TERRY HUTSON MEDITERRANEAN SHIPPING Company’s services in Africa are being further enhanced this month (June) with the acquisition of a 16 000 dwt container ship, Atlantic Trader, which is being renamed MSC Sheila. The 1996-built ship has capacity for 600 TEUs and will be deployed on a dedicated service operating between Cape Town and Luanda, with a rotation of Cape Town – Walvis Bay – Luanda – Lobito – Cape Town. The service is indicative of MSC’s increasing traffic between South Africa and the West Coast of Africa, which includes direct traffic from South Africa and transhipment cargo from Asia, Europe and South America. According to MSC a second ship will be added from November, at which time the service will go from fortnightly to weekly. MSC’s presence on the eastern seaboard is already well established, with weekly services between Durban and Mozambique ports. MSC Gabriella and MSC Anna operate regularly from Durban to Mozambique ports with vessels tailor-made for the ports of call – MSC Gabriella to Maputo and Nacala and MSC Anna to Maputo, Beira and Nacala. Cargo for destinations further north are handled by a weekly service to Dar es Salaam and Mombasa using six vessels – MSC Deila, Aurora, Rosa M, Selin, Carmen and Camille which are all part of the Durban – East Africa – Middle East – India and Pakistan service.
