Freight forwarder Oast Agencies has gone into partnership with China-based BLD Logistics. As a result it has reported a ‘significant’ upturn in its trade with China.
BLD Logistics is a joint venture company among the Chinese group MLS (Bailian), the French group TRAMAR and Helka International Transportation.
Created in 2006, BLD is an international freight forwarder to provide sea freight, airfreight, NVOCC and comprehensive logistics services.
The NVOCC in that sentence might throw you but it means Non-Vessel Operating Common Carrier which is a person or company (often a forwarding agent) who does not own or operate the carrying ship but who contracts with a shipping line for the carriage of the goods of third parties to whom he normally issues a house bill of lading. But you had already worked that out.
The relationship enables Oast to provide its customers with an end-to-end logistics solution for the management of goods to and from China.
As a result it services now include order chasing, shipment consolidation, track & trace, customs and freight management door to door and storage and distribution.
Logistics Manager.com quotes Oast managing director Clive Broadley: ‘Although China is not immune from the effects of the worldwide economic climate, the country’s economy grew by nine per cent in 2008 and is predicted grow by eight per cent during 2009. China remains a most important trade and investment market for us and we are determined to develop every opportunity.’