African Logistics & Shipping International

What African Logistics & Shipping International does

African Logistics & Shipping SA operates as a privately held, Cape Town-headquartered freight forwarder offering air, sea (FCL/LCL), and road freight services to South African businesses and international clients requiring import/export logistics. Its portfolio spans standard freight forwarding, customs and regulatory compliance, door-to-door courier, warehousing and crating, project and contractual logistics, and specialized cold-chain services for pharmaceutical and perishable cargo compliant with IATA Perishable Cargo Regulations.

Operationally, the firm runs a lean team of 1–10 employees and extends its reach through a global partner network claimed at 12,286 offices across 197 countries, enabling intermodal capability and international routing without significant owned-asset infrastructure. Technology consists of 24-hour real-time shipment tracking, customs automation with broker engagement, and temperature monitoring for cold-chain shipments — features functioning as integration and interoperability tools rather than differentiated proprietary platforms.

Revenue is generated transactionally through service fees on freight movements, customs handling, warehousing, and related logistics work. Pricing is fully quote-based via a 'Request a Quote' form on the corporate website, with no published tiered pricing. The go-to-market is direct sales to businesses of all sizes across multiple verticals (general trade, pharmaceutical, perishables, high-value/sensitive cargo), with no named enterprise customers disclosed. No funding rounds, ownership structure, or financial disclosures are available in the source material.

Name

African Logistics & Shipping International

Legal name

African Logistics & Shipping SA

Website

https://alsi.co.za

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

African Logistics & Shipping SA is a privately held, Cape Town-based freight forwarder offering air, sea, and road freight plus customs and cold-chain logistics to businesses of all sizes across 197 countries via a global partner network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Freight Forwarding & Logistics Services

NAICS

Freight Transportation Arrangement (488510), Freight Transportation Arrangement (48851)

SIC

Arrangement Of Transportation Of Freight & Cargo (4731)

akta.pro primary industry

Ocean Freight Brokerage (FCL/LCL) (TLADAMAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Customs Brokerage for Ocean Shipments (Import/Export Clearance) (TLACABAG), FCL (Full Container Load) Ocean Forwarding (TLACABAA)

Keywords

• Freight forwarding services
• Air freight shipping
• Sea freight forwarding
• Customs clearance services
• Supply chain logistics

Headquarters

HQ city

Cape Town

HQ country

South Africa

HQ region

Africa

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Freight Forwarding Services: The company generates revenue through comprehensive logistics and forwarding solutions including air freight, sea freight, and road freight services. Revenue is earned through service fees for transportation, customs handling, warehousing, and related logistics services.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

African Logistics & Shipping SA is a freight forwarding and logistics provider offering air, sea (FCL/LCL), and road freight services globally through a network of 12,286 partner offices across 197 countries. The company complements its transportation services with customs clearance and regulatory compliance, warehousing and inventory management, perishable/cold-chain logistics, door-to-door courier, and project/contractual logistics, supported by 24-hour real-time shipment tracking.

Product overview

African Logistics & Shipping SA offers a unified logistics and freight forwarding platform providing air, sea, and road freight services through a global network of 12,286 partner offices across 197 countries. The core product portfolio centers on Air Freight, Sea Freight (FCL/LCL), and Road Freight services, complemented by Customs and Regulatory Services for compliance management. Additional offerings include Door-to-Door Courier Services, Perishable Goods Logistics with cold-chain management and IATA PCR compliance, and Warehousing/Inventory Management. The services are delivered with real-time tracking capabilities and are targeted at businesses of all sizes requiring import, export, and intermodal shipping solutions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Air Freight Fast, secure, and efficient air cargo solutions for global and regional markets, handling general cargo, pharmaceuticals, and sensitive goods with real-time tracking and on-time delivery. Targeted at businesses requiring time-sensitive freight forwarding.
• Sea Freight Sea freight forwarding offering Full Container Load (FCL) and Less Container Load (LCL) shipping, covering vessel scheduling, bookings, documentation, and port coordination. Cost-effective for large, bulk, or long-distance shipments.
• Road Freight National and cross-border trucking services across South Africa and neighboring countries, providing secure transport with professional drivers, real-time communication, and support for heavy loads and specialized cargo.
• Customs and Regulatory Services Customs and regulatory compliance management including accurate documentation, tariff and duty adherence, proactive compliance strategies, customs automation, and broker engagement to minimize delays and penalties.
• Door-to-Door Courier Services Delivery solutions including door-to-door, port-to-port, and door-to-port courier options tailored to client requirements.
• Perishable Goods Logistics Temperature-controlled container shipping with cold-chain management, real-time temperature monitoring, and compliance with IATA Perishable Cargo Regulations (PCR) for perishable and temperature-sensitive goods.
• Warehousing, Crating, Packaging, and Inventory Management Comprehensive inventory management and fulfillment services including warehousing, crating, and packaging solutions.
• Project and Contractual Logistics Specialized project and contractual logistics services for complex shipping requirements.

Quantifiable outcome

• 24-hour real-time tracking and proactive updates throughout logistics process

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Broad incumbents

• DB Schenker: Global logistics provider offering air, ocean, road, contract logistics, and customs services as part of a much wider portfolio. Overlaps directly with ALSI in freight forwarding and customs brokerage but with substantially broader capabilities and scale.

Direct peers

• Kuehne+Nagel: Global leader in air, sea, and road freight forwarding plus contract logistics with established South African operations. Directly comparable multi-modal forwarder competing for the same enterprise and SME customer base across FCL/LCL and customs brokerage.
• DHL Global Forwarding: Operates global air, ocean, and road freight forwarding with extensive Cape Town and Johannesburg capacity. Closely matches ALSI's service mix and competes head-on for African multi-modal, customs, and door-to-door shipments.
• Bolloré Logistics: Operates freight forwarding, customs, and contract logistics globally with strong African presence through its parent Bolloré Group. Directly competes for African multi-modal freight and intra-Africa forwarding with comparable customs capability.
• DSV A/S: Major global freight forwarder with air, sea, and road forwarding plus customs and contract logistics, with growing African footprint via acquired entities. Closely comparable multi-modal intermediary model with global network leverage.
• C.H. Robinson: Global freight forwarder and 3PL offering ocean, air, road freight plus customs services via an asset-light intermediary network. Comparable asset-light operating model and service mix, with greater scale and technology depth.
• Expeditors International: Asset-light global freight forwarder focused on air and ocean forwarding with integrated customs brokerage. Closely aligned asset-light operating model and service portfolio to ALSI's multi-modal, brokerage-style intermediary structure.
• Agility Logistics: Global logistics provider offering air, sea, and road freight forwarding, customs, and contract logistics via an integrated global network. Directly comparable in service mix and intermediary operating structure, with significantly larger scale.

Regional players

• Imperial Logistics: Major South African-headquartered logistics provider with freight forwarding, warehousing, and distribution across sub-Saharan Africa. Comparable regional footprint, multi-modal service, and proximity to the same Cape Town-based customer base.
• Bidvest International Logistics: South Africa-based freight forwarder with cross-border road, air, and sea freight capability across the African continent. Comparable regional competitor with multi-modal service mix competing for the same Southern African SME and mid-market customers.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about African Logistics & Shipping International