Carl van der Westhuizen, fruit trader, long-time friend and former partner of Ian Wicks in the new MBG Shipping Line, has spoken up for the first time about his reasons for quitting. Uppermost was the fact that he had been assured all along that necessary equipment would be in place come the new reefer service launch. Clearly upset at the apparent termination of the service after only one sailing and problems experienced with existing service providers, he told FTW: “I am not at all well because the way those big guys (the major container shipping lines) jerk us exporters around is a national disgrace. “With containers booked for all over the world, they just arbitrarily decide they are not coming in (to port) so they do what they like, because they can. “I am absolutely flabbergasted industry did not really support this venture because it needs a new contender given the chaos we now have with short-shipments, but shippers were concerned at the unavailability of equipment (at MBG Shipping), so one has to understand their reticence.” He says he was essentially brought on board due to long experience in the fruit industry, still involved in export trade to destinations other than South Africa/Europe/UK – but his December departure from MBG was also triggered by not being privy to day-to-day company goings-on, despite his director status. Even though he retains no links at all with MBG Shipping, Van der Westhuizen says he received an e-mail from Wicks on February 18 to the effect he (Wicks) was working in conjunction with agents in Europe to salvage the service and hoped to reach finality within a week or so. No further word was received from Wicks.
