Macs moves growing volumes of US cargo to Zambia

MACS WALVIS Bay has moved into its own high street premises in order to get closer to its customers and cater for growth. Reviving economies in neighbouring Namibian countries are creating demand for the kind of services offered by the multi-purpose vessels in the Macs fleet, according to line manager Warren Ockhuys. Services from the United States are bringing used trucks and mining equipment which are transported along the Trans-Caprivi Corridor to Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo. “We have noticed more and more cargo en route from the US to Zambia and are handling an average of one or two vessels a month on our Galborg service,” he says. Galborg is the daughter company of Macs, with the agency handled by the Manica Group in Walvis Bay. The service has opened up opportunities for exporters, as there is “little return cargo at present from Zambia”. Exports to Europe are, however, showing growth. "Walvis Bay is the last port of call before our vessels depart southern Africa, north-bound on the Macs service. We have remarkable transit times to Europe / Spain, with direct calls at major ports like Vigo, Hamburg, Rotterdam and Antwerp. "Our multi purpose vessels and the fact that we have a southbound call every 10 days give us a distinct advantage in catering for a variety of cargoes, containerised and/or bulk and breakbulk." With road transport from Walvis Bay to Gauteng, importers can have their cargo “almost a week faster” than using the traditional routes through South African ports, he says. Ockhuys is confident that the growth in all corridors will continue for the multi purpose carrier. The “more interesting” projects are, however, the kind of cargo that can only be carried on multi-purpose vessels. Macs recently handled a 100 metre long refrigeration plant for a Zambian mine as well as a few other pieces of heavy lift equipment. “There is no way you can put loads like that on a conventional/container vessel,” he says. Another interesting project has been the handling of a fleet of high-tech yachts which took part in a Macs-sponsored regatta in Walvis Bay