I was privileged to attend the signing ceremony between *Thembani* — one of South Africa’s largest shipping, freight forwarding, and clearing agents with a presence across Southern African ports — and ADPS, one of China’s leading shipping and logistics companies. The event also marked the launch of 3i Capital’s China-Africa Supply Chain Digital Credit Platform.

The platform is designed to digitize and de-risk cross-border trade between China and Africa by providing real-time credit, settlement, and supply chain financing to exporters, importers, and manufacturers.

What the 3i Capital platform delivers:

1. Digital trade finance for SMEs and mid-tier firms

By using digital data from shipping documents, contracts, transaction history, and customs records, the platform underwrites short-term credit for firms that typically fall outside conventional bank lending criteria. This unlocks working capital where it’s needed most.

2. End-to-end supply chain visibility and verification

Buyers, suppliers, logistics providers, and financiers operate on a single digital layer. By verifying goods in transit and matching trade documents through digital ledgers, the platform reduces fraud and gives lenders confidence to finance real, traceable transactions.

3. Activation of the China-SA zero tariff framework

With tariff barriers lowered, the main bottleneck becomes financing and settlement speed. The platform accelerates RMB, ZAR, and USD settlements, reduces FX friction, and enables faster turnover of goods under the preferential trade agreement.

4. Support for beneficiation and value-add exports

Beyond raw ore, the platform can finance processed minerals, battery materials, and manufactured goods entering China’s supply chain. This directly supports South Africa’s objective to move up the value chain and capture more value locally.

Bottom line: The platform converts trade agreements into immediate cash flow for companies on the ground, cutting payment cycles from 90–120 days down to real time.