Infrastructural developments
and investments in West Africa
are generating demand for
SafmarineMPV’s Multi-Purpose
service between South Africa and
West Africa – and the line expects to
see a continued call for its SAFWAF
service.
“South African companies are
well positioned to gain a stronger
foothold in the West Africa
market – and a perfect example
of a company doing just that is
Gauteng-based Dominex which
provides infrastructure parts and
manufactured goods to railway and
mining companies in Africa,” says
SafmarineMPV’s James Lewer.
Earlier this year Dominex was
awarded a tender to supply Angola’s
major railway line, Caminho de
Ferro de Benguela (CFB), with 11
rail wagons following a global tender
process.
The CFB is a very important
and strategic rail link, not only
providing access to the inner part of
the country but, more importantly,
linking to the copperbelts of
Katanga province, Democratic
Republic of Congo and Zambia.
According to Dominex’s Kirk
and Nico Christodoulakis, “Angola
is rebuilding and upgrading
the railway infrastructure
for the future, responding in
particular to the demand from
the emerging and growing
middle-class for more executive
rail transportation and
accommodation.
“Having access to a reliable
and frequent shipping service is
obviously key to making it possible
for companies such as Dominex to
take advantage of the significant
business opportunities in West
Africa.”
Other examples are the revenuedriving
industries like oil and gas
and mining as well as the market for
finished goods, foodstuffs, chemicals,
pharmaceuticals and agri-machinery
and supplies.
Safmarine MPV’s Pamela
Yerushalmy agrees the African
market has good potential and
possibilities for business.
“Simply put, the potential and
possibilities are endless relative to the
diverse needs of West Africa.”
A recently launched agricultural
initiative aimed at establishing
future production of fertiliser in the
DRC for local usage is another good
example of expertise and resource
sharing between South and West
Africa. SafmarineMPV was able to
facilitate sea transportation of related
machinery as well as structural steel
and start-up materials.
“Similarly, local steel
manufacturers have been appointed
for production of components and
equipment necessary for energy
exploration. These manufactured
items often require the type of
specialised transportation that
SafmarineMPV has on offer,” she
said.
The South African SafmarineMPV
team has, in turn, focused on its
priorities for the multi-purpose
market.
“Whether it’s adding another
vessel to meet cargo demand or using
private terminals to avoid congestion
issues, SafmarineMPV is committed
to meeting the changing needs of
our customer base and to helping
South African companies grow
their business with West Africa by
providing the appropriate services
and customised care needed to
transport diverse cargo types.”
CAPTION 1
Dominex’s Nico Christodoulakis was on hand to oversee
the shipment of nine rail wagons to Angola.
CAPTION 2
An executive rail coach is loaded onto the
Safmarine Longa under the watchful eye of
Safmarine MPV staff and crew.
