Angola, Nigeria and DRC offer big potential

SOUTH AFRICA has the potential to benefit from increased business generated by West Africa’s oil, gas and mining sectors despite competition from its biggest trading partners – Europe and the US. That’s the view of Safmarine’s MPV senior general manager: marketing, Albert Pegg, who says that more than 50% of Safmarine customer cargo connects to or from the African continent. “Safmarine’s niche breakbulk services, in particular, are playing a significant role in growing trade with Africa,” says Pegg, “and our plans for expansion in the Multi Purpose Vessel (MPV) trade between South Africa and West Africa are commensurate with those of our customers in the region.” In terms of growth, he believes that Angola, Nigeria and the DRC offer the most potential. “And it’s a potential that is not only limited to industries serving the oil, gas and mining industries. “A higher standard of living and increased buying capacity fuels a growing requirement for all types of goods, not only cargo related to the oil, gas and mining industries.” According to Pegg South Africa is keen to become a competitive supplier to the West African oil and gas industries and a number of businesses based in the Western Cape, notably those based in Saldanha Bay and Cape Town, have had success in this area.