Eastern Cape Express to link Namibia and South Africa with Benelux and UK ports from first week of January 2025
Shipping company MSC is to launch a new service from southern Africa to Europe from the start of 2025, as it looks to support the northbound trade in table grapes, among other products.
The Eastern Cape Express Service will connect South Africa and Namibia to northern Europe from the first week of January, when the region’s grape export gets into full swing.
It will operate out of Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth) and Walvis Bay, sailing directly to Rotterdam, London Gateway, and Antwerp.
Those three European stops are scheduled to take place 21 days, 22 days, and 24 days respectively after departure from Gqeberha.
“This new route offers an express service from the Eastern Cape region and Namibia to major commercial centres in Europe without a stop in Cape Town, enhancing transit times and giving our customers more direct options,” the group said in a statement.
It added that the service will complement its Namibia Grape Express service and offer broader coverage for exporters in Southern Africa.
Commenting on the news, Steve Alaerts of Antwerp-based logistics specialist Foodcareplus said: ”It is positive to see that shipping lines are setting up services, temporarily or otherwise, to support specific fruit and vegetable flows.”
He added: “As part of our broad Supply Chain of the Future project at the Supply Chain Council of the International Fresh Produce Association, we will focus on even better communication between the market and shipping lines, which will benefit both parties.”
