BEE agent lands the ‘big fish’

Terry Hutson THEMBELA SHIPPING, a recently incorporated Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) ships agency headquartered in Durban, landed the ‘big fish’ last week when it cracked the Odfjell-Seachem Tankers agency at all South African ports. Thembela opened its doors as recently as June 1, 2003, so the Odfjell account is more than a feather in the cap of the fledgling ships agency. Thami Gcaba, who heads up the company, nevertheless has extensive hands-on operational experience with various ship and cargo types in both Durban and Richards Bay. He says that unlike other BEE initiatives to date Thembela Shipping is unique in that it is majority owned and managed by historically disadvantaged individuals. “Odfjell-Seachem Tankers is the world’s largest chemical tanker owner, by deadweight, and its signing reflects the Norwegian owners’ seriousness in procuring services from BEE entities where the necessary skills exist. Thembela was formed in line with government policy on transformation and is poised to take advantage of impending developments in the BEE Maritime Charter which is currently under discussion,” says Gcaba. Mel Pinks, Odfjell-Seachem’s representative in SA, said his company understood the need to deal with a BEE company. Although initially based only at South Africa’s busiest port, Durban, the company has ensured access to full support services and agency at all ports throughout South Africa.