UZBEK INTERNATIONAL FORWARDERS ASSOCIATION

A quarterly newsletter published by NSBS – a project funded by the European Union’s Central Asia Invest
Programme EuropeAid/126-265/C/ACT/CAI for “Partner Country”

Capacity building and sustainable development of Forwarders Associations in Central Asian countries

IN FOCUS

Study tour in Germany (21st - 26th of March 2010) aiming exchange of experience and establishment of favourable platform for new business opportunities.

Welcome to the fourth edition of CA FORWARDERS NET Newsletter. In this publication we will promote the activities related to the implementation of the fourth Working Package of the project.
The purpose of the fourth Working Package was an exchange of experience and establishment of favourable platform for new business opportunities between the forwarding companies from Germany and Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan.

Central Asian SMEs in transport sector are facing enormous need to work closely with and are very dependent on European transport partners for their easier integration to the international markets.

Most of those partnerships address improvements on their services and business relations with their clients. The closer personal and business contacts may become a ground for facilitation of trade and transport connections between Europe and Central Asian countries.

Further NSBS and Berlin Branderburg Logistics Netz contributed into the follow directions:

to provide exchange of know-how and experience with German freight forwarding Associations, freight forwarding enterprises and major logistics centers; to contribute to the establishment of new business contacts and provide access to industry reliable information; to serve as an example for cooperation in freight forwarding & logistics industry and to encourage the establishment of public private partnership.

Reception and presentation by branch manager Carsten SCHMIDT and head of sales, Ulrike ADAM, tour of logistics center

With a turnover of 2,7 billion EUR, the Rhenus group is one of Europe’s leading logistics service providers. The company’ business areas contract logistics, freight logistics, port logistics and public transport stand for the management of complex supply chains Reception and presentation by branch manager Carsten SCHMIDT and head of sales, Ulrike ADAM, tour of logistics center and innovative value added services. During the meeting were performed and discussed highly complex logistic operations and tools for their optimization through individual solutions for acquisition, production and distribution.

2. Place: Berlin-Brandenburg International (BBI) Construction Site Reception by Mr. Torsten JULING,
head of Air cargo Marketing and Public Relations, tour of BBI Info Tower

Drive to construction site of the new Berlin-Brandenburg International airport (BBI), due to start operation in October, 2011.

Over the next few years, Schoenefeld Airport will expand to become Berlin Brandenburg International (BBI), the new airport for the German capital. BBI will have an initial capacity of up to 27 million passengers on opening. The potential and construction of the new logistics center, which will unite on one place all major logistics operators was performed.

BEHALA Berliner Hafen- und Lagerhausgesellschaft mbH. Introduction and tour by Mr. Michael REIMANN, head of sales and Marketing

Visit of Berlin’s Westport, the city’s oldest and biggest port has been turned into a modern
tri-modal logistics center

The views in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union

This project is funded by the European Union

This project is implemented by NSBS

A quarterly newsletter published by NSBS – a project funded by the European Union’s Central Asia Invest
Programme EuropeAid/126-265/C/ACT/CAI for “Partner Country”

Capacity building and sustainable development of Forwarders Associations in Central Asian countries

IN FOCUS

Summary of recent project progress towards support the development of transport and freight forwarders industry in Central Asian countries

Welcome to the third edition of CA FORWARDERS NET Newsletter describing the implementation of the third Working Package of the project. The main purpose of all events was to bring together the main stakeholders from public, transport and forwarding sectors in order to analyze the problems, to identify the opportunities and to promote synergy and integration, which would help contribute to the transport and trade facilitation in the region.

Capacity building workshops and round tables 7-13 September 2009 in Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan

1. Place of venue and date: Hotel Tashkent Palace, 7th-8th of September 2009

• Exchange of experience in terms of services rendered by the European business associations and improvement of services provided;

• Introduction of the current situation and the opportunities for supporting development of transport-forwarding and logistics services in Uzbekistan;

• The benefits from widening the cooperation in Central Asia Region and Balkan countries;

• Role, significance and importance of application of International systems for quality management ISO 9001/2008;

• Opportunities to freight forwarders by utilization the transport corridors and ferry connections between Europe and Asia;

• Discussion on the problems and opportunities to the small and medium enterprises in private transport sector.

• Problems, challenges and opportunities to freight forwarders in Kyrgyzstan in their collaborative work with national state rail carrier;

• European model and legal status of the freight forwarder as an agent of the rail carrier;

• Legal, organizational and informational prerequisite for accomplishment of freight forwarders status in conditions of economy globalization and Asian-European integration;

• Prerequisite for formation of new rail corridor China – Kyrgyzstan – Uzbekistan, passing from the South European countries and near East in China The necessity of analysis of transport costs for different route.

There were clear indications for foundation of strategic basis for regional cooperation between freight forwarders associations of Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, respective their members and railway’s administrations of both countries.

• Utilization of opportunities given by CA FORWARDERS NET project as favourable platform for building up a network of regional partnerships for improvement transport and trade connections;

• Development of freight forwarding sector through rising competitiveness of transport companies and quality of forwarding services for guaranteeing more secure and efficient transport of goods in central Asian countries;

• Activation the participation of business organizations in national and regional committees for facilitation of transport and trade;

• Establishment of regional centre for vocational training of freight forwarders in Kazakhstan.

3. Place of venue and date: Hotel Solnyshko resort Issyk Kyl, 10 – 13 September 2009

• Presentation and analysis of multimodal and transit corridors crossing Kyrgyzstan;

• Review on current problems and potential opportunities to transport-forwarding sector in central Asian countries;

• Analysis of opportunities for establishment and development of contemporary logistics’ centers in Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan;

• Exchange of experience and discussion on the questions for voluntary certifications of forwarding services aiming increasing of their quality;

• Presentation of teaching curriculum and syllabus of centre for vocational training of freight forwarders of Association of freight forwarders of Republic of Kazakhstan – KFFA;

The conference turned out successful regional event during which was raised the awareness how EU and project partners work together to support sustainable development of freight forwarding associations and logistics and transport operators. It promoted cooperation between the states within the region by stimulating and intensifying of cooperation activities of similar professional organization in the field of transport. The thematic key issues, analysis of transport corridors and the needs of transport operators eventually would result in improvement the efficiency of transport and forwarding sector. Establishment of Central-Asian transport exchange would help to contribute to stronger regional and international integration. The private companies in the transport industry in CA region addressed crucial challenges in terms of developing of shortest transit corridors via Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan and are looking increasingly into the potential for improvement of interaction and connections of road and rail transport along the multimodal transport corridors between west China and Europe.

The views in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union

This project is funded by the European Union

This project is implemented by NSBS

A quarterly newsletter published by NSBS – a project funded by the European Union’s Central Asia Invest
Programme EuropeAid/126-265/C/ACT/CAI for “Partner Country”

Capacity building and sustainable development of Forwarders Associations in Central Asian countries

EDITORIAL

Welcome to the second edition of CA FORWARDERS NET Newsletter. In this publication we will promote the activities related to the implementation of the second Working Package of the project. The purpose of the second Working Package was to create a platform for exchange of experience, establishment and development of partner’s relationship between forwarding companies from Bulgaria, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan.

Round table and study tours in Bulgaria on 18^th – 21st May and Participation in IX Congress of South East European Freight Forwarders and Logistics Operators in FYROM on 21st- 23rd May.

The event brought together more than 50 participants and representatives of State Authorities, Agencies, Associations and leading forwarding companies.

The first panel was oriented towards exchange of experience. Dr. Ivan Petrov presented in details the project’s strategic objectives, fundamentally accentuated, and the milestone during its implementation.

Intending to support administrative capacity of partner’s associations, the Project manager made presentation describing different types of organisational structures of business organizations, typical operational processes and various kinds of services provided to the members. Mrs. Krastanova pointed out the Importance of qualified staff and shared experience how to interact with state authorities in order to prevent the interest of their members.

Mr. Simeon Ananiev presented the advantages offered to the freight forwarders by using ferry connections between Bulgaria and Central Asia and particularly the new regular ferry line Varna – Kavkaz. Simultaneously Mrs. Yancheva presented the major priority of the European transport policy, namely development of logistic infrastructure.

Leading Bulgarian forwarders organization presented contemporary and good distributor’s practices in logistics of foodstuffs and pharmaceutical goods and described best practices of cargo handling and operating facilities at the Port of Varna.

The third panel was fully dedicated to the establishment and development of partnerships relations by conducting bilateral and multilateral meetings between Bulgarian and Central Asian companies.

Mr. Simeon Ananiev- Executive Director of Executive Agency “Railway Administration”

Mrs. Tonka Yancheva – Deputy Director of National Transport Policy Directorate, Ministry of Transport

Planned study tours acquainted the representatives from Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan with operational and general procedures; the most successful management of warehousing; handling of multimodal, inter modal, combined and container traffic; special transport facilities; customs procedures in temporary warehouses, transportation of oversized goods, etc.

The visit in Trans Express LTD was focused on internal structure and organization, different tools for budgeting and planning, techniques for marketing and sales. The participants were fully acquainted with operational and general procedures, practical examples, internal and external risk analysis in order to keep share on the market. The discussions were oriented towards practical guidance on how the small or medium company can be managed in the most effective and efficient way, which allows it to be flexible toward the needs of its customers and under unfavorable changes. Described were planning and selling of services, marketing, publicity, inquires and booking, human resource management.

Scorpion Shipping LTD is company specialized in providing of full range logistics solutions. That gave an opportunity for delivering of practical experience in organization of full truck loads and containerized cargo by land, rail and sea; groupage service; domestic distribution, collection and consolidation; operator of a customs bonded warehouse; licensed customs agent; license for wholesale trade in pharmaceuticals; pharmaceuticals bonded storage etc. A customs office is available together with a Bank branch in order to facilitate quick and easy customs clearance. Implementation of the newest technological innovations - integrated software, hardware and PDA devices for more efficient and effective management of warehouses were demonstrated during the visit in Alexander Logistics LTD. Transportation of heavy and oversized goods and practical experience in additional accompanying and rental services, including sale in case of non-acceptance of delivery were the topics presented during the visit to Vip Logistics LTD. The study tour in Eurosped PLC presented a company with established flexible logistics network in domestic market and Europe. Its range and geographical scope of services cover: road, railway, sea and air transport; regular groupage lines to and from all countries in Europe and worldwide; ADR- cargo; warehouse logistics and Management of logistics projects etc.

IX Congress of SEE Freight Forwarders and Logistics Operators - 21-23 of May

The Congress is the most important event in South East Europe for forwarding industry and provides substantial possibilities for activating partnerships building process, an exchange of professional experience and encourages establishment of new business relations, thus creating conditions for facilitation of transport and trade links. The Congress takes place once per two years and nearly 300 forwarding companies attended it, which granted opportunities for building useful business contacts for participants from Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan. The participation in SEEFFW brought great contribution for achievement of project strategic objectives. Asian partners had the chance to attend for the first time such type of international event in the field of transport, forwarding and logistics.

The Congress brought together the representatives from the forwarding industry, European decision-maker transport organizations as CLECAT, transport related state institutions, ports, etc. NSBS as a key speaker, presented the project to this public of general stakeholders.The discussed topics covered very important issues, such as: potential and significance for development and facilitation of regional transport and freight forwarding; effects of global crisis to the freight forwarding industry; EU customs program AEO; presentations of port facilities of Port of Bar, Burgas and Thessaloniki; INCOTERMS 3000; new supply chain solution activity and multimodal transportation, etc.
Mr. Davronbek Hamraev, General Director of UIFA – Uzbek International Forwarders Association had the chance to address the audience. He underlined that the exchange of professional experience and the encouragement of the business relations will facilitate the transport and trade links between Eastern Europe and Central Asia.

Forthcoming events:
Round table and capacity building workshops in Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and associated partner Kazakhstan

The views in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union

This project is funded by the European Union

This project is implemented by NSBS

A quarterly newsletter published by NSBS – a project funded by the European Union’s Central Asia Invest
Programme EuropeAid/126-265/C/ACT/CAI for “Partner Country”

Capacity building and sustainable development of Forwarders Associations in Central Asian countries

IN FOCUS

EDITORIAL

On this electronic publication we will promote activities, results and events under the EuropeAid Programme about CA FORWARDERS NET project.

If you have any articles, opinions, news or events that you would like to see published please contact us at nsbs@bitex.com.

CA FORWARDERS NET project will be realized in accordance with Central Asia Invest Programme EuropeAid/126-265/C/ACT/ CAI. The duration of the project is from December 2008 to December 2010. Leading partner is NSBS, Bulgarian National Forwarders Association and partners are KRFFA – Kyrgyz Republic Freight Forwarders Association, UIFA – Uzbek International Forwarders Association and LNBB – Logistic Netz Berlin- Brandenburg e.V.

CA FORWARDERS NET project intends to support the development of transport and freight forwarders industry in Central Asian countries and to increase competitive power of the professional Associations. It will promote and support the formation and development of effective, wellfunctioning professional Associations and Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), building on the knowledge, tools and services developed by relative European organisations.

The project will be implemented in two phases: Strengthening and capacity building of professional Associations and second special training for SMEs managers and train of trainers.

Project’s target groups are Forwarders Associations in Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan and final beneficiaries are SMEs in private transport sector. CA FORWARDERS NET project aims to raise attention of young professional organisations in Central Asian region for improving their administrative capacity and increasing their credibility in the eyes of the authorities and facilitating their business contacts with other commercial partners.

If your profile matches to the identified target groups and you are interested in benefiting from the project, please do not hesitate to contact us at nsbs@bitex.com.

There were conducted two sequential meetings with local partners UIFA and KRFFA in Tashkent and Bishkek on 14th and 15th of January, 2009.

During these working sessions the overall project objectives, the relevance of the actions to the needs of local partners, outputs and expected results were presented. It was discussed and accepted a detailed Action plan for the next 24 months.

CA FORWARDERS NET officially started with a Consortium Agreement signing by the Presidents of the Partners Associations: Mr. Georgi Minchev - NSBS, Mr. Khokim Matchanov – UIFA and Mrs. Liudmila Kasyanova – KRFFA.

The views in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union

This project is funded by the European Union

This project is implemented by NSBS