Logistics firm slashes import cost of Russian frozen fish

"One of our customers believed they were paying an exorbitant amount of money," explained EWL director Philip Edge. "So we got a partner in Russia, spoke to them and got 25% off their logistics in the end." That equated to about $1,000 to $1,500 a shipment, he said.

Seafood was a key market for freight forwarding, because UK customers were being forced to move from region to region around the globe to secure supplies and avoid overfishing certain stocks. "Fish is really one where people move on a global basis. It's the way the fish industry is at the moment with sustainability issues. It's getting more and more expensive."

Traditionally, importing fish from Russia has commanded high costs. EWL's new service funnels fish from the Barents Sea via the port of Murmansk to customers in the UK, Europe, US and Asia.

With healthy stocks of haddock, pollack, cod and other species, Russia is now a major exporter of seafood. Fish and seafood export volumes for the first quarter of 2010 rose by 59.6% and 90% of UK fish and chip shops use frozen cod and haddock from the Barents Sea and North Atlantic, said EWL.

"Customers consider Russia to be the most expensive import market for frozen fish in the global market," said Edge. "Subsequently, they wanted an alternative logistics option to the current market offering due to Russia's healthy seafood stocks. We challenged it, and successfully launched our new, price-competitive service."

Edge said EWL had also added to increased business in freight forwarding through a new contract with a top UK retailer and it was expanding its export channels across Europe.