Las Palmas call creates new niche markets for SAECS

THE LAUNCH by the SA - Europe Container Service of a weekly Las Palmas call on its SA - Europe run has created a new niche opportunity between the Canaries and Europe within the the broader service.
Las Palmas plays host to over 8-million tourists annually, which translates into big volumes of foodstuffs and related business moving from Europe to the Islands.
According to CEO Frits Bijker, this is a potentially lucrative market for major SAECS members Safmarine and DAL, which have formed an alliance to control their interests in the SAECS service.
On the return leg, from the Canary Islands to Europe, volumes are small. But tomatoes are a major export from the Islands, and this too is a market which Safmarine and DAL are keen to exploit.
While significant volumes currently move on reefer services, Bijker is confident that a share of this market can be secured for SAECS, particularly since the tomato season falls in South Africa's off-season for fruit.
South Africa's currency woes have clearly left their dent on
the Europe - SA trade where Bijker confirms a drop-off in imports from the UK and NWC in favour of the Far East.
But we haven't seen exports taking off as much as we would have liked.
The motor manufacturing industry has big plans, and we hope that with the rand having dropped by 25%, we will become more competitive.