Uncertain market conditions demand flexible strategies

If current market activity is

anything to go by, the Africa

market is likely to remain

unpredictable for some time,

necessitating a change of strategy to

deal with this market uncertainty.

Multipurpose shipping line

SafmarineMPV believes that

operating in diverse markets and

maximising its cargo mix will ensure

its shipping services – whether they

be direct or transhipment – appeal

to as broad a sector of the market as

possible.

“Ultimately, it’s about both

SafmarineMPV and our customers

having the agility and flexibility to

respond quickly to constant market

changes,” said SafmarineMPV

Southern Africa line management,

James Lewer and Pamela

Yerushalmy.

Yerushalmy believes that being

able to ship all types of cargo ‘in one

go’, under one bill of lading and on a

single vessel and have it arrive at its

final destination simultaneously is

becoming an increasingly attractive

option for many shippers – and it’s

trend that’s likely to continue well

into 2016 in her view.

“We also expect shippers to

continue showing a preference

for shipping smaller, multiple

consignments (made up of breakbulk

and container cargoes) and doing so

more frequently. SafmarineMPV’s

liner-type services are ideally suited

to meeting this need,” she said.

Looking ahead, the line’s strategy

for 2016 will be to secure as wide

a range of cargoes as possible from

a number of different sectors and

markets – from breakbulk and

oil and gas to hazardous (IMDG)

cargoes and containers.

According to Lewer, containerised

cargo will continue to be an

important part of the company’s

cargo mix because of the win-win it

offers both carriers and shippers.

“From a carrier point of view,

containers allow us to maximise

deck space, and compared to other

cargo types, offer relatively quick

operational productivity. One of

the many wins for our customers is

being able to ship containers directly

into multi-purpose ports which are

not often served by the container

operators,” Lewer commented.

SafmarineMPV serves the main

oil and gas ports along the West

African coastline and offers direct

services from Northern Europe,

US East Coast and Gulf and South

Africa to 11 West African countries.

The carrier also calls at private jetties

and is capable of performing offshore

ship-to-ship transfers.

CAPTION

SafmarineMPV’s strategy for 2016 will be to secure a wide range

of breakbulk and containerised cargo from a number of different

sectors and markets.