Lars Christiansen News

German-based Hapag-Lloyd opened a new office in the Ghana port city Tema, on February 1, 2018. Effective immediately, the company will be represented at the local level by its own customer service staff. “Africa is strongly developing just now. To benefit from this growth, it’s important for us to strengthen our presence in Ghana with our own office – and to get even closer to our local customers,” said Lars Christiansen, Senior Managing Director of Hapag-Lloyd’s Region Middle East. West Africa has recorded significant growth in the last two years, with gross domestic product (GDP) rising by six percent on average. Among Ghana’s most important export goods are cocoa, timber products and cashew nuts.

Ocean carrier Hapag-Lloyd will commence a new weekly service between the Port of Jeddah and the east coast of Africa in April. With the East Africa Service (EAS), the liner shipping company will be calling at the ports of Mombasa (Kenya) and Dar es Salaam (Tanzania) for the first time. These will be connected to Hapag-Lloyd’s existing global network via the Saudi Arabian port of Jeddah, as the central hub of the region. Hapag-Lloyd will initially deploy four vessels, each with a capacity of 1,200 TEU, in the EAS. The fast-growing economies of countries in East Africa further inland from Kenya and Tanzania, which lack their own seaports, are also likely to benefit from this new offer, as it will give them improved access to the global market.

United Arab Shipping Company (UASC) has launched two new West Africa services, WAF2 and WAF3, to enhance schedule reliability and cater to growing demand. The new services, effective September 2015, will operate in addition to UASC’s existing WAF1 service. Lars Christiansen, Chief Trade Officer at UASC commented, “In addition to reduced transit times and enhanced schedule reliability, the new services are designed to improve connections between West Mediterranean and West Africa enabling our customers globally to avail of new opportunities.

The United Arab Shipping Company (UASC) announce two senior executive appointments to further position the company for its next phase of growth. The company says its major transformation and investment program which is underway, calls for a new operating model to support the business. The appointments provide the depth and breadth to UASC’s Executive Management team to deliver on ambitious growth plans. “UASC is preparing for significant changes on the back of new capacity coming into service with a major program of new vessel acquisition”, said Jorn Hinge, UASC President and CEO.

UASC announced two senior executive appointments to further position the company for its next phase of growth. The major transformation and investment program which is underway, calls for a new operating model to support the business. The appointments provide the depth and breadth to UASC’s Executive Management team to deliver on ambitious growth plans. “UASC is preparing for significant changes on the back of new capacity coming into service with a major program of new vessel acquisition,” said Jorn Hinge, UASC President and CEO.