Interview of the week - Ipsen Logistics - Algeria

Eduard was born in the United States but he was mostly raised in Bremen, Germany. He graduated in 1983 from Hochschule St. Gallen in Switzerland with an MBA degree. He has been in the transportation industry since 1984. Until 1994 he was with J.H. Bachmann, also in Hong Kong and Los Angeles. A lot of project activity. From 1994 to 2003 he worked at Distri Warehouse Bremen, in warehousing and logistics. Since 2004 he has been Managing Partner in Ipsen Logistics which is active in worldwide freight
forwarding, project cargoes and logistics.

Tarik graduated with a degree in Economics from University of Algiers in 1995. He speaks French, English & Arabic. He has been in  the Logistics industry since 1999 and joined Ipsen Logistics in 2001 which he consider as his second family. He started his experience with Ipsen Logistics in the Algerian desert at Hassi Messaoud, where he spent 11 exciting years as Branch Manager dealing with Oil & Gas companies. He possesses a very strong knowhow in handling and managing EPC projects on Door to Door basis in various industrial sectors such as construction, oil and gas, petro-chemicals, mining and power. He has also very good knowledge in exceptional transport (Heavy & Oversized cargo) and a long experience in dealing with public administrations .

Tell us about Ipsen Logistics. Who owns the company?

The parent company of IPSEN LOGISTICS EURL is located in Germany and is IPSEN LOGISTICS GmbH with its head-office in Bremen. The ultimate shareholders are Hans-Christian Specht and Eduard Dubbers-Albrecht.

Where are your offices located?

In Algeria, we have offices in Alger, Oran, Hassi Messaoud, Skikda, Djen Djen. These locations allow us to arrange customs clearance everywhere in Algeria.

What are the main industries served in Algeria? 

The main industries served in Algeria are:

• EPCs supplying the Oil & Gas industry, drilling contractors and oil & gas companies.
• Power & electric industry
• Steel plants
• Construction industry
• Water treatment & desalination

IPSEN LOGISTICS Algeria – When was it founded?  

IPSEN LOGISTICS in Algeria was founded in 1977 as a representative office in Algiers and under the name of CET ( Companie d’Emballage & Transport). The office was dedicated mainly to organize the transport of industrial projects.

In 1997 we have extended our presence in Algeria by opening an office in Hassi Messaoud which is located 850 Kms south east of Algiers, mainly to support our VIP clients in the Oil & Gas industry. It was a big challenge as we have targeted and successfully secured a regular traffic of million freight tons of chemicals products through the years at that time for BAROID, a subsidiary of Halliburton company.

In 2001 we established and registered our office under Algerian entity under the name of CET.

In 2002 we opened a new office in Skikda which is located in the east Algerian seacoast at 550 KMs east of Algiers.

Our first major project was on 2002 related to an EPC turnkey project in Oil & Gas for Entrepose contracting. The jobsite was located in the Algerian desert in Hassi Berkin basin 1.100 Kms south east of Alger. It was very challenging mainly in handling the transportation of many oversize and heavy lift pieces within such a long distance from the ports to the jobsite. One of the heavy/oversize pieces (32 x 4.5 x 4.5 meter @ 80 MT) took 28 days from Arzew port to the jobsite including all the civil works to be done within the itinerary.

In 2007 we changed our name and registered the company under the group name IPSEN LOGISTICS.

Tell us about projects that you have handled recently.

Since the beginning of Ipsen Logistics Algeria, we have handled more than 80 major projects.

Recently we have handled many interesting projects such as JGC (Japanese Gas Corporation), project HMD UN and Hassi Rmel. Many oversize pieces transported including civil works performed within the itineraries from Skikda port to the jobsite (about 1.200 KMs inland).

Technip, Algiers Refinery Project, 350.000 FRT, 30% of this volume was oversize and heavy cargo. We handled more than 75 complete charter vessels under hook.

Daewoo Engineering & Construction, CAFC Project, 120.000 FRT including about 20% of this volume OOG & Heavy Cargo. The itineraries from Algerian port to job site was about 1.150 KMs. The challenge was the transportation crossing different configurations within the geographies such as mountains, curves, many bridges to bypass…etc.

Samsung Eng & Cons, TFD Project, 130.000 FRT, jobsite located at 1.300 Kms southwest of Algiers. Our scope of work was customs clearance, port handling operations, transport of containers and oversize/heavy cargo including handling the civil works.

AQS, Algerian Qatari steel, job site located in Jijel (east of Algiers). We handled many complete chartered vessels under hook and with direct transportation to job site.

Metal Sider, steel plant located in Oran, handling of complete chartered vessel of raw material.

How do you see the future evolving in our industry? 

We believe that personalized, tailor-made service are still required and will be required in the future. We see the need to advise and support our customers in mainly aspects of international transport and in particular in the field of project shipments. Yet, we must provide information, documentation and other areas of our scope of services through digitalization.

If you could give one advice for people wanting to perform a project cargo operation in your country, what would it be? 

Follow the rules, cooperate with the authorities, expect the unexpected!!

Algeria is considered as a very difficult country by many EPC’s in terms of process, that is why we always recommend preparing in advance the projects by exchanging with us, which allow us be pro-active in foreseeing the issues to be faced and to solve any problems in advance.

This what makes Ipsen Logistics special in tailoring for each project a specific process based on the particularity of each project, thereby taking into consideration the rules and the regulations of the country.

What is the ports' infrastructure in Algeria? Any free zones?

The infrastructure of the Algerian ports is still poor compared to the expected standards in terms of smooth handling of project cargoes. That is what makes choosing the appropriate port based on the port capacity, itineraries, cargo to be transported and location of the job site; one of the key points when starting a project.

There are no existing free zones in Algeria.

Is special transport a competitive sector in Algeria? How do you ensure that you will stand out? 

The competition is there but it is all about experience, know-how and professionalism which makes us unique in Algeria in terms of Project Management.

We have our own engineering transport department who do the road surveys and the technical studies; this makes us special in relation to our competition
and allows us to stand out.

Are there any particularities in project cargo forwarding in your country? Such as customs restraints or other? 

As mentioned above, Algeria remains a difficult country. Being present for more than 43 years in Algeria gives us a perfect expertise on how to work and adapt with these restraints in terms of customs clearance, port and road regulations, which are changing often.

What made you join the industry? 

(Eduard) The family business which I entered in 1985 but had made some internships before, both in the family company and also in other companies. I truly enjoy being a service provider, this makes me love this business. 

What do you like most about your business?

(Eduard) I enjoy working with and for people. Trying to solve problems, find solutions, cope with the challenges and all this on a worldwide, international basis. Every day offers something new which I enjoy. 

Who should be approached in Ipsen Logistics Algeria for inquiries? 

The persons to be approached in Ipsen Logistics Algeria are:

• Tarik Boukercha, Deputy General Director Project Business Development, t.boukercha@ipsenlogistics.com, Mob: +213 770 917 244
• Mrs Nassima Boukra, Sales Manager, n.boukra@ipsenlogistics.com, Mob: 213 770 902 201.