Spanam plans expansion into general freight

ED RICHARDSON YEARS SPENT at sea in the Spanish fishing fleet have provided the ideal training ground for the establishment of a full service ship’s agency in Walvis Bay. “We provide a full service, from acting as ship’s agents to arranging licences, registering companies, organising the surveying of vessels, fleet consulting, providing gear and supplies, and clearing and forwarding,” says Spanam Shipping Services founder Jesus Lopez. He arrived in Walvis Bay in 1994 on a Spanish fishing vessel and spent the next four years at sea. In 1998, with US$100 000 in the bank, he established Spanam. Based on his experiences at sea, Lopez believes he can offer a superior service because of his better understanding of the needs of the fishing crew and the vessel. This extends to importing food from Spain for those on board. Spanam has now grown to the point where Lopez and partner Alejandro Jalón are expanding into general freight, and will also be opening an office in Cape Town. “We are scared of nothing and have proven that a small company with experienced managers can compete against the bigger firms,” he says.