MONDAY
I see that Clipper are no longer involved in the United Arab Shipping Company's S.America/PG service. I for one will not shed a tear at their departure; dealing with them was not a pleasant experience. I found they displayed two of the worst facets of our industry, arrogance mixed with incompetence. Both can be handled separately, but combined makes for a heady brew and unfortunately Clipper did not endear itself to many SA shippers. On its own, UASC was a reliable line and well represented in SAfrica by Rennies. I am pleased to see the Arabs have opted to stay with the current agents, Seaclad Maritime; I am sure the new relationship will work for my old friend Alan Schoeman and his team who are more than up to the challenge.
TUESDAY
I go to the Randburg Waterfront last week for an unusual event organised by Saflink. Unusual not only because of the venue (an enjoyable if noisy afternoon spent ten pin bowling) but unusual because those invited actually arrived. As shippers we are rapidly earning a justifiably poor reputation for not going to functions we have promised to attend; it's not just the wasted food and the extra expense (although that is bad enough these days) but more importantly it's just pure bad manners. I for one have been guilty in the past and it's my mid-year resolution to improve. Anyone who has organised the smallest of cocktail parties knows just how much money is involved; no wonder our rates keep going up...
WEDNESDAY
I conduct my documentation team around Dbn on a port visit. The ladies are suitably impressed, not least by the knowledge and kindness shown by Calvin Bonser from Bonship Agencies and Jacko Pretorius at Pace Stevedores, both of whom were on hand to answer queries involving the technical boring stuff, and of course pay for lunch. I think my crew now have some idea of the complexities involved at the sharp end and they came away full of awe and admiration for our gallant lads on the berth. Two questions, however, go unanswered; what is the origin of the words stevedore and derrick? My sainted editor has promised a bottle of the finest for the first correct e-mail received...
Thursday
Although pleasant to visit as always and meet old friends, from a business standpoint the port is yet again imploding and I have great sympathy for the container ship operators and their clients who are as usual the hardest hit. Indolent labourers? Obdurate truckers? No, this time it's a new port management computer system that won't work. Not a totally new system, you understand; it's working happily world-wide, not to mention elsewhere in S Africa. 100 years ago, fodder brought from the UK for British Army livestock spread the seed of a flower throughout the Transvaal and Natal through animal droppings. Horseshit was, literally, full of Cosmos. Now, 100 years on, we have the reverse...
FRIDAY
I receive an invitation to attend MCL's 10th anniversary bash, to be held at Viva Espania in Midrand. No prizes for guessing the relevance of the venue and I don't want to steal their thunder by discussing the issue in this column now. Suffice to say I look forward to paella and chips and will report back with full details afterwards. MCL has a reputation for throwing great parties; I recall their 5th birthday thrash (or at least some of it) which was celebrated with a Night at the Oscars theme and I'm sure Lucas De Romijn and Mauro Cinti will have some surprises up heir sleeve this time as well, although I hope they spare us the sight of James Stewart doing a Flamenco...
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