2merkato

The Ethiopian Shipping and Logistics Services Enterprise has completed the first phase of its restructuring program. The first phase of the restructuring program concentrated on bringing together the three maritime enterprises according to Ahmed Tusa, Chief Executive Officer of the enterprise.

The incorporation and reconstruction of the new enterprise was handled through its own capacity according to several studies said Ahmed.

The enterprise was restructured into four sub-divisions to be led by four deputy Chief Executive Officers. The four sectors are ‘Freight Forwarding, Shipping and Transport Sector, Port and Terminal Services Sector, and Supportive Sector explained Ahmed.

The first three sectors were already functioning as independent organizations or since the new enterprise with the exception of the Supportive Sector he noted.

The Ethiopian Commodity Exchange was only able to attract a single bidder for the seat it offered for bid. The seat was put on sale through the exchange after Ural Industries to relinquish its seat on the ECX.

The only interested bidder for the sea was Dejen Industrial plc which made an offer of 1.3 million birr for the seat on the exchange.

It is to be remembered that the trade volume of the exchange reached 21 billion birr in the last financial year while its trading volume increased to 601,000 tons announced the ECX.

Ethiopian Airlines is to preparing to launch a new flight route to Madrid starting from the coming June according to sources. The airline is hoping to offer flights to Madrid three time a week as of June 15 if things go according to plan.

Management at Ethiopian have been in touch with the Administration of the Madrid Airport and the Spanish Civil Aviation Authority to discuss the details involved with the planned flight service said the sources.

The public relations office of Ethiopian Airlines is yet to confirm the planned flight beyond saying that a study has been launched to review the potential of the route but a decision has not been made either way.

The Ethiopian Shipping and Logistics Enterprise is expecting to receive nine sea going vessels it had ordered with Chinese companies by the end of the current financial year. The enterprise is to acquire the vessels at a total cost of four billion birr, it was said.

The vessels are expected to enhance the ESLSE’s freight capacity significantly noted Ahmed Tussa, Chief Executive of the Enterprise.

It is to be remembered that there is currently a study underway to evaluate the possibility of outsourcing the management of the ESLSE to a foreign firm and Bolloré could be considered by the government should it be decided that this course of action is the most viable option according to Diriba Kuma, State Minister for transport.