From page 1 And returning to Durban to head up the South African operation is Leigh Walker, who was last here as Wilhelmsen Lines’ commercial representative in SA. For the past few years Walker has been managing director of Hull Blyth Nigeria, having also served the group in Ghana. “We don’t expect to be operating as a major ships agency initially, but rather as support for our South African-based principals while promoting our services and facilities to local businesses,” he told FTW. Walker said Hull Blyth saw the Luanda operation as a great potential help to South African companies seeking business opportunities in Angola in oil-related or other industries. The Luanda office provides services such as property, travel and manpower for the oil industry. “Hull Blyth is great at assisting business visitors with visas, airport transits, accommodation, offices and generally smoothing the red tape encountered in trying to establish an Angolan-registered business or joint venture. Also, due to our strong network in Nigeria, Ghana and latterly Ivory Coast, we expect to be able to feed cargo information to local exporters and shipping lines.” Hull Blyth is the Ships Agency Division of Exel Plc UK, a FTSE 100 company. Its West African activities include liner agency, including some notable names in PIL, CMA-CGM, Hamburg SŸd, CSAV and CPShips. Walker will be based in Durban.
