Asia-Maputo service gets positive feedback

While the introduction of a direct service connecting Asia to Madagascar and Maputo has not been smooth sailing at all times, it has been received well and feedback so far has been very positive, says Christopher Crookall, managing director of Maersk Mozambique. He says volumes are slowly picking up on the new service which since the end of July has seen a vessel a week docking at the Port of Maputo. “We did not expect the new service to be full from the get go and we have had our share of landside teething problems, but overall the service has been welcomed by clients and roleplayers alike.” According to Crookall, Maersk is actively involved in negotiations with role-players to improve the quality of the entire supply chain. “For the first time cargo is being containerised inland and then exported via the Port of Maputo and it is important that the inland supply chain runs smoothly.” One of the problems has been that while large numbers of bookings are received weekly for the vessel, often they don’t turn into a shipment due to delays in the supply chain. “We are all working together to improve the service,” says Crookall. “And volumes are picking up. It makes economic sense to use the Port of Maputo, and once people realise they can save significantly by shipping through this port, we expect to see growth.” He says while there are no immediate plans to extend services to the Port of Maputo, as demand increases more direct connections to the rest of the world will become a reality for the port. “We are not going to over-extend at present, but as the Maputo corridor becomes more efficient, the demand for direct services will increase and we will aim to service that demand.”