar-panel exports out of Nigeria - and nor is that country alone. "We actually see an incredible growth in solar panel exports towards the United States from Nigeria and Kenya," he said, pointing out that for Africa in general the "new energy" vertical was proving something of a winner, experiencing 20% growth year on year. Interestingly, local forwarders told The Loadstar solar panels were also proffering volumes in the reverse direction for Kenya, although there was debate around whether the volumes were part of a local redevelopment of energy infrastructure or the result of chaos in the supply chains. One forwarder told The Loadstar that, amid the situation in Hormuz and growing pockets of congestion at typical transhipment hubs, volumes were routing via Kenya in an effort to avoid being caught up in the chaos. Mr Heymans, however, believes the growth in solar typifies the present story across Africa, noting that DHL had experienced a recent uptick in enquiries about special economic zones (SEZs) in several African countries, particularly Kenya and South Africa. Without stating just how many SEZ-related enquiries his office had handled, Mr Heymans said: "In Kenya, we have seen interest focused specifically on Mombasa, as well as Nairobi, and we have seen new entrants in both locations." And he is not alone in noting this: businesses the world over are reassessing international supply chains amid geopolitical tension and changing trade policies, with growing indications that the continent is more than well suited as a base for production.

JB Hunt riding new pricing cycle - shippers must pay up

Growth alone is not the objective, JB Hunt (JBHT) CEO Shelley Simpson told investors during the Q3 call that took place yesterday after the US market close. Instead: "Sustainable growth - that creates long-term value for our customers, our people and our shareholders - is the objective." Dear client: be ready to pay up! "The largest opportunity" ahead of JB Hunt is ensuring "our pricing reflects the value we create". In other words, the $22bn-market-cap intermodal and trucking group is taking decisions expected to "strengthen ...

Volga-Dnepr carrier Atran restores operations with 737 freighter

Russian outsize freight specialist Volga-Dnepr Group's cargo airline Atran has returned to operations with a flight on the Moscow-Mirny route. Atran, which had been subject to international sanctions, had voluntarily requested suspension of its air operator's certificate in 2025. It had turned to using Antonov An-12s in 2023, after uncertainty emerged over its leased 737 fleet. But it stated that a Boeing 737-400 freighter (RA-73854) underwent a maintenance C-check and carried out a test flight in late August after being retrieved from storage. Federal air transport regulator Rosaviatsia reinstated Atran's certificate in September, the carrier stated. Atran added that it resumed commercial operations between Moscow Vnukovo and Mirny, flying via Novosibirsk, on 16 October. "Resumption of Atran commercial flights expands the capabilities of the Volga-Dnepr Group in the domestic cargo air transportation segment," it said. Atran added that the 737-400 has a payload capacity of 18 tonnes, and that Mirny is an industrial centre supplying businesses with "essential materials and equipment".