New African ports of call on the cards

The Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) – which has seen “significant growth” in African container volumes – has upgraded its container management system with more emphasis on better container utilisation to minimise costs and sustain continued growth. “We are also exploring new ports of call in Africa, including recently launching a call to the Mogadishu port in Somalia,” said marketing director, Glenn Delve, adding that the shipping company was looking at Pemba as well. “In fact, MSC will call where the cargo is offered.” Delve said that over the past three years exports into Africa had grown by 28.9% for the company. “Part of this growth relates to continued product development to serve growing African markets,” he said. Currently exports into Africa represent 7.1% of MSC’s combined total turnover (imports and exports). “The shipping industry plays an integral role in the economy and development of Africa, especially within the mining sector where there is a continued need for equipment and consumables – and similarly the extraction and export of mineral mining resources which are in abundance,” said Delve. “MSC’s roots are in Africa and we control about 38% of the trade into the continent from South Africa due to the strong presence we have at the ports.” Delve told FTW that to maintain its strong position in Africa the company was proactive in identifying new logistics opportunities and focused on continual development of its containerised depot facilities and landside logistics. “Another success for MSC has been the diversification into the business of the company’s own container depots, situated in Durban, Port Elizabeth, Utenhage, Cape Town, Johannesburg, Pretoria, East London and Rosslyn, which offers its own rail siding, facilitating clients’ access to the manufacturing plants, a particularly critical issue for the motor industry,” said Delve. “We control the full and empty depots, which enables customers to deal with one company and not third parties. There are further advantages for customers in being able to utilise our depots for storage at preferential tariffs as they are customers of MSC,” he said. INSERT & CAPTION MSC controls about 38 % of the trade into the continent from South Africa. – Glenn Delve CAPTION MSC now calls at the port of Mogadishu in Somalia.