Hapag-Lloyd Launch of Africa Service

Hapag-Lloyd is starting its new weekly service from Europe to South Africa in October 2006. The relevant organization is already in place in South Africa. Hapag-Lloyd is starting its new service from Europe to Africa not with charter ships as originally planned, but after further studying the market as a space charterer from Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), based in Geneva. "As a result of the cooperation with MSC, we can offer our customers considerable service improvements with fixed day weekly sailings and refrigerated cargo capacity," said Tony Firmin, Managing Director Ships and Container Management of Hapag-Lloyd AG at the signing of the agreement with MSC. The South Africa Express service (SAX) will link the European ports Felixstowe, Hamburg, Antwerp and Le Havre with Cape Town, Port Elizabeth and Durban. Transit time from Cape Town to Hamburg will be 18 days. The service will start with the first voyage from Felixstowe on Oct. 16th, the first north bound vessel will leave Durban on Oct. 29th.