CONTINUED GROWTH and expansion has seen Cape Town-based RNC Ships Agency Services acquiring its own premises 4km from Cape Town harbour. “It was a logical move,” says owner and founder Ron Caris, “and enables us to offer our international clients a unique added value service – their own office accommodation while they’re visiting Cape Town.” Motivated by the increase in oil-related drilling areas off the west coast of Africa and South Africa, Caris started the company in 1999 as a specialist ship’s agency serving the offshore oil and gas markets. “But our services extend beyond that to vessels calling off-port-limits Cape Town, those calling for the sole purpose of bunkers and those undergoing repairs and dry docking.” The company is represented at all South African ports. An additional facet of its service portfolio involves agency work for the last remaining passenger/cargo carrying vessel – the RMS St Helena – which links the islands of St Helena and Ascension with the outside world. Caris is the appointed SA director of Andrew Weir Shipping of London, managers of the ship. RNC added a further string to its bow in November 2004 with the opening of RNC Warehousing & Logisitcs. Its 900m2 warehouse is situated in Paarden Eiland and equipped with a truck and forklift facilities, with a roller door facilitating easy loading and off-loading of 6m and 12m containers..
