Saf considers Maersk tie-up on Med route

THERE ARE still no official decisions on what is to happen to the SA-Mediterranean trade since the split-up of the Safmarine and Lloyd Triestino agreement on the route.
This started as a 50-50 joint-venture between the two in a direct service. It then became a slot-charter arrangement with cargoes travelling to the Med via the SAECS (SA-Europe Container Service) hub at Las Palmas.
But trade deteriorated, said Fritz Bijker, senior executive for Southern Africa trades at Safmarine, and we then decided to split.
This now leaves the Safmarine operation with a number of options - none of which has yet been chosen, according to Bijker.
Basically - as we are now part of the A P Moller group - we are looking at Maersk's various weekly services into the western Mediterranean via the hub port of Algeciras in Spain.
This is the option that most interests us.
But, Bijker added, it will definitely be either Algeciras and/or Las Palmas - with a Maersk service into the Med on a weekly named-day basis.
Still in the negotiating pot, however, he said, is whether SAECS will pick-up at Algeciras, Las Palmas or both.
And this also leaves, as a third alternative, the possible use of Maersk all the way between SA and the Med.
The future of the LT service is still to be confirmed, although earlier reports pointed to a slot charter arrangement with Mediterranean Shipping Company.
Despite enquiries of local agents - the John T Rennie subsidiary, Combine Ocean - no further information was available. And a phone call to Captain Stinco at LT head office in Trieste, Italy, only revealed that: We are still discussing the new service.
However, further conversation with the company PR led to the promise that information would be sent to FTW as soon as it is available - and is expected about the publication date of this issue.