The Mediterranean Shipping
Company (MSC) – which
has seen “significant
growth” in African
container volumes – has upgraded
its container management system
with more emphasis on better
container utilisation to minimise
costs and sustain continued growth.
“We are also exploring new ports
of call in Africa, including recently
launching a call to the Mogadishu
port in Somalia,” said marketing
director, Glenn Delve, adding that
the shipping company was looking
at Pemba as well. “In fact, MSC will
call where the cargo is offered.”
Delve said that over the past
three years exports into Africa had
grown by 28.9% for the company.
“Part of this growth relates to
continued product development to
serve growing African markets,”
he said. Currently exports into
Africa represent 7.1% of MSC’s
combined total turnover (imports
and exports).
“The shipping industry plays an
integral role in the economy and
development of Africa, especially
within the mining sector where
there is a continued need for
equipment and consumables – and
similarly the extraction and export
of mineral mining resources which
are in abundance,” said Delve.
“MSC’s roots are in Africa and
we control about 38% of the trade
into the continent from South
Africa due to the strong presence
we have at the ports.” Delve told
FTW that to maintain its strong
position in Africa the company
was proactive in identifying new
logistics opportunities and focused
on continual development of its
containerised depot facilities and
landside logistics.
“Another success for MSC has
been the diversification into the
business of the company’s own
container depots, situated in
Durban, Port Elizabeth, Utenhage,
Cape Town, Johannesburg,
Pretoria, East London and Rosslyn,
which offers its own rail siding,
facilitating clients’ access to the
manufacturing plants, a particularly
critical issue for the motor industry,”
said Delve.
“We control the full and empty
depots, which enables customers
to deal with one company and not
third parties. There are further
advantages for customers in being
able to utilise our depots for storage
at preferential tariffs as they are
customers of MSC,” he said.
INSERT & CAPTION
MSC controls about 38 % of
the trade into the continent
from South Africa.
– Glenn Delve
CAPTION
MSC now calls at the port of Mogadishu in Somalia.
