David L Yokeum, founder and president of the WCA Family of Logistic Networks, started the WCA Projects Network almost three years ago. Aimed at providing a global network for experienced independent project forwarders, the group now comprises nearly 140 offices in 100 countries – including all those where the major infrastructure and aid programs are taking shape. AJOT: What was the logic behind setting up WCAPN? DY: In a word, demand. There was demand from top independent forwarders, many of them already members of WCA Family, for a truly global network that was not limited by ‘exclusivity’ (essentially, one member per market). Particularly with projects, forwarders as well as project owners and shippers/buyers need a choice, because it’s usually impractical to choose a forwarder in a market who is already working on a competitive project. But there has for a long time also been demand from the client side for professionalism coupled with global reach and the sort of all-encompassing service that WCAPN can provide, which is likely to exceed the service levels of most multinationals because WCAPN (WCA Projects Network) members can operate with greater flexibility and commitment. AJOT: What are the criteria for WCAPN membership and how large is the group? DY: We require at least three years’ experience in the projects field and evidence, backed up by testimonials, of completed projects. Applicants are scrutinized by a membership committee to ensure their suitability. As of mid January 08, there are 131 member offices – you can check everything out on the HYPERLINK “http://www.wcapn.net” [url=http://www.wcapn.net]http://www.wcapn.net[/url] website. AJOT: Local knowledge is helpful to a project forwarder but he also needs systems. Has WCAPN got any systems specifically designed for its members? DY: Systems protecting all WCAPN members start with Gold Medallion, which covers transactions between members for up to a total of USD500,000 per year, That’s peace of mind for both forwarder and his client. We also expect our Projects Network members to be Risk Managed, meaning they meet our standards of insurance cover for Errors & Omissions and Legal Liability. Like other WCA Family members (exclusively) there is access to a suite of marine (cargo) and other insurance cover at rates they cannot obtain anywhere else and which now include a specially –developed Project Cargo Insurance that even features coverage for Advanced loss of profits, start delays and consequential losses. Our Shipment Management system for track-and-trace is not exclusive to WCA Family, though it offers WCA Family members some advantages including the ability to report on disparate elements of a large project in many parts of the world simultaneously. It can report from procurement to delivery to site. In terms of systems, we should not forget the network itself. We are producing a world-class alliance of the best local and regional projects forwarders. There has never been such a global grouping but WCAPN is already the best project alliance in the world. As well as WCAPN, WCA Family has more than 2,200 forwarder members in general freight. These forwarders can use the professional services of this unique group whenever their clients call on them for help in this very specialized field, while on the other hand, projects experts can invlove them to be most effective at shipping individual components of the project with care and professionalism. AJOT: You have an associated NVOCC. How does that help project forwarders? DY: Our associated NVOCC is All World Shipping, which has received a serious makeover in the last 12 months after we managed to enlist the services of Ross Stemmler and Jerry DeBow to run it. Since then, AWS has doubled the number of its agents worldwide (WCA Family members who by joining AWS can obtain more competitive ocean freight rates). AWS, which is US FMC approved and also has an MoC-approved China B/L, has dramatically expanded the number of lanes and rates it can