Grindrod Limited is the holding company of a dynamic organisation listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange, with more than 100 years of experience in South Africa’s freight movement and related industries. Grindrod’s business is focused on moving cargo by road, rail, sea and air – and providing integrated logistical and specialised services.
As a global business represented in nearly 40 countries, it is uniquely positioned to service Africa trade flows.
In pursuing a strategy of becoming a fully integrated shipping and freight logistics service provider focused on moving dry-bulk, liquid bulk, containerised cargo and vehicles, the company invests in infrastructure along trading corridors, connecting commodities and customers.
Grindrod is committed to promoting regional economic growth by pioneering joint ventures and capital projects, developing infrastructure, port concessions and terminal capacity.
Grindrod has three main areas of operation, namely freight services, shipping and financial services.
FREIGHT SERVICES
Freight services’ operators provide road transportation, rail, port operations, terminal operations, intermodal solutions, warehousing, storage, stevedoring, ship agency services, travel agency services and all facets of tradiditional logistics.
Maputo port
Grindrod has a 24.7% stake in the Maputo Port Development Company (MPDC), which has a port concession up until 2033. MPDC holds the rights to finance, rehabilitate, construct, operate, manage, maintain, develop and optimise the entire concession area.
The recently completed channel dredge will allow vessels with a sailing draft of up to 14.2m on the tide (up to 80 000 tons), to enter the port.
Terminals
Grindrod terminals are strategically positioned across Southern Africa. This enables them to offer dry-bulk customers storage; cargo flow management; ship loading or dischargging; stevedoring; clearing and forwarding; stock management and daily reporting; and rail scheduling. The terminal in the Walvis Bay port is capable of handling various dry-bulk imports and exports. Of note is a joint venture in Richards Bay where, over time, a 20 million ton coal export terminal will be developed. Current throughput capacity is 3.5 million tons.
Grindrod’s Terminal de Carvão da Matola has an export throughput capacity of 7.5 million tons and there are plans for expansion that will see it able to handle 20 million tons of coal and magnetite.
The Maputo grain terminal provides a fully integrated support and distribution service for grains destined for consumption by the Mozambican industry. It acts as a base for the transit of grains within Mozambique, South Africa and Zimbabwe.
Grindrod has a 30.5% shareholding in OTGC, which has specialised liquid bulk terminal facilities in Durban and Cape Town as well a specialised trucking fleet that services customers in the molasses and vegetable oil industry. OTGC is also the holder of a concession in Ngqura port for the development of a bulk liquid fuel terminal. This project is under development and expected to be commissioned in 2019.
Maputo car terminal
Grindrod owns and operates this terminal, which is ideally situated for the import and export of vehicles delivering to – or manufactured in – Gauteng, South Africa. Annual throughput capacity is 115 000 vehicles.
Stevedores
Grindrod’s stevedoring operations are in Richards Bay and Walvis Bay, where services include the handling of bulk commodities and break-bulk commodities.
Rail
Grindrod’s rail division facilitates a seamless ‘pit to port’ rail logistics solution for freight customers in Africa. Improved efficiencies and exceptional reliability derive from its experience in managing rail operations, co-ordinating logistics, managing concessions and providing cost-efficient leasing solutions.
Carrier logistics
Grindrod Fuelogic, Fuelogic Namibia and Grindrod Petrologistics – subsidiaries of Grindrod – specialise in the road transportation of petroleum products and liquid petroleum gas across South Africa and its neighbouring countries. This includes secondary and primary road transportation to various oil majors in South Africa, Botswana and Namibia. The business has established long-term partnerships with customers such as Sasol, Chevron, Total, Totalgaz, Puma and Vivo.
Grindrod Logistics transports motor vehicles across Southern Africa, providing distribution and logistics services to a substantial number of local car manufacturers and importers. Using road carriers, rail, sea and self-drive options, 25 million km are covered each year, delivering to 120 dealerships.
Grindrod Intermodal offers complete containerised cargo solutions, including packing, unpacking, distribution and transportation of container cargo, including bulk mineral products across South Africa and Mozambique.
Integrated Logistics
Röhlig-Grindrod offers freight forwarding, customs brokerage and related logistics solutions. The company is represented across five continents through Röhlig & Co. This is further enhanced by the Grindrod network and facilities situated across sub-Saharan Africa.
Sturrock Grindrod Maritime
With 50 offices across nine countries in sub-Saharan Africa, as well as Australia and Singapore and a focus on emerging markets, this division offers services in both liner and non-liner ships agency, marine tech and offshore logistics.
Grindrod Travel
As one of South Africa’s oldest travel management companies, Grindrod Travel operates nationally, with branches in Durban, Richards Bay, Johannesburg and Cape Town.
The focus is on corporate travel management. However, it also caters for leisure and tourism.
SHIPPING
Based in Singapore, Grindrod Shipping trades globally under two key brands, namely Island View Shipping and Unicorn Shipping. It operates a container feeder service in the Southern Africa region.
Island View Shipping
Island View Shipping (IVS) owns, charters and operates a modern low-cost fleet of dry-bulk vessels (handysize, supramax and capsize bulk carriers).
IVS also offers a regular handysize/handymax parcel service to the north-west of the continent as well as to the UK, US, Mediterranean and Far East. IVS ships 15 million to 18 million tons per annum globally.
Unicorn Shipping
Unicorn Shipping is involved in the medium-range (40 000 dwt to 52 000 dwt) and intermediate (16 500 dwt) product tanker markets.
These tankers are owned, chartered and operated by Unicorn, which also offers ship management and crewing services for the group’s product tankers.
Unicorn Tankers
Unicorn Tankers focuses on the tanker market and provides shipping services for the transport of petroleum products along the Southern African coast, as well as East and West Africa.
Unicorn Bunkers
This division operates in the port of Durban under contract to oil majors BP and Engen, and in Cape Town under contract to Chevron.
Unicorn Bunkers services the shipping industry with three modern bunker tankers, each of which are capable of carrying approximately 4 250 tons of product (HFO/gas oil/diesel) separately segregated.
Training academy
Established in 1965, the company’s cadet officer training scheme is a prominent developer of young South African shipping talent.
The academy provides South African Maritime Authority-approved training courses to local and international customers.
Container shipping
Ocean Africa Container Lines operates a five-vessel network in Southern Africa, calling on Durban, East London, Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, Lüderitz, Walvis Bay, Cabinda, Namibe, Maputo and Beira. In addition, this business also provides a door-to-door service for clients based in South Africa.
Marine fuels and lubricants
The Cockett Group, established in 1979, is now jointly owned by Vitol and Grindrod. It has grown to become one of the world’s largest value-added traders and physical suppliers of marine fuels.
FINANCIAL SERVICES
Grindrod Bank
Regarded as a niche bank staffed by innovative thinkers, Grindrod Bank offers investment opportunities, commercial lending solutions, invoice discounting, property finance, bank card solutions and corporate finance services.
Grindrod Asset Management
(now trading as Bridge Fund Managers)
The business has two main operating divisions, namely wealth (private clients and stockbroking) and fund management.
