Mitsui rakes in new vehicle contracts

Ray Smuts THIS HAS certainly been a year of new vehicle-ferrying contracts for Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, and the run continues with a mandate to bring into South Africa the 65 seater Scania buses from Brazil and the 18/35 seater Mercedes Benz Sprinters from Argentina, some for onward transhipment to Australia and New Zealand. MOL managing director Dave Giraudeau says that MOL has also been asked to quote on transporting double-decker buses, the first such enquiry received. Onboard MOL Car Carrier Cosmos Venture recently were 248 Mercedes Benz Sprinters destined for East London and 40 Scania buses destined for Durban - all of which were first shipments into South Africa on MOL's Four Continents Express ro-ro service. MOL's East London-based business development executive, Lorraine Govender, says the import movement from South America to South Africa reflects growth in the direct trade route and she is optimistic about an increase in volumes in the near future.