Two new East Coast services launched

TERRY HUTSON A RETURN to South Africa by Societe Nationale Malgache de Transports Maritimes (SMTM) became a reality at the weekend with the arrival in Durban of CEC Vision, a 5 392-gt general cargo vessel under charter to Madagascar’s national shipping line. According to SMTM’s South African agent, Mitchell Cotts Maritime, it has taken the various interested parties more than two years to negotiate the return of the Malagasy national carrier to a South African service. The new service has a rotation of Madagascar ports, Durban, Reunion, Mauritius and Madagascar. Another new service recently introduced along the East Coast comes by way of Kenya-based United Africa Feeder Line (UAFL) whose 3784-gt general cargo ship UAFL Express worked cargo in Durban last week. South African agent Alan Schoeman of Seaclad Maritime told FTW that a second and larger vessel of 12 000 tons was due to be introduced in February as the line moves towards a regular and reliable rotation between East Africa and Durban. UAFL provides a feeder service from East Africa to the islands, where it has a particularly strong presence in the Comores, holding the concession to operate the port of Mutsamudu on Anjouan Island. With a direct Durban – East Africa service UAFL can now also offer feeder services to the various islands that the line covers.