Steady growth in ro-ro service says Hual

Alan Peat AFTER ITS first year of operations, the Norwegian car carrier HUAL reports steady growth in its US-West Africa-SA-Far East ro-ro (roll-on, roll-off) service. "Not exciting," according to Tony Kee of SA general agents John T Rennie, but enough growth to justify three ships running a monthly service. Trade is starting to build up, he added - with regular cargoes of US-made Chrysler cars to Daimler Chrysler in East London, and "growing amounts of 'high heavy' machinery". The line is currently promoting its ro-ro function - and punting for general cargo suitable for this mode of transport, as well as its traditional vehicle trade. "We have 'mafi' low-bed trailers on board all the vessels," said Kee, "and these - being equivalent in size to 20-foot road trailers - are suitable for all sorts of breakbulk cargo." This allows the line to offer its service for incoming cargoes from the US and West Africa, and outgoing cargoes direct to the Far East. "The rates are considered to be competitive," Kee told FTW. HUAL has already added ports to its originally proposed schedule, with regular calls now available at Houston, Jacksonville, Charlestown, Baltimore and New York in the US - and Port Everglades and Savannah as "by inducement" alternatives on the port rotation. Added to the list are also Puerto Plata and Rio Hiana in the Caribbean as regulars - and Santa Domingo as an alternative. Lagos has been added as a regular to the West African ports of call, backing up the originally scheduled LomŽ and Tema - and Luanda by inducement. At the Far East end of the service, the direct calls to Japan have now been joined by calls at Inchon and Pyongtaek in Korea.