A 20-year-old customs supervisorfrom Cunningham Gill Ltd has beennamed the Singapore Airlines Cargo-CBAFF New Zealand Young Achieverof the Year.

The Customs Brokers and FreightForwarders Federation (CBAFF) annualaward recognises a high achieverwithin the international freight forwardingand logistics industries.

Aucklander Nick Philp wrote anessay, "Onboard couriers – the forgottenforwarders", which examined thebenefits that shipping companies couldderive from providing personal couriersto deliver time-critical or high-valuegoods around the world.

"Nick’s essay is a timely reminder thatwe need to foster young people withinnovative ideas in the New Zealandfreight forwarding and customs brokingindustry," said CBAFF president Willievan Heusden. "His essay examines theexpansion of large global shipping companiesand delves into the reasons why personalised service has slipped frommany of their core activities.

"He argues that small to mediumsized shipping companies can createa lucrative niche by offering personal courier services. In turn, companiesthat are dependent on the safe andtimely delivery of important goods canrelax in the knowledge they won’t get tied up in lengthy customs delays, or worse, get lost in the complex global shipping network."

Nick’s winning essay has secured hisentry to the FIATA Young InternationalFreight Forwarder of the Year Award,and he will enjoy a trip to Singapore,courtesy of Singapore Airlines Cargo, tomeet with international experts and viewan airport and seaport in action. Nickwill also speak at the annual CBAFF nationalconference in Nelson in 2007.