A moving target

Worsening criminality is creating increased demand for secure logistics solutions across industries not previously considered vulnerable.

Where once secure logistics was the preserve of financial services and then high value electronics, it is now in demand for fashion, food and beverages, medical supplies and pharmaceuticals and other product lines. 

A report released late in 2020 – “Freight Crime in South African Supply Chains”, from BSI and TT Club – ranked South Africa among the top countries in the world for cargo theft, and leading the way in Africa.

Historically, South Africa has long suffered cargo truck hijackings and the situation has worsened in the last 18 months with both well organised gangs and opportunistic thieves responding to the tough economic conditions exacerbated by Covid19 and rising unemployment.

DSV has been operating in the secure space for many years and is a dominant player in the financial and electronics sectors. Importantly, while DSV’s end-to-end, integrated supply chain solutions – which include inbound air and ocean freight, customs clearance and warehousing, secure cross dock operations and last mile to end customers – offer clients greater security, they also invariably bring costs down and increase KPI performance.

Tracking end-to-end

Leading edge technology is used in every aspect of mitigating risk, including vehicles, facilities, staff and processes – and it’s necessary because there are many areas of vulnerability, from human error and information delays to systems malfunction, and they all create opportunity for theft or damage to goods.

DSV Secure offers an end-to-end secure logistics:

• Collect shipment from the supplier’s warehouse at origin.
• Live geo-location tracking devices can be placed on container, pallet or box level.
• Shipment pre-alerted and cleared upon arrival at OR Tambo Airport.
• Cargo is moved via a secure handling facility at the airport to reduce risk of theft and pilferage, where the cargo is safe as it is processed to meet all customs and regulatory requirements.
• It is then loaded onto secure, hard sided vehicles and transferred to a DSV Secure warehouse in Johannesburg.
• Once there, visual inspections are conducted, and any deviations reported.
• Rigid monitoring, armed or armoured escorts, track and trace and security measures on all DSV Secure fleet reduces the risk of security breaches and product being compromised.
• Additional security measures available for high value/volume loads.

DSV Secure’s last mile delivery options include secure vehicles, direct loads to larger facilities, milk runs, and our business-to-business and business-to-consumer services ensure an end-to-end solution to final delivery. 

Our Just in time and cross dock deliveries are also available to ensure speed to market and reduce risk and lead time to the end customer.

Our secure infrastructure

Our secure warehouse 1.2km from airside at OR Tambo International Airport is a key differentiator. There is single road and gate access, 24/7 monitoring by dedicated on site guards and control room teams (on and off site), and CCTV cameras with AI, perimeter electric fence and sensor beams linked to alarm, control room and armed response.

Only vetted and dedicated people handle high value cargo, and we use biometric access, polygraphs and profiling in our quest to eliminate risk on site. Customer staff are accommodated in the secure facility but are subjected to the same vetting process.

A confidential security protocol mitigates the risk of hi-jacking, and spotters alert us of any suspect people or vehicles in areas where hi-jacking is common. A helicopter is on standby.

DSV’s vehicles are kitted with GPS trackers, locking systems and container clamping.

DSV changes routings on deliveries as a pro-active measure to mitigate risk of high-jacking and avoids week-end deliveries where the risk is higher.

Our team

DSV’s team includes people who have security, police and military backgrounds, and partners with several armed escorts companies to develop robust, demanding, processes for the high value chain.

Our in-house investigations team has a proven methodology and process, and a detailed knowledge of airline and customs processes helps solve cases quickly. Typical investigations include cargo tampering, theft and damages; claims; robberies, hijackings and syndicate operations.

We work with a reliable intelligence network, which includes the appropriate authorities, 3rd party security organizations, lodge cases with the SAPS and oversee polygraph tests. We also are present at the scene of incidents or potential incidents that need investigation.