FROM April 1 Safmarine and Maersk Line will increase rates by US$150 per TEU from the Far East to South Africa, including the Indian Ocean islands. The increase will fall to $100 from October 1. A peak season surcharge will apply from August 1 to November 30. “With the strength of the rand in 2006 and the buoyancy of the South African retail sector, import growth is far outstripping the growth of exports, thus adding to the costs and structural imbalance of trades,” Safmarine Africa region executive Alan Jones told FTW. This imbalance is further complicated by the fact that consumer goods are largely imported in 40-foot containers, while the heavier export cargo is shipped in 20-footers,” he said.
