Reefer Express service returns with Cape Town call

The Saecs Reefer Express (REX) service – introduced for the first time last year – resumed sailings last month (February) as the 2010 Western Cape fruit export season got off to a strong start. The REX service is an additional ‘purely reefer’ container service designed to provide added capacity for refrigerated exports during the peak reefer season months of February to August. According to Safmarine’s SA trades executive Alex de Bruyn, this year’s REX service is an improved product, offering increased capacity compared to the inaugural 2009 service. “The Saecs member lines decided to adjust plug capacity for 2010 in line with the anticipated increased seasonal demand and we believe this year’s REX service will go a long way to alleviating capacity shortages by providing an additional 100 or more reefer plugs on a weekly basis.” Port rotation will be Cape Town, Rotterdam, Tilbury, Cape Town with Lisbon subject to inducement on the northbound leg. Port Elizabeth will be added as a second South African port of call when the citrus fruit season starts in April. The specialised service will initially deploy three vessels, although more will be added later in the season. The addition of the vessel would be subject to demand. De Bruyn says that although several local fruit exporters initially expressed concern that a stronger rand would negatively impact early 2010 export volumes, Safmarine’s reefer volumes to date for 2010 have been up on the 2009 volumes for the same period and all indications are that this will be a good season for the fruit export industry. ”Demand for reefer space and equipment has been high since the start of the year. The investment made by the Saecs member lines in providing this service for South African fruit shippers is proof of our long-term commitment to supporting South Africa’s fruit export industry.”