Viaservice at GLC 2026: Sponsoring, Exhibiting, and Driving Trade Facilitation Forward in Juba

This year's Global Logistics Convention (GLC 2026) — held August 25–27 in Juba, South Sudan — brought together shipping lines, freight forwarders, and regulators from across East and Central Africa to talk about the future of trade in the region. Viaservice was there as a sponsor and exhibitor, and it was an eventful few days for the team.

The Team on the Ground

Representing Viaservice at GLC 2026:

• John Mathenge — Regional Managing Director, East Africa

• Beatrice Muriithi — Commercial Manager for Kenya

• Ann — Business Development Officer

Together, they spent the convention showcasing VCS (Viaservice Container Solution) to industry stakeholders and building the kind of relationships that keep cross-border trade moving.

Tackling the Container Deposit Problem

On stage, John Mathenge shared how Viaservice and VCS are addressing one of the persistent barriers to trade in East Africa: the container deposit. For SMEs especially, tying up working capital in refundable deposits can be a real drag on cash flow — and VCS is built to remove that friction. John also joined a panel discussion, bringing two decades of trade facilitation experience — including his time helping build institutions like FEAFFA and KIFWA-Kenya — into the conversation.

Launching the Mombasa–Juba Trade Corridor Activation

The biggest news out of Juba: Viaservice and CapitalPay International officially launched the Mombasa–Juba Trade Corridor Activation, a new partnership aimed at making one of the region's busiest trade corridors faster, more transparent, and more affordable for the shippers and clearing agents who rely on it every day. More details on what this means in practice for the corridor are coming soon.

Because the easier trade flows, the faster everyone grows.

A Night of Recognition: FEAFFA Logistics Excellence Awards 2026

GLC 2026 closed with the FEAFFA Logistics Excellence Awards, and it was a special night for the Viaservice team.

John Mathenge received the FEAFFA President Lifetime Achievement Award 2026 — the convention's most prestigious individual honor. The award recognized a career spent building institutions rather than just holding positions: as the founding Executive Director of FEAFFA, the founding CEO of KIFWA-Kenya, and one of the architects behind the Certificate in Customs and Freight Logistics (CCFL) — a qualification hundreds of professionals across East Africa now hold. Watching the room stand to recognize him was a genuinely proud moment for the whole team.

Viaservice itself was also presented with a Recognition of Appreciation award as a sponsor of GLC 2026, presented by the organizers with South Sudan's Ministry of Transport and FEAFFA branding.

Beyond Our Own Milestones: Green Freight Takes Center Stage

One of the standout moments of GLC 2026 wasn't about any single company — it was about where the industry is headed. FEAFFA and the Kuehne Climate Center used the convention to launch the East Africa Green Freight and Sustainability Training Programme for freight forwarders, one of the first structured efforts of its kind in the region. The programme will roll out across East Africa through FEAFFA's Continuing Professional Development (CPD) framework, working with national freight forwarding associations. As the industry moves toward greener supply chains, it's encouraging to see this kind of capacity-building get real momentum — and Viaservice was glad to be in the room for it.

Looking Ahead

GLC 2026 was a reminder of why we do this work: trade facilitation isn't abstract — it's the difference between an SME with cash tied up in a deposit and one that can reinvest in growth, or a corridor that moves goods slowly versus one that moves them fast and transparently. From the container deposit conversation to the Mombasa–Juba corridor launch to the recognition of two decades of institution-building, it was a convention that captured both where the industry has been and where it's going.

Congratulations again to John Mathenge on a well-deserved honor, and thank you to FEAFFA, the GLC organizers, and everyone who stopped by our booth in Juba. Watch this space for more on the Mombasa–Juba Trade Corridor Activation.