• Begins transportation of personal protective equipment
ADDIS ABABA – Ethiopian Shipping and Logistics Transport Enterprise disclosed that its business is not facing significant impact from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ashebir Tizazu, Communication Director at the Enterprise told The Ethiopian Herald that the enterprise is working on its previous capacity amid the pandemic despite some challenges.
However, he says that the enterprise has introduced the transportation of Personal Protective Equipment, clinical materials, and soil fertilizer.
“Previously, Fertilizer transportation was being carried out by foreign companies, but [the enterprise has overtaken this responsibility and offering better service than the companies”, he said.
Furthermore, the enterprise began offering services with loan payment for some of the customers. However, the shortage of foreign currency is posing a tremendous challenge to the enterprise, he noted.
The pandemic of course affects each and every business and the shipping business as an international mode of transportation faces imminent impact as well. In response, the enterprise modified some of the trends its services that fit the time.
He said that the enterprise is working and taking preventive measures to protect its four thousand employees.
To him, mariners are ordered to stay on ships for six months. Moreover, other staff are also allowed to work from home.
More than 96 percent of imported goods in the country are transported by this enterprise since before. Thus the partial stop of aviation industry couldn’t affect the country that much. He added.
The Ethiopian Herald June 26, 2020
BY YESUF ENDRIS
