West Africa still on CMA CGM radar screen

ONE OF the biggest challenges in Gauteng is dealing with the poor state of the roads and the ever-increasing traffic congestion, says Pamela Yerushalmy, general manager: commercial at CMA CGM Shipping Agencies SA. Fortunately problems with load shedding and power outages, which affected traffic lights and acerbated the problem, seem to be over for now. “The poor infrastructure doesn’t make business any harder but it certainly makes it more stressful,” she told FTW. CMA CGM Shipping Agencies SA is owned and operated by CMA CGM, the third largest container shipping company in the world. It services the routes in and out of South America, out of South Africa to Asia as well as from India and the Middle East to South Africa. The company ships from both Durban and Johannesburg as equipment is available in both localities. Yerushalmy describes the routes as well subscribed with all allocations being filled every week. “It is business as usual in Gauteng, with good, steady and loyal support,” she says. CMA CGM is constantly investigating new services and doing viability studies to determine whether new routes will be opened in and out of South Africa. One example is the West African service from South Africa which was suspended but is a destination for which the company is seeking new solutions and opportunities.