New tonnage is cause for extended celebration

West Africa, Europe and Asia get a boost RAY SMUTS NOTHING WRONG with making merry for 12 months after a ten-year wait, which is exactly what Safmarine has done to celebrate its five spanking new container ships for the Africa trades. “The celebrations were really in recognition of our customers’ loyalty through Safmarine’s many changes, our commitment to partnering them in future, and improving our services in these challenging times,” says Victor Shieh, Antwerp-based public relations and communications executive. To celebrate specifically the new West African tonnage - Safmarine Cameroun, Safmarine Nimba and Safmarine Kuramo - celebratory events were held in Rouen, Rotterdam, Hamburg, Abidjan and Douala, while events heralding the arrival of the two new “Big Whites” for the Europe-South Africa trade, Safmarine Nomazwe and Safmarine Nokwanda, took place outside Cape Town and in Durban. It was to the prestigious Spier Estate near Stellenbosch that more than 400 guests, many wearing traditional African garb, repaired for ‘The Spirit of Africa’. Welcoming the guests, Alan Jones, Safmarine’s executive responsible for the Africa region, said it was particularly appropriate to be celebrating the new additions to the carrier’s fleet in South Africa. “While Safmarine has adopted a more global presence, the truth remains that South Africa, our home market, is also our largest single market, representing more than a third of our total business. Africa itself accounts for more than half of our global business.” Jones said since becoming a member of the A.P.Moller-Maersk Group, Safmarine had significantly expanded its presence and its brand, not only in traditional north-south markets but emerging markets, and become an active player in the east-west trades. “The recent introduction of five new vessels for our Europe-South Africa trade and the Europe-West Africa trade is proof of our confidence and our commitment to South Africa.” Jones said many might be aware that the recent growth in trade between Asia and Southern Africa had resulted in a shortage of space on this trade. Safmarine’s decision to transfer the existing (older) ‘Big Whites’ to the Safari (Far East-South Africa) service will therefore bring some capacity relief to Safmarine’s customers on this trade while the new ‘Big Whites’ will bring relief capacity on the Europe-South Africa trade.