Macs prepares for fleet upgrade

As the shipping industry faces a
period of uncertainty, there are
some smaller lines who believe
they are well placed to ride out the storm.
As niche multi-purpose operator
Maritime Carrier Shipping looks back on
a positive first 10 months of 2008, it is
preparing for a fleet upgrade that will see
the acquisition of six new vessels, the first
of which will be delivered in 2010.
Slightly bigger and faster than the
current fleet, they are purpose-designed
to meet the needs of the multi-purpose
market it serves.
“Last year was a good year for us,”
says Macs’ Marc Frauendorf. “We grew
volumes in all sectors – breakbulk, bulk,
container and reefer – on all three trades
on which we operate. In September we
saw things tailing off and since October
all bookings are significantly down.”
The line was kept busy with large
volumes of project cargo not only
bound for South Africa – the likes of the
Gautrain and World Cup-related cargo
– but also for southern Africa where
the mining industry and infrastructure
upgrades kept volumes buoyant in 2008.
“This type type of business is also moving
in reduced volumes this year, the only
exception being Namibia, which has not
yet been affected by the recession,”
says Frauendorf.
In fact the Port of Walvis Bay is busier
than ever, coping with cargo bound for
Angola and Zambia. This thanks to the
inability of Angolan ports to operate with
any semblance of efficiency.
According to Frauendorf, some vessels
are delayed in Luanda for 30-35 days,
forcing lines to divert to Walvis Bay.
Despite the gloomy atmosphere,
the southern African market remains a
growth point for Macs, with Namibia
and Mozambique regions of particular
promise.
The immediate challenge, says Macs’
Sylvia Johnston, is keeping rates at a
reasonable level and keeping the
ships full.
“We review rates at the end of each
calendar year and issue a new tariff. There
was no rate increase this year and rates
remain under pressure.”
A brighter light in the generally gloomy
picture is Macs’ reefer business. “We are
a small player and as such we manage to
keep our equipment utilised by focusing
on niche customers and niche markets,”
Frauendorf added.