A strong US shipping market has ensured that a firm devoted to this route has been less buffeted by this year’s shipping business misfortunes. “Basically we are the USA specialist and can move any cargo from the USA to South Africa. The USA market is strong, with the specialised commodities supporting the exports out of the USA, which also means that no vessels have been laid up on the USA trade,” said Claude Nuttall, director of Cape Town-based United Maritime Logistics. He said these factors explained that while the general consolidation market had been down from 10% to 25%, with some companies registering as much as a 40% decrease in business, UML’s business currently reflected an overall decline of only around 5%. “We have been fortunate to have new business make up for any decline in existing business. Imports have been steady with some months being up on last year’s figures and some months being in line or slightly down,” Nuttall said. “The USA trade has been hit especially hard over the last couple of years with GRIs. Recently on other routes the rates have come down, and this doesn’t make it easy for us to explain to our clients when a GRI has been announced,” he said. Despite the increases, Nuttall noted, “The only significant market decline is being noticed with clients that used to import perhaps 2 x 40 foot containers, who now opt to import 1 x 40-footer with 1 x 20-footer.” United Maritime Logistics is the agent for Direct Container Line, USA, and while the company speciality is LCL cargo from the US to SA’s four major ports, FCL service is also offered. “We recently moved some specialised machinery from the USA to Durban on breakbulk vessels. We also handle out of gauge cargo,” he said.
