RAPID GROWTH in the South Africa/Indian Ocean Islands trade recently motivated Mer Austral to add a second ship to its island service, says Darren Lowe, Durban-based owner's representative.
The line now offers a sailing from Durban every 11 to 12 days, calling at Mauritius, Reunion, Madagascar, Mayotte and Nacala. The service was inaugurated in 1993 with the 4000 dwt multi-purpose Anny Austral, which was later replaced with the larger 6200 dwt Srakane.
Earlier this year the line added the 4200 dwt Rybnovsk.
The Island trade can be considered to be a Ôsupermarket trade' in that the suppliers and consignees require a quick reaction time from the placing of a firm order to receipt of cargoes, says Lowe.
A drawback on the route is the imbalance of trade, which forces us to return a large number of containers to South Africa empty, he told FTW. But inter-island trade does absorb some of these repositioning costs. In August this year Bridge Marine took over from Marcol as agents for the line. One of the more exotic cargoes handled on a regular basis are yachts, very often catamarans, being transferred to Mauritius for use in the tourist trade.
