Project cargo specialist sets up Jo’burg branch office

ADDING IMPETUS to its focus on growing the South African market, Beluga Shipping has opened its tenth international branch office in Johannesburg. The Bremen-based specialist in tailor-made transportation solutions for project and heavy lift cargo has long identified South Africa as a market of strong focus. A budget surplus in 2007 and growing public investment in a number of mega projects, many related to the upcoming Soccer World Cup in 2010, have created an attractive climate for international investors, says Beluga founder and CEO Niels Stolberg. He believes the local office will be well placed to take advantage of these growing opportunities. “Building materials, steel products, mining equipment, generators, turbines and components for the 2010 FIFA World Cup are among the project and heavy lift cargoes currently being carried on Beluga vessels calling in South Africa,” says Stolberg. “And there is plenty more to come.” Chartering expert Björn Nilsson, who is jointly responsible for Beluga Maritime Projects of South Africa, is bullish about sustained growth in the region. “From our local base we can now offer South African shippers the same Beluga service package as our international customers, catering for the movement of complex cargo that does not fit into a standard container.” Beluga Shipping was established in 1995 by Stolberg, a master mariner and industrial engineer for maritime traffic. Today the company employs more than 350 shore-based employees and 1300 seafarers. The Beluga fleet comprises 54 multipurpose heavy lift project carriers, all with adjustable tweendecks and powerful on-board crane gear with lifting capacities of up to 700 tonnes in tandem usage. A new addition, the Beluga SkySails, is the world’s first modern merchant vessel co-powered by wind energy. An innovative towing kite system will reduce bunker consumption and the emission of greenhouse gases by 10-20%. A new generation of 20 000 tonne deadweight vessels with on-board cranes capable of lifting up to 1400 tonnes is under construction and due to be delivered within the next few months. This will increase the fleet to 75 units by 2011.