Safmarine's South Africa-Europe reefer express bears fruit May 28

THE seasonal SAECS Reefer Express (REX) service, which was first launched three years ago to provide extra capacity during the South African peak fruit season, has resumed for the 2011 season.


Safmarine's South Africa-Europe trade manager Ian Fairlie said sailings for this year's REX service, which operates between South Africa and Europe, will commence on May 28.


The REX service will call at Port Elizabeth, Cape Town, Tilbury, Rotterdam, returning to Port Elizabeth. The carrier said in a statement that a stop at Lisbon is "subject to inducement on the northbound leg."


Mr Fairlie said this year's reinstated service will offer more capacity than in 2009 and 2010. "Plug capacity on the six vessels which will be deployed on the 2011 REX service has been adjusted in line with the anticipated increased seasonal demand.


"The increase in the number of plugs is particularly good news for South African exporters and European importers of Cape citrus and pomme fruit, who will also benefit from the two sailings per week frequency and the REX's direct link between the Cape ports and Tilbury/Rotterdam."


He said that in spite of the REX service being marketed as an additional, weekly 'purely reefer' container service that the shipping line provides in addition to the core SAECS service, the REX service will also be available to shippers of dry cargo.


The company said in the statement that its "2011 reefer volumes to date have been up on the 2010 volumes for the same period and all indications are that this will be a good season for the South African fruit export industry."


Mr Fairlie added that demand for reefer space and equipment has also been high since the start of the year.
(Source:http://www.schednet.com)