Liner services must anticipate clients' needs

Reefer exports achieved
growth of at least 10% in
the first six months of the
year, according to John
Mac Donald, regional reefer
manager for CMA CGM.
“Based on the
assumption that
market prices will
remain strong,
growth of 5-10%
is expected for the
remainder of the year
in the markets in
which we operate,” he
told FTW. “2015 has
proved to be an exceptional
year for reefer transport from
South Africa. Reefer exports
to Russia, the Middle East,
Asia and Central West Africa
have been growing. South
African producers have
benefited from an
even bigger than
expected market.”
CMA CGM
opened its first office
in Johannesburg in
2001 and currently
has 29 offices in
southern and
eastern Africa. A total of eight
of the company’s services call
South Africa.
“The South African
perishable sector is complex,”
said Mac Donald. “It is all
about joining South African
growers’ high quality
products to the CMA CGM
group’s capacity to deliver
them timeously. Being able
to anticipate and respond
to the market’s needs is a
challenge that we as a liner are
confronted with regularly.”
One of the core strengths of
CMA CGM is its reactivity, Mac
Donald said. “This also applies
to the reefer market. We have
moved as fast as possible to
open new routes and services.
For instance, our Midas service
is currently calling Maputo
to help growers to cut costs in
moving fruit to the Arab Gulf,
so alleviating the logistical
pressure off Durban port.”
Mac Donald said the
perishable sector remained
high on the CMA CGM agenda
with the company investing
heavily in its service offering.
“We also recently enhanced
our dedicated perishable team
and have entered a new era of
partnering with customers to
make sure that we can grow
long-term sustainable business
partnerships together,” he said.
INSERT & CAPTION
It is all about joining
South African
growers’ high quality
products to the CMA
CGM group’s capacity
to deliver them
timeously.
– John Mac Donald