CMS sets up own SA agency network

CONSOLIDATED MARINE Services has decided to go it alone and open its own South African agency network.
The company, which entered the SA - India route 18 months ago and now offers a fortnightly service, has amicably terminated its agreement with Bridge Marine, and from next Monday (May 3) will market the service as CMS Container Line.
Head office will be based in Johannesburg and headed up by Mark Green, whose 23 years of freight experience include a stint in Harare for the past five years. CMS will operate from the Portnet building in City Deep.
Clinton Wonfor, who is already involved in services for non-liner vessels in Richards Bay, will manage the Durban operation, based in Durban.
The service, which originally operated in a slot charter arrangement with Metall und Rostoff, has expanded significantly since its inception.
CMS recently brought its own vessels into the service. The Boltentor arrived on January 12. This will be followed by the Herrentor, due in Durban on June 12, with a third vessel scheduled in four months time.
They are all newbuild sister ships with capacity for 300 full containers per vessel.
Due to customer requirements, the port rotation will shortly be changed to include Dar es Salaam and Mombasa on the northbound voyage. The round trip will then be scheduled as follows: Mumbai, Colombo, Port Louis, Durban, Dar es Salaam, Mombasa, Persian Gulf on inducement, Mumbai.
Transhipments can be arranged to the east coast of India, Karachi and the Persian Gulf.
According to Johannesburg-based managing director Vanessa de Villiers, the service has more than met the expectations of the charterers. CMS is fast gaining a reputation as a dedicated player in the marketplace, and this is clearly beneficial for us. Southbound we are sailing full, and are actively pursuing export cargo.
De Villiers, who in FTW's recently-published 'Women in Freight' special feature cited owning her own agency as her ultimate career goal, has accomplished it in double quick time!