Bigger car carriers head for Eastern Cape

Growing cargo volumes
into South Africa, including
throughputs through Port
Elizabeth, will see some
of the world’s largest car
carriers calling at the port.
This will create more
capacity for importers and
exporters wanting to move
passenger and commercial
vehicles, as well as high
and heavy equipment in
and out of South Africa,
says Quentin Hill, head
of Wallenius Wilhelmsen
Logistics (WWL) Southern
Africa.
WWL has in the main
been using Pure Car Truck
Carrier (PCTC) vessels,
which are usually in the
200 Mt long range.
“But because of
increasing cargo volumes
by our customers in South
Africa, and to Oceana
(where the vessels are
continuing to), we are
seeing the need to put more
capacity onto the route.
“We are able to deploy
bigger vessels that are
more in the 230-235Mt
range, which we call
LCTCs (Large Car Truck
Carrier) offering customers
considerably more space.
“We should be seeing
more of this vessel type
calling at SA ports in the
future, and these vessels
will make calls into Port
Elizabeth,” he says.
WWL is operating three
vessels a month to Australia
and New Zealand out of
Port Elizabeth, and one
vessel every six weeks to
Europe.
The frequency and the
size of the vessels has
opened up opportunities
for other exporters and
importers.
“ Because of the size,
capacity and flexibility of
our vessels we are able to
carry a very wide range
of cargoes. We are able to
accept motor vehicles and
high and heavy cargoes on
both services.
“On the Oceana trade
cargo loadings are subject
to any particular inbound
vessels’ stowage as the
vessels are calling at
Port Elizabeth as the
first discharge port after
departing from Europe, so
we need to ensure we have
the suitable deck heights
available to match any
export shipments.
“But, with advance
notice, we can pre-plan
the loading of vessels in
Europe to ensure the vessel
is ready to accept and load
that cargo when we arrive
in PE,” he says.
WWL, which offers
full logistics services
for vehicle movements
around the world, is part
of joint venture company
(CAT-WWL), which is
responsible for all landbased
terminal management
and technical services for
the automotive industry in
South Africa.