Project cargoes are one of the specialised services offered by MSC on its weekly liner voyages on its global network, according to Glenn Delve, SA marketing manager for the line. “Being a cellular company does not preclude us from carrying various project cargoes globally – and predominantly in developing countries where extensive building and mining projects are taking place,” he told FTW. Just one recent project that was successfully completed was the Top Gear Festival held in Durban – the first Top Gear Festival globally and the first stadium event – where sensitive cargoes that had to be sourced from the UK and Australia were contracted to MSC. “We were nominated in early May as the official carrier for the Top Gear Festival,” said Delve. “Shipments consisted of various 20-ft and 40-ft MSC containers between the UK, Australia, South Africa and return. “These containers held the urgently required vehicles and equipment for the festival. As MSC is experienced in handling special projects, a special team was selected to co-ordinate the shipments of this unique event for Durban, and for the whole of South Africa.” And MSC scored top marks for the service it offered the organisers. “All the necessary equipment was received and shipped well in the time parameters,” Delve added. This was just one of the many project cargo contracts handled by the line each year, with MSC handling projects for the major mining houses and project logistic companies around the world. Current projects that the line has in place include: Anglo Gold, mining equipment and supplies to West African ports; importation of 40-ft flat racks for new consumable factory expansion from Europe; mining equipment inbound from Australia to Zambia for copper mines; shipments of specialist medicinal serums in refrigerated containers; mining equipment to West African ports; food aid projects to West African and East African ports; rice projects from Asia to Swaziland; prefabricated housing and ablutions into Tema and Lagos; empty cryogenic tank shipments on flat racks; cement sleepers for rail contract in Conakry on specialised equipment (SEQ); and road surfacing equipment and materials on SEQ. CAPTION Being a cellular company does not preclude MSC from carrying various project cargoes globally.
