Africa Line

OT Africa Line Makes Changes

OT Africa Line (OTAL) announced some changes to its North Europe – West Africa services. These take into account various factors including a slight downturn in overall trade volumes, civil unrest in certain countries and improved availability of roll-on, roll-off multi-purpose tonnage. OTAL’s RoRo service is resuming its nine day frequency utilising six vessels on a 45-day round-trip schedule. This has been made possible by the return to the service of Rokia Delmas and Rosa Delmas. Both ships have recently been employed in support of the military action in Iraq and during their absence, the service was reduced to an eleven-day frequency utilizing three RoRo vessels. The company’s Express Container Service has switched to a fixed day fortnightly schedule utilizing three modern 900 TEU vessels. Previously four ships were employed to offer sailings every eleven days. Unchanged though is the Weekly Container Service (HEB) which continues to employ five ships, each of around 1600TEU. OTAL’s Marketing Manager Rachel Bennett says it is hard to remember a time when there has been a greater need for flexibility: “The West African trades have never been easy. There always seems to be political or economic instability in one or more of the countries we serve. However, 2003 has already seen civil unrest to some degree in five of these nations. Not all impact significantly on cargo volumes but inevitably, some do.

OTAL expands into China

Strengthening its position as a leading player in West African shipping and logistics, OT Africa Line (OTAL) has expanded its agency network in China. United Transportation Limited (UTL), OTAL's general agents covering Hong Kong and China, will now co-ordinate all Chinese commercial and operational activities via a sub agency network managed by Chiao Feng Shipping Ltd. With headquarters in Hong Kong, Chiao Feng has strategically located offices (highlighted below) based at important

APL Offers New East Africa Service

APL launched a new East Africa Express (EAX) service. The weekly EAX service will connect the Indian subcontinent and Arabian Gulf to East Africa. Trade from the Far East bound for East Africa will depart from Colombo, Sri Lanka, and Nhava Sheva in India. The port at Nhava Sheva will also serve cargoes originating from the Indian subcontinent and Arabian Gulf, alongside ports in Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates.

OTAL Upgrades West African Shipping Services

OT Africa Line (OTAL) has announced a number of developments to its West African Ro-Ro and container services designed to give customers access to a greater number of ports. The changes will also provide improved transit times and more frequent sailings to ensure even more extensive transport coverage of the trade to and from this region. OTAL continues to operate its established multipurpose Ro-Ro service but with the addition of a restructured improved all-round schedule called the

Maersk Names New Vessel Customised For West Africa

Maersk Line aims to cement its position as undisputed leader in the West African market with delivery of new vessels 28 March 2011 - A.P. Moller - Maersk is pleased to announce the naming of the first of a series of 22 WAFMAX container vessels currently being built by Hyundai Heavy Industries in Korea. Named after the capital of Guinea, Maersk Conakry and the 21 other West Africa MAX ("WAFMAX") vessels on order from Hyundai will be the largest container ships able to call West

CMA CGM Reshuffles ASIA-South Africa and Mozambique Services

CMA CGM announced the reshuffling of its services on the ASIA-South Africa and Mozambique trades in partnership with Maersk Line (ML). Beginning April 24, the new CMA CGM ASIA-SOUTH AFRICA service network will be covered by the following loop: •    New SHAKA2: A service jointly operated by CMA CGM and Maersk Line with 8 vessels of 6,500Teus. The rotation includes: Shanghai, Ningbo, Fuzhou, Yantian, Tanjung Pelepas, Port Louis, Durban, Port Elizabeth, Ngqura, Port Louis

Safmarine MD, Safren CEO Step Down

South Africa's Safmarine Container Lines reported that its Managing Director and Safren Chief Executive Tony Farr had stepped down. Moeller, which owns the world's leading container shipping company Maersk, acquired Safmarine's container shipping assets in February for $240 million cash plus the assumption of $115 million debts.

Maersk Line General Rate Increase

Maersk Line announced that unsustainable rates and continued improved demand led to rate increases effective 1 May 2009. The filed increases are as follows on eastbound services from Northern Europe, North Africa and Mediterranean to the Middle East and South Asia: - USD 100 per 20' dry container - USD 200 per 40' dry container The increase applies equally to all cargo and commodities, excluding reefers.

Rates, N America to Mediterranean, N Africa

The general rate increase on the North America to Mediterranean and  North Africa trade which Maersk Line previously announced for 15 June  2009 will now be effective 1 July 2009. Maersk Line has delayed the increase to coincide with the change in Bunker  Adjustment Factor (BAF), also scheduled for 1 July 2009.  By combining the rate increase and the BAF into a single event, Maersk Line will simplify tariff and contract maintenance, reducing complexity for customers

CMA CGM Launches New Asia-W. Africa Service

CMA CGM Group launched a new direct service linking Asia to West Africa, effective August 3, 2011. Named WAX II, this new service will be operated in partnership with CSAV and will deploy 10 vessels from 2,500 TEUs up to 3,100 TEUs (5 CMA CGM vessels, 5 CSAV vessels). It will serve China, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Nigeria, Togo, Ghana, Ivory Coast and Cameroon.  This service will enable the Group to provide its customers with the following advantages: