Cross-trade services work well for SA wines

THE PROVISION of cross trade services has improved the possibilities for South African exports in a difficult environment as it has opened up new options for products. The general manager of CMA CGM Shipping Agencies SA, Pam Yerushalmy, says it has successfully used its international network to provide opportunities to just about any part of the world. “For example, within the Caribbean we now offer services to such places as Georgetown, Guyana, Port of Spain, Trinidad, Oranjstad, Aruba and many more,” she explained. Coupled with its offer of tariff rates out of South Africa to over 100 destinations, she believes that its capacity in the cross trade service niche has been to the advantage of South Africa’s wine industry where its Cape Town services have taken the famed wine ranges to markets including the Caribbean and the Black Sea in the past few years. In South Africa CMA CGM is a joint venture between the French line CMA CGM and the Grindrod Group. The Gauteng headquartered agency imports mainly from Asia and exports to Africa’s west and east coasts, South America and various ports of discharge internationally. June saw the maiden call (CMA CGM Astrolabe) of the new SEAS Service in Durban. SEAS is a weekly service to South Africa from Asia and on to South America. CMA CGM has five vessels employed on this service that is further bolstered by the WAX Service.