Hapag-Lloyd Launch of Africa Service
Hapag-Lloyd is starting its new weekly service from Europe to South Africa in October 2006. The relevant organization is already in place in South Africa. Hapag-Lloyd is starting its new service from Europe to Africa not with charter ships as originally planned, but after further studying the market as a space charterer from Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), based in Geneva. "As a result of the cooperation with MSC, we can offer our customers considerable service improvements with fixed day weekly sailings and refrigerated cargo capacity," said Tony Firmin, Managing Director Ships and Container Management of Hapag-Lloyd AG at the signing of the agreement with MSC. Hamburg, Antwerp and Le Havre with Cape Town, Port Elizabeth and Durban.
CP Ships, Hapag-Lloyd to Rrationalize Services
With the acquisition of CP Ships by Hapag-Lloyd, plans are set for the first in a series of service rationalizations: the combining of services between the West Mediterranean, the US East Coast and the Gulf of Mexico from February 2006. "Thanks to the integration of the two hitherto independent services, we can significantly improve the product for our customers and also achieve the benefits of rationalization," commented Tony Firmin, Managing Director of Hapag-Lloyd Container Line, on the reorganization of the links between the West Mediterranean and the Gulf of Mexico, which will be effective from February 2006. This planned service improvement was expedited by the acquisition of P&O Nedlloyd by Maersk and the subsequent changes in previous joint ventures.
