SAECS considers its vessel replacement options

Alan Peat THERE IS still no finalisation of the vessel replacement programme for the SA-Europe Container Service (SAECS). According to senior management sources, the "Big Whites" Ð originally seven 3 000 TEU (twenty foot equivalent unit) ships custom-built for the consortium in 1977/78 Ð are committed to SAECS till the second half of 2004. But, FTW was told: "A vessel replacement programme is under consideration." This, according to information already released to FTW, relates mostly to the changing demand in reefer (refrigerated) containers. The original market research showed that the vessels should have some 25% of their TEU capacity allocated to the conair (ducted air) reefer container systems. But new market demands are tending to over-ride the previous supremacy of the conair box, with integral reefers now the play of the day. There has also been some considerable change in that original single fleet of seven ships even before the replacement programme has to be finally decided. The SAECS partners have significantly increased sailing frequency in the trade lanes between Southern Africa and UK/North Europe. The single fleet has now been expanded to two, currently of six vessels each. The introduction of a second weekly service or "string", calling at main ports, has enabled the group to create new growth opportunities for the export of perishable produce in integral reefer containers, FTW was told. At the same time, SAECS has been able to address the requirements of other buoyant areas of the economy, notably the motor vehicle industry.