Tribuna de Canarias, the Political and Economic newspaper of the Canary Islands, interviews Jesús Roque Rodríguez, Branch Manager of Ertransit in Tenerife. We collect an extract of the interview.
WHAT ARE, BROADLY SPEAKING, THE SERVICES THAT YOU OFFER FROM ERTRANSIT?
Erhardt Transitarios-Ertransit is a logistics operator that integrates the supply chain from end to end. That is, we provide a unique service that includes transportation, storage, customs management, merchandise insurance, port services, consignments, chartering, and global logistics services.
In the Canary Islands we are present on all the islands and we have infrastructure and equipment specialized in industrial sectors and regions, which allows us to offer a unique, integrated and highly competitive logistics service.
IN WICH MARKETS DOES THE CANARIAN COMPANY OPERATE AND WHAT CHALLENGES DOES IT FACE?
The Canarian company is increasingly global and operates in markets that are exposed to the ups and downs of the supply chain, which is why they adapt their supply strategies in order to reduce the risks in national and international merchandise traffic.
The challenges of the Canarian company are, mainly, to ensure the reliability of the chain and cost control, especially in an inflationary era and with high energy costs, like the current one.
WHERE ARE THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE CANARIAN ECONOMY EMERGING?
In West Africa. The Canary Islands are becoming the supply platform for the African continent, driven by sectors such as tourism and energy. Countries like Senegal, Cape Verde, The Gambia, Guinea Bissau, Nigeria,… are demanding goods and the Canary Islands have a great opportunity to become their main supply platform.
In this line, and to take advantage of these new opportunities, we are advising on the implementation of customs authorizations at the client’s headquarters and in port areas; promoting the development of the Canary Islands as a true logistics hub with North and West Africa in the traffic of agri-food products, construction and energy (oil and gas) mainly.
Also, in the short and medium term, significant growth in public works is expected on the islands, as a result of the expected European Next Generation funds. We believe that there will be significant growth in the transport of materials for the construction of new infrastructures, which will require true specialists in the chartering of general merchandise ships, in bulk, and in the loading of turnkey projects.
HOW DO YO APPROACH ALL THESE CHANGES FROM YOUR COMPANY?
Traditionally, logistics with the Islands has been, and continues to be, highly fragmented, negotiating transport, storage and distribution in separate contracts, which makes the logistics experience complex, expensive and stressful for shippers and recipients.
At ERTRANSIT we do “integrated logistics” and the advantages are unquestionable. We manage the supply chain from end to end, integrating transportation, customs management, storage, distribution, merchandise insurance,… A true vertical integration that in our case is feasible because we are in the ERHARDT group, a logistics ecosystem oriented and prepared for offer integrated solutions.
These types of solutions allow us to better control cargo management at all stages of the journey, improving costs and providing greater visibility and resilience in supply chains.
DOES CUSTOMS MANAGEMENT CONTINUE TO PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN THE CANARY ISLANDS MARKET?
Undoubtedly, customs management in the Canary Islands is an aspect to take into account, hence the importance of integrating all logistics operations under the same manager, capable of identifying risks, minimizing costs and solving bottlenecks.
The integration of transportation, customs clearance and storage management helps to improve inventory turnover, reduce delivery times and eliminate costs.
Our facilities in Tenerife and Gran Canaria have the authorization of Temporary Deposit Warehouse, which allows storage and conservation under a suspensive regime where neither customs nor tax debt are settled for a period of 90 days, a period more than enough to regulate o Manage the demand for imported products without having to pay taxes and duties before the sale.
WHAT CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THE LATEST TECHNOLOGIES APPLIED TO LOGISTICS SERVICES?
It can be summarized in two large groups of exponential technologies: data management and process automation.
Logistics has joined the so-called digital transformation later than other sectors, but we are already immersed in what at Ertransit we call “the digital supply chain”. A chain in which data management from start to finish is essential. Logistics activity generates a huge amount of data and the challenge is how to use it so that deliveries are faster, controlled and smooth.
The second of the technological challenges is the automation of processes, and this is where the Artificial Intelligence boom enters our business, which should help us optimize each of the links in the chain.
In our company we decided to create a Digitalization department that is in charge of integrating both supply chains, digital and physical. The digitization of the company provides the client with greater visibility to the operations. We are currently working on how to apply Artificial Intelligence in the optimal filling of containers with break-bulk loads, and in the traceability of CO2 emissions in the different links of the chain using blockchain technology.
