Keeping down costs for African shippers

Cape-based shipping operation Fairseas International is rapidly becoming an established entity on the local shipping scene. Operating since 2006, Fairseas is a South African shipping and freight logistics company providing regional seafreight and landside services using predominantly self operated tonnage. “The company provides efficient and cost-effective sea transport and intermodal solutions along the African seaboard and the Indian Ocean rim including the Indian Ocean Island areas,” says director Liam Mckenzie. “Our core services are focused on seafreight chartering and brokering activities, freight management and logistics and providing consultancy services to cargo interests and parties invested in shipping activities. Amongst our services we now operate a breakbulk and bulk liner service in the Walvis Bay to Mombasa range of ports with project and heavy lift capacity utilising a 9600mt dwt project vessel, as well as providing regular sailings for handy size shipments of bulk commodities into and ex the East African, Red Sea and sub continent areas.” West Africa is additionally served as far north as Dakar and right around the continent to Djibouti in the North by voyage and space charters for project cargoes, with consignments accepted for overborder delivery into hinterland countries like Uganda and Burkino Faso. “Where appropriate, landside logistics, barging and lightering are dovetailed with sea freight solutions, making for a seamless through service for our clients from contracted point of despatch to delivery. Mozambique is an area of present focus as well and Fairseas expects to have 25 vessel port calls there this year alone,” he added. “We expect to handle up to half a million freight tons this year and are looking to further develop and focus on niche opportunities in the region and abroad with services structured to assist African shippers get their goods to market in the most effective and cost efficient manner .” says Mckenzie.” The African Maritime Charter has been promulgated at the right time and we will in future look to partner with other like- minded local parties in order to get more local cargoes off road and rail into ships and international cargoes into South African controlled bottoms.”