‘Stay positive – and ride out the storm’

“2008 was one of the best ever
years for the shipping industry,
and that’s including the last
three months when things began turning
round so dramatically. Since then the
industry has been hit by a tsunami of
events,” says Captain Salvatore Sarno,
managing director of the South African
Mediterranean Shipping Company
(MSC) operation.
“Everyone at MSC, worldwide and
here in South Africa, is working hard at
weathering the storm of the economic
downturn while examining every way
of curtailing costs, but without affecting
our people,” he said. “We’re looking
at making thousands of little savings,”
he added saying that the general tenor
of the company is to remain confident.
“The attitude of those in Geneva and
myself is to remain positive, not to show
panic – we prefer to remain optimistic.
“In our opinion we’ve reached the
bottom of the trough and must now
ride things out. It’s time to stabilise
things. Everybody hopes the recovery
will be quick. But we need to remember
that although imports and exports are
down by 30% and 20% respectively,
the volumes we are now seeing are the
same as those for 2007, so it’s not a total
disaster.”
Sarno says the real disaster lies in the
East-West trades where there has been
a complete collapse. “In June we’ll start
seeing some general freight increases
on these trades so that should bring
about some improvement, but on those
trades the general situation is really
bad.”
In November MSC will introduce the
2002-built cruise ship MSC Sinfonia
to South Africa in partnership with
Starlight Cruises, when the 59 000 ton
ship arrives to undertake a summer
season of cruising out of Durban.
“This will be the most luxurious
hotel in South Africa, except she is
afloat,” Sarno said, adding that this
once again indicates MSC’s confidence
in South Africa. “The Sinfonia offers
top luxury such as staterooms all with
their own balconies in a class of ship to
attract the most sophisticated passenger.
South Africa has never had such a ship
based in her waters before.”