SA- West Africa service gets a boost

Multi-purpose shipping line Safmarine MPV (Multi-Purpose Vessel) is eyeing 2014 with confidence following the introduction of an enhanced commercial structure in South Africa and an improved multipurpose service between South Africa and West Africa. “2013 was a significant year for Safmarine MPV, starting with the AP Moller-Maersk Group’s decision to establish the Safmarine MPV business as a separate and independent business unit,” Safmarine MPV’s managing director, Jorg Knuttel, told FTW. “It was a decision which made it possible for us to create the commercial and operational foundation we needed in order to better serve the South African project cargo market.” According to Knuttel, schedule integrity and reliability are the key priorities for 2014. “To ensure these priorities are realised, we have introduced a forward schedule to facilitate longterm planning for our customers and secured dedicated tonnage for both north- and southbound cargo,” he said. “In addition we have strengthened our South African trade sales and customer services team by adding the resources we need to ensure quick decisionmaking on the SAFWAF (South Africa-West Africa) trade.” Improvements have also been made on the vessel front, with the deployment of a vessel that is purpose-built for West African conditions. The modern boxshaped multi-purpose vessel of 12 500 DWT capacity has a relatively shallow draught and the flexibility to allow cargo work at private jetties and ‘on the roads’ (ie ship to ship or barge to ship transfer of cargo). The tonnage deployed on the SAFWAF trade features open hatch longlength cargo holds with hydraulic covers and is geared with heavy lift capability up to 160 tons. Safmarine MPV has also refined the port rotation on the service in order to maintain a 45-day round trip and provide a regular service out of Durban and Cape Town to West Africa every one and a half months. While Walvis Bay, Sonils, Pointe Noire and Matadi are the core ports of call on the service, Knuttel says the inherent flexibility of the revised schedule allows for inducement port calls within the geographical range between Maputo and Douala. CAPTION Purpose-built for West Africa conditions … this vessel’s relatively shallow draught and flexibility allow cargo work at private jetties.