We manage your logistics. Not just part of it.
TSI Central Station is South Africa's intelligent logistics operator. We handle every mode of transport, every document, every port, every border and every delivery as one connected operation, with one team accountable for all of it.
The problem we solve
Most supply chains are managed in pieces. That is where the cost hides.
When different companies handle different parts of your logistics, accountability disappears at every handoff. Nobody owns the full picture. You end up chasing information, absorbing unexpected costs and managing relationships with five different providers instead of running your business.
You never know the real cost upfront
Freight quotes exclude port charges, storage fees, detention costs and delivery. By the time the final invoice arrives, the number looks nothing like what you budgeted. TSI calculates your full landed cost before you commit.
Nobody owns the problem end to end
Your freight forwarder blames the clearing agent. The clearing agent blames the port. The trucking company says it was ready and waiting. Meanwhile your cargo sits. TSI removes every handoff by managing every step in-house.
Visibility disappears between touchpoints
You know your cargo left Shanghai. You know it cleared customs eventually. What happened in between is a mystery. TSI gives you real-time visibility across every leg of every shipment through a single platform.
Delays compound because nobody intervenes early
A vessel delay becomes a port storage charge. A customs query becomes demurrage. Small exceptions become large costs because nobody is watching the full picture and acting before the clock runs out. TSI does.
What TSI is
An intelligent logistics operator. Not a broker. Not a middleman.
TSI Central Station was founded in 2006 with a clear purpose: to give South African importers and exporters the kind of supply chain management that only the largest multinational companies had access to. A single operator that manages everything, sees everything and is accountable for everything.
We are not a freight broker who finds the cheapest rate and passes your shipment to someone else. We are the operator. Our teams handle sea freight, air freight, road transport, cross-border trucking, customs clearing, warehousing and distribution using our own systems, our own people and our own processes.
When you work with TSI, you are not buying a quote. You are buying a team that owns your cargo from the moment it leaves origin to the moment it arrives at your door, with full visibility and full accountability at every step in between.
TSI connects every part of your supply chain into one managed operation.
Origin booking. Export documentation. Vessel tracking. Port coordination. Customs clearance. Duty management. Inland transport. Warehousing. Last-mile delivery. All managed by one team. All visible on one platform. All reported back to you.
How it works
From the day you book to the day it delivers
Every TSI shipment follows a managed process. You have visibility at every stage and one contact for everything.
You tell us what needs to move
Origin, destination, cargo type, timeline and budget. TSI assesses the best routing, mode and carrier and comes back with a full landed cost covering freight, duties, port charges and delivery.
We book, coordinate and document
TSI secures vessel or aircraft space, coordinates with your supplier at origin and ensures all export documentation is correctly prepared before cargo moves. Nothing loads without the paperwork being right.
We track and manage in transit
Your shipment is live on the TSI Digital Control Tower from departure. We monitor vessel position, flag exceptions early and act before delays become costs. You see everything we see, in real time.
We clear, release and collect
TSI's in-house customs team lodges your bill of entry with SARS ahead of arrival. Once released, we coordinate port collection and ensure the container evacuates within free days. No storage charges from slow handoffs.
We deliver and report
Your cargo is delivered to your warehouse, distribution centre or customer site. TSI provides a full cost breakdown covering every charge on the shipment so your landed cost records are always accurate.
We optimise over time
TSI analyses your shipment history, identifies patterns and recommends improvements to routing, timing, consolidation and cost. The longer we manage your logistics, the better it performs.
The difference
What you get with TSI versus a traditional freight forwarder
The logistics industry has not changed much in decades. Most providers still operate the same way. TSI was built to operate differently.
| What matters to you | Traditional freight forwarder | TSI Central Station |
|---|---|---|
| Cost transparency | ✗Quote covers freight only. Port charges, duties and delivery arrive later. | ✓Full landed cost calculated upfront before you commit. |
| Accountability | ✗Multiple parties involved. When something goes wrong, responsibility gets passed around. | ✓One team owns the shipment from booking to delivery. One number to call. |
| Visibility | ✗Updates when you ask for them. No single view of the full journey. | ✓Real-time tracking across every leg on the TSI Digital Control Tower. |
| Customs clearing | ✗Outsourced to a third-party clearing agent. Another handoff, another point of failure. | ✓In-house customs team. No third party. Faster clearance and direct accountability. |
| Port management | ✗Reactive. Storage and demurrage charges absorbed as a cost of doing business. | ✓Proactive. Containers evacuated on time. Detention and demurrage managed out of the cost base. |
| Transport modes | ✗Specialised in one or two modes. Other modes subcontracted. | ✓Sea, air, road, cross-border and rail all managed in-house. Seamless rerouting when needed. |
| Supply chain optimisation | ✗Transactional. Each shipment treated in isolation with no strategic view. | ✓Ongoing analysis of your shipment history to reduce cost and improve performance over time. |
| B-BBEE contribution | ✗Varies. Many providers are not meaningfully rated. | ✓Level 2 B-BBEE certified. Your procurement spend works for your scorecard. |
Technology
The TSI Digital Control Tower
Every shipment TSI manages is connected to the TSI Digital Control Tower, a live platform that gives you and your team complete visibility across your supply chain at any point in time.
You can see where your cargo is, what documentation has been processed, whether customs has released your consignment and what the next milestone is. Exceptions are flagged automatically. Nothing waits for you to ask.
This is the same level of supply chain intelligence that the world's largest companies have built at significant cost. TSI makes it available to every importer and exporter we work with, regardless of shipment volume.
Learn about our technologyLive shipment tracking
Vessel position, ETA updates and milestone notifications across all modes in real time.
Document management
All shipping documents stored, tracked and accessible in one place. No more chasing paperwork.
Customs status visibility
See exactly where your bill of entry is in the SARS process before the vessel even arrives.
Exception alerts
Automatic alerts when something needs attention. Act before a delay becomes a cost.
Landed cost reporting
Full cost breakdown per shipment including freight, duties, port charges and delivery.
Supply chain analytics
Historical performance data to identify trends, reduce costs and improve planning accuracy.
Who we work with
Built for businesses that take their supply chain seriously
TSI works with importers, exporters and distributors across all industries. If you move goods across borders or around South Africa, we can manage it better than you are managing it now.
Importers
Businesses bringing goods into South Africa from China, India, Europe, the UK, the USA and all other origins. TSI manages the full import cycle from origin booking to in-warehouse delivery, with full landed cost visibility throughout.
Exporters
South African manufacturers, agricultural producers and commodity exporters moving goods to international markets. TSI handles export documentation, freight booking and origin compliance across all modes and all destinations.
Distributors and retailers
Businesses with regular inbound freight programmes that need consistent performance, accurate landed costs and reliable delivery timelines. TSI manages the programme, not just individual shipments.
Manufacturers
Companies importing raw materials, components and machinery that cannot afford supply chain disruptions. TSI builds the operational reliability your production schedule depends on.
Get started
See what TSI can do for your logistics
Contact Olivia and we will assess your current logistics setup, identify where money is leaking and show you what a properly managed supply chain looks like. No obligation and no pitch. Just a straight conversation.
Olivia will respond within one business day.
Talk to Olivia