2merkato

Solomon Zewdu Shipping and Freight Forwarding Agent is a Shipping and Freight Forwarding service provider in Ethiopia with more than fifteen years of experience in the shipping and freight forwarding business. Our services include shipping, freight forwarding, customs clearance, vehicle import and hiring and consultancy services on shipping and freight forwarding issues, customs clearance scenarios, tax advising and on import and export procedures in Ethiopia.

Years of experience has inculcated in us a strong sense of professionalism. Hence, our reputation is well deserved. Come and enjoy the exquisite glamour of services we deliver.

Professionalism, strong reputation and financial strength give us the chance to grow at par with our customers worldwide, responding to their needs and the changing demands of local, regional and global markets.

Sol International is owned and directed by Mr. Solomon Zewdu. Mr. Solomon has invested over 15 years of his life to this trying business. For Mr. Solomon, Sol International is more than a business. It is his lifelong commitment that he intends to make some difference by providing ethical service to the best of his ability.

Mrs. Solomon Tefera, Deputy Managing Director is an experienced import and export processor. Her addition to our management team has produced marked improvement in the overall performance of the firm.

VISION

Becoming the leading shipping and freight forwarding agent in east Africa by 2020.

GOAL

Delivering, door to door, value – value to our esteemed customers.

MISSION

Sol international wants to render fast, reliable, cost effective and ethical services focusing on:

• Shipping agency
• Customs & port clearance
• Freight forwarding
• Vehicle Imports
• Consultancy

Services

A. Shipping

“Except for the pilot, the first and last person to board or depart during every ship’s port call is the ship’s agent”. We have the capacity to handle any shipping project, however large or small. We have a team with vast experience of acting on behalf of our clients in relation to a full range of shipping matters.

• Chartering of vessels
• Consolidation and planning of Import/ Export shipments
• Stevedoring
• Fumigation and Lashing of containers
• Sea port processing using full resources

B. Freight Forwarding

• Handling of incoming and outgoing cargo at the various means and ports of entry/exit /Galafi, Metema, Berbera, Moyale, Ethiopian Airports and Coli Post
• Bulk transport of dry cargo inside or outside containers among multi-points
• Packing, Loading/Unloading and Moving
• Multimodal transport (through transit)

C. Customs Clearance

Our staffs have detailed understanding of the complexity of customs formalities that are specific to the countries of origin & destination. We do realize the importance of rapid mobilization required for any import/export/transit endeavor.

• Customs Processing at Airport Cargo
• Customs processing at Kality, Modjo, Gelan, Adama, and Mekelle,...etc dry ports

D. Vehicle import

• Importation of brand new and used cars

E. Consultancy

The ‘Prevention is better than cure’ principle is very applicable to shipping and freight forwarding processes. Our dedicated teams aim not just to act as an intermediary between directly contracting counterparties, but we also look to provide our clients with an intricate level of advice in export/import and anything in between to build long-term and lasting relationships.

• Shipping and freight forwarding issues
• Customs clearance scenarios
• Tax advising
• Import and Export procedures

Principal Customers

A. Diplomatic Institutions

• The Commission of African Union (Note: We have inked permanent contract)
• Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Ethiopia
• Embassy of the Arab Republic of Egypt in Ethiopia
• Embassy of the Republic of Finland in Ethiopia
• Embassy of the Kingdom of Morocco in Ethiopia
• Embassy of the State of Israel in Ethiopia,…etc

B. Private Institutions

• MIDROC Technology group: National motors
• Tola Hayu Business PLC (UK)
• Frank International PLC
• Kadosh International PLC
• Mekelle farm PLC
• AGP poultry PLC
• Micro Pharma PLC,…etc

C. Government Institutions

• FDRE Ministry of Defense
• National Bank of Ethiopia
• Metals and Engineering Corporation ( METEC),…etc

We are very thankful to our esteemed customers for using our services. It is our sincere commitment to always stay loyal to their trust and satisfaction.

Business Capacity

A. Business Organization

The shipping and freight forwarding business is highly team-oriented. It is like a chain, where the strength of the whole chain depends on the strength of one ring link. Hence, we are wholeheartedly teamed up for a destined goal-your satisfaction.

• Managing Director: The Managing Director is directly or indirectly connected in every action and decision that involves the customer and SOL International.
• Deputy V/ Manager: Main duties involve vehicle sales and the supervision and direction of finance management.
• Administrative & Finance V/Manager: responsible for the administrative and financial management, accountability requirements, and human & material resources management of the company.
• Finance & purchasing section: conducts financial analysis and prepares financial reports; develops and implements an effective system of accounting; acts upon strategic financial & purchase planning and execution
• Human resources & property administration section: conducts staff recruitment, induction and management; manages the acquisition, administration, replacement/disposal of office physical infrastructure.
• Record & Documentation section: responsible for the effective and appropriate management of an organization’s records from their creation up to their eventual disposal.
• Operations V/Manager: interacts with overseas offices, partners, customers and customs office to ensure shipping, transportation and customs clearance are done in the most cost-effective and efficient way.
• In-house operation section: involves ensuring the correct paperwork is in place for goods and the customers therein; tasked with import and export compliance, product classification and adherence to Customs Import/Export policies and procedures.
• Field operation section: acts as on-site/field liaison of the company in its dealings with Customs & port authorities for early clearance of consignment; undertakes packaging, moving and loading/unloading of goods.
• Marketing & ICT V/Manager: plans campaigns and develops communications material to promote services to customers and prospects; creates promotional content for the company website, writes press releases or product publications; designs all operational activities of the ICT infrastructure of the company.
• Marketing section: recruits new customers & sustains the existing customer base(customer retention), and identifies target markets and finds a way of promoting services to them.
• ICT section: plans, coordinates, directs, and provides direction & support for IT solutions that enhance the business operations of the company.

B. Human Resource

The success of our organization is due to the excellent interactions of our field and office teams consisting of experienced, dedicated, and hard working professionals.
We understand education, experience and creativity of our employees, human capital in general greatly impact the quality of our services. Consequently, we hold periodic workshops and orientations for our employees on:

• Current rules and regulations of shipping agency & Customs.
• New innovations in our field.
• Communication skills.

Sol international is meant for high regard to employees’ self-respect and personality. For this reason, we have created an environment where every employee lives up to his/her highest moral authority.

C. Physical Infrastructure

Sol international, from the very first time of its inception, has been determined to create a work environment that can become enjoyable and profitable for all - customers, employees and stakeholders.

In the past years, we have invested heavily in dedicated ICT infrastructure to cater to the demand of 21st-century business environment. Accordingly, we have successfully managed to set up fully networked (LAN) office setup. And that has made file transfer, document storage & retrieval and resource optimization (scanners, printers …etc) much easier.

Moreover, we have, in collaboration with Customs authority, established Direct Trader Input (DTI) system. This has enabled us to clear consignments via electronic data transfer of declarations. It became possible through wide area connectivity (WAN) of ASYCUDA++ client with ASYCUDA++ server.

Needless to say, paper-based communication will still play vital role in intra and inter-office communications. But, our company is strongly committed to the ‘green’ initiative, and has strived a lot in making more of a paperless environment for its in-house work and its correspondence with external stakeholders like Customs authority.

D. Financial Strength

It takes a substantial amount of cash flow to maintain a robust transiting business. Container deposits and transport fees sometimes require millions. We have recently invested on a car carrier whose sole task is to bring SOL international vehicles from Djibouti.

Partners

We have a strong working relationship with Tofik Dahdar and Nile Transit, our Dubai and Djibouti partners respectively. Our overseas partners have been hand-selected over many years to provide the same high standard of service and competitiveness. You can be confident that, whatever the task, it will be handled reliably both at home and abroad.