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Issue 7 2013 Freight Business Journal


///IBERIA SAECS merger will help shippers, says Safmarine


Safmarine says Iberian importers of reefer and automotive cargo are likely to benefit most from the recent decision made by SAECS member lines (Safmarine, Maersk Line, DAL and MOL) to merge the current SAECS service with the Med-Shuttle/225 services in October 2013 and add Algeciras as both a northbound and


southbound voyage on the core service. Not only will the new SAECS


service provide reduced transit times between South African ports and Algeciras, boosting Iberian imports, but the deployment of larger vessels in 2014 will also help relieve the capacity pressures for imported reefer cargo –


predominantly South African fruit – and automotive cargoes moving into Spain. Patricia Sobreira, who took


over as Safmarine’s Iberia Cluster Manager in September this year, “The deployment of larger vessels with a capacity of 6,700 teu and the addition of the north- and soutbound calls at Algeciras will


definitely benefit our customers in Iberia.” Ms Sobreira says Iberia is seen as


an important market in Safmarine because of the strong, historical relationships Spain and Portugal enjoy with core Safmarine markets such as South America, Africa and the Indian Subcontinent (ISC). Safmarine


officially started


Patricia Sobreira says customers will gain from larger ships


MULTIMODAL 2014


Advanced Supply Chain Management and Logistics for Cargo Owners


NEC Birmingham 29 April to 1 May 2014


The UK and Ireland’s only event dedicated to more efficient freight transport & logistics and supply chain management


business in Iberia in December 1997. An office for Safmarine Portugal was also created in 1999 aſter years of representation by the agency, Aseco. In July 2007, the Safmarine


España


head office moved to Valencia in order to be closer to the


main customer and shipping activity. Safmarine Iberia is currently represented in five locations: Valencia, Barcelona, Madrid, Lisbon and Leixoes. The line also has a sales presence in Bilbao and Vigo which is managed from Valencia.


Reasons to be cheerful


James Mears Iberian Route Manager at Manchester-based Ital Logistics says that the economic crisis is still the hot topic of conversation in Spain, following a visit to his Spanish partners in Barcelona and Madrid. He told FBJ: “Several Madrid


manufactures we also visited were very disappointed about losing the Olympics. They expected to see growth within their business and a boost to the local economy.” One Madrid machinery parts company told Ital that they had 14 people working at our premises during 2012, but they now only have six and they have shortened their opening hours. The proprietor sometimes took orders home so that customers could collect from my home, such is the cut-throat nature of business in Spain these days. One of Spain’s biggest problem


is cash flow, and while a new law requires companies to pay invoices in 75 days, many are still taking 90 to 120 days to settle accounts. But it’s not all doom and


www.multimodal.org.uk Multimodal 2014 • Freight • Transport • Logistics • SCM


+44 (0)20 7384 7759 | jenny.moore@clarionevents.com


gloom, Mears continues: “Our Barcelona partners have opened a new depot in Tarragona and our Madrid partner have taken on an extra sales person and an extra operations person.” The chemical sector remains


very strong and Ital has seen no decline in business in this sector,


unlike most others. And Iberia is still Ital Logistics’


fastest growing market: “Volumes are close to those of our core service, Italy. We have 10 to 12 groupage trailers per week to Spain plus 15 full loads southbound. During 2013 we’ve seen a large increase in our export business; Ital Logistics has a good name in the industry, competitive prices and the advantage of carrying dangerous goods on every departure (there are two onside danagerous goods safety advisors) which is giving us the edge on our competition.” Ital offers deliveries to all of mainland Spain from 1kg up to a full load as well as to every Spanish Island including the Canaries, plus Andorra and Gibraltar. Temperature controlled, flat beds and semi low loaders for out of gauge cargo and express services taking 24-36 hours are available. Ital offers direct departures to Barcelona, Madrid, Valencia, Irun, Vigo, Zaragoza and Cadiz.


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