MONDAY
Taking a hard-earned break at the weekend,
I happen to pop in to Little Holland, a popular conference venue and health spa; imagine my surprise upon finding some members of the industry busy discussing a shipping function with the staff. Breakbulk is obviously on the agenda as there is much talk of lashing and securing; container cargo is also mentioned,
and the various methods of stuffing are debated at length. It goes without saying that everything must be well tommed and covered with some sort of plastic to prevent a claim. The staff, although not strictly of our profession, catch on quickly, and it is agreed by the delegates that all bookings should be on liner terms with freight prepaid and no "free in" movement. I leave before discharge is reached.....
TUESDAY
Remember the days when only a brave or
desperate man entrusted his cargo to Spoornet? Remember when their efficiency was exceeded only by their ability, both of which were conspicuous by their absence? Remember when their staff couldn't spell
competence, let alone display any? All seems changed; promises are kept, performance
levels adhered to. Appointments are met, and phone calls returned. I have had personal
experience of this renaissance over the last few months through the efforts of Anand Moodliar, Spoornet's National Account Manager, but it is obviously a team thing. Nothing of course is perfect and derailments unfortunately still occur but there is always something new to learn; I now have another
definition of a hot box....
WEDNESDAY
I was interested in the recent FTW article
concerning the Model Shipyard, a maritime curio shop at Randburg Waterfront. The article displayed a picture of a sailing ship and the caption mused over how much cargo the Cutty Sark could carry. Being a clipper, the answer is "quite a lot"; the majority was of course tea with some spices and silk. The ship as shown was however not a clipper but a Capital ship of the line, or Man o' War, and here's the modern analogy. Lazy, overfed stevedores would be immediately flogged; the undisciplined rabble that today pass as agents would be keelhauled, and the berth manager strung up from the Yard Arm. Moreover, any nonsense at the Container Terminal and they'd get the whiff of grapeshot from a
60 gun broadside. Those were the days....
THURSDAY
So farewell, then, Saul Goldblatt; you are leaving IVS after 23 years and settling in Australia. Although our business paths have crossed infrequently, we knew each other personally and I for one will miss you and your, er, direct forthright approach. You took over from a good man in Gunther Bartels and hand over to another in Tim McClure. In an industry populated by Pit Bulls, mongrels and alley cats, Tim is the Afghan; quiet and regal, a gentleman of the old school, and I imagine a very popular choice for MD. We shall see Saul at the traditional November cocktail party and not hopefully for the very last time, although his
departure is bound to lend a certain poignancy to an
otherwise festive occasion. One thing for sure, the
S African shipping industry is poorer for his move....
FRIDAY
On the subject of FTW photographs, I loved the one of Rob de Laaf at Diamond Shipping receiving remedial English lessons until I caught sight of the DSR banner, now known as DSR Stinnes. This brings back memories. I can recall Denise Parnell of ALS punting the DSR
breakbulk service some years ago, and I
remember supporting them. The vessels
comprised old German tonnage from the former GDR which plied the SA/NWC trade; being small, they were able to call useful ports like Tenerife. Although the rates were cheap (forex was the owner's main concern at that time) the ships were sound, and the ones I boarded in Dbn were showpieces of solid German craftmanship, as are the IOL ships like the "Magdeburg". Well done, Diamond,
and bezt of luk, Rob......
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