Lars Maersk begins a new chapter for SAECS

First of replacement ‘Big Whites’ arrives in SA RAY SMUTS AN EXCITING chapter was added to the colourful 27-year history of the Southern Africa Europe Container Service (SAECS) when the spanking new Lars Maersk arrived at the port of Cape Town on her maiden voyage recently- as punctual as the city’s Noon Day Gun. It was also time to reflect with fondness on the four 'Big Whites’ that have served the trade faithfully since shortly after the advent of containerisation in South Africa in 1977 and which will no longer play a part in SAECS operations. Built at the Odense Steel Shipyard, the 50 721 gross ton Lars Maersk was named after Lars-Erik Brenoe, executive vice-president, A.P.Moller- Maersk A/S. As Maersk South Africa MD Flemming Dalgaard explains: “Lars Maersk is the first vessel entering the SAECS service, replacing the ‘Big Whites’. It is one of the most modern containerships in the world and we believe this will really assist our customers here in South Africa reaching existing and new markets. “When all six ships have been phased into the service, South African exporters will have a product which will benefit both them, their clients and the end consumer.” The beauty of the new ships is that not only are they considerably faster with a service speed of 25 knots an hour - thereby obviating the need for a seventh vessel - but they can carry between 3 700 and 4 900 twenty-foot containers, considerably more than the ‘Big Whites’. The arrival of the Lars Maersk, distinctive in her blue and white livery, went without pomp and fanfare, the only noticeable tribute a water display by the sole tug guiding her to the container terminal’s berth 602. A second tug assigned to the Maersk vessel was momentarily out of commission after a towing wire snapped while assisting the MSC Martina from port. Four hours after berthing, two Sapo gangs and two cranes started working the ship, discharging 361 full twenty-foot boxes and 20 empties and loading 22 containers, an operation that took 11 hours. The Lars Maersk, which replaces SA Winterberg, sailed for Port Elizabeth and Durban at first light the following day (November 30) and is due to return to the Mother City port on December 10 to load around 1 200 containers, mostly integral reefers containing fruit. Her sistership, Safmarine Nomazwe, is due to sail from Rotterdam this month. The third as yet unnamed ship to come from the Odense yard will also be for Safmarine’s account and is also to be deployed on the SAECS service. Aside from Maersk Sealand and Safmarine, SAECS comprises P&O Nelloyd which will be introducing two vessels to the service, the P&O Nedlloyd Livingstone and the P&O Nedlloyd Heemskerck (both of around 59 000 gross tons), and Deutsche Afrika-Linien which will introduce its new Dal Kalahari in March next year.