Close to clients through quality
The STTAT Group and its subsidiaries have been offering their customers transport and logistics solutions for more than 50 years.
The company Société Tunisienne de Transit d’Agences et de Transports (STTAT) has been working for decades together with its subsidiaries to provide its customers with suitable transport and logistics solutions.
Since its foundation in 1962 by Mohamed Ben Abdallah, an emblematic figure in Tunisia’s maritime industry, the firm has believed that it will “always find a good way for customers’ goods”. The company’s tradition of customer proximity, good cooperation and the quality of its services help it in this respect.
The group is currently managed by two brothers – president directeur général Nabil Ben Abdallah and directeur général Faouzi Ben Abdallah. The company’s subsidiaries include the Groupement des Manutentionnaires de Sfax (GMS) and the Groupement des Manutentionnaires du Centre (GMC), operating in the commercial ports of Sfax and Sousse.
A key commercial cluster for Tunisia
As a stevedore service provider, these entities improve port traffic with their special equipment, the managers explained. The two companies, founded in 2005, are also in the process of being certified under the ISO 9001 and OHSAS 18001 standards. This will create a better working environment and simultaneously also guarantee that both employees and customers enjoy greater safety and health protection.
Today, the quality of its services is being brought to the fore. This also includes the creation of a cluster for the better development of logistics in Tunisia. Such a centre would greatly help the interests of the Tunisian economy.
The STTAT Group has always been open to outside influences, which is why it is also a member of GTO, one of the world’s leading freight forwarding networks, as well as of the association World Cargo Alliance (WCA). For transit activities STTAT has two warehouses in the ports of Radès and Sfax, both of which are equipped with high levels of security equipment.
ProCargo Line in Tunisia has had a total of 42 arrivals since the start of its regular services in the year 2018, together with its partner Tarros. It transports goods containers, general cargo, bulk as well as heavy units, including some rolling units, from Marina di Carrara in Italy to the Tunisian ports of Sousse and Sfax. The so-called cassette system, with horizontal unloading, is used there.
Zarzis gateway will soon be added to these destinations too. Together with Tarros, STTAT represents Cosco Shipping Lines in Tunisia, and is also an agent for the heavylift company Chipolbrok.
Results for 2018
According to Nabil Ben Abdallah, GMC in Sousse handled 306 ships in 2018, that is about 60% of the shipping traffic in the gateway, with about 1.4 million t of cargo handled, including iron and wood, amongst other things. Bulk cargo for export included sand and agricultural products, amongst other things. This accounted for 44% of the total volume.
Container traffic was mainly accounted for by the shipping line Arkas, with a volume of about 29,000 teu. GMC has four reach-stackers and a number of automated cranes. Recently, a new Samson unit was purchased to handle sand, a potentially growing market in the region. According to Faouzi Ben Abdallah, GMS handled around 622 vessels in Sfax in 2018, of which 312 were supply boats (mainly from Shell).
Total traffic (imports and exports) amounted to 1.5 million t, including wood, heavy cargo, cereals, clays, marble granulates, bitumen and finally containerised goods.
The outlook for 2019
Around 45,000 teu were registered for import and export in the container transport segment. Denmark’s Maersk Line accounted for 90% of this work.
GMS developed by acquiring a new Liebherr LHM 550 mobile crane last year, as well as a 32 t Chariot elevator, for the improved handling of various types of heavy cargo. A number of further investment measures are under consideration for 2019, particularly for the handling of bulk cargo, including feldspar, marble granulate, salt, sand and grain, amongst many other goods.
