New IOI and Mozambique string for Safari service

July 2 saw the launch by Safmarine of a new string to its existing Safari (Southern Africa–Far East) service dedicated to the Indian Ocean Islands and Mozambique. Safmarine’s SA trades executive Alex de Bruyn told FTW: “Our new Safari 3 string will complement Safmarine's existing service offering and market coverage of southern Africa. Not only will it improve our direct coverage of the niche ports of Toamasina and Maputo to and from Asia, but it will also strengthen our service into SA by taking the Indian Ocean Islands out of the westbound rotation of the main Safari string where our customers require fast transit times.” Safari 3 is a weekly service linking Asia to Mozambique and the Indian Ocean Islands with direct calls at Tanjung Pelepas, Port Louis, Toamasina and Maputo. Five 1 700-TEU vessels will be deployed, providing for both dry and reefer (refrigerated) cargo, and the eastbound transit time between Maputo and Tanjung Pelepas will be 15 days.