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, is back for the 2011 season.
According to Safmarine’s South Africa-Europe trade manager, Ian Fairlie, sailings for this year’s REX service - which operates between South Africa and Europe - will commence on May 28.
The REX Service will call Port Elizabeth/Cape Town/Tilbury/Rotterdam/Port Elizabeth with Lisbon subject to inducement on the northbound leg.
According to Fairlie, the 2011 REX service will offer increased capacity compared to 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.”
Fairlie says although the REX service is marketed as an additional, weekly purely reefer container service (provided in addition to the core SAECS service), the service will also be available to shippers of dry cargo. Cargonews Asia |