Emtateni launches ship operating
venture, writes Leonard Neill
EMTATENI MARINE Corporation, an equal partnership between the Durban-based Emtateni Freight Plus and the European concern, Southern Seas Shipping Corporation, was launched in Johannesburg last week with its target to fill the vacuum left by the unbundling of Safmarine.
Headed by Prince Sifiso Zulu of the Zulu royal house as its chairman, it becomes the first empowerment ship operating company in South Africa.
It is a tailor-made joint venture, he says. Emtateni is in the perfect position to offer Southern Seas an advantage in local waters. We have the infrastructure in place in all southern African harbours to do so, and both companies are in a position to bring value to the table and offer a unique service to the industry.
Emtateni Freight Plus has established itself as a clearing and forwarding operation while Southern Seas is an amalgamation of Swedish and Greek shipping concerns. With headquarters in both London and Athens, it owns 24 vessels and charters up to 15 others as required.
Mons Bolins, Swedish head of Southern Seas, will be managing director of the new venture, which was launched by South Africa's deputy president Jacob Zuma at a formal gathering in Sandton at the weekend.
One of the major role players in the transport industry, Eskom's Rotrans, which is involved in domestic and cross-border operations, has signed to have all of its clearing and forwarding logistics handled by Emtateni Marine.
In-house training of both land and sea staff will be undertaken, and eventually it is hoped that the company will own its own vessels, manned entirely by its own crews, says Prince Zulu. I can see great opportunities arising in this way.
The company is set to maximise opportunities arising out of the deregulation of trade in the Southern African Development Community region, and will certainly benefit from opportunities in freight and shipping which will develop from the privatisation of the state.
My own group in Europe favours joint ventures as a method of developing new markets which can create a blend of local knowledge and strengths with international expertise, said Bolins.
Copyright Now Media (Pty) Ltd
No article may be reproduced without the written permission of the editor
To respond to this article send your email to joyo@nowmedia.co.za
