SIX EUROPE/WEST AFRICA LINES FORM FIRST CONFERENCE IN 8 YEARS

SIX EUROPE/WEST AFRICA LINES FORM FIRST CONFERENCE IN 8 YEARS    A new European West Africa Trade Agreement (EWATA) has been formed by A.P. Moller group subsidiaries Maersk Sealand and Safmarine Container Lines (including CMB Transport), together with P&O Nedlloyd, West-Afrika Linien-Dienst, Nile Dutch Africa Line and H. Stinnes.
   The move is in response to a dramatic downward movement in rates over the past 18 months, one of the lines said.
   The new trade agreement, which is the first in this trade for 8 years, covers a full range of North European ports, including the U.K., Scandinavia, and Atlantic ports in France, Spain and Portugal. Its range in West Africa is from Mauritania to Angola.
   The new EWATA group excludes three major players: Grimaldi Lines and Delmas, together with O.T. Africa Line, Delmas’ new subsidiary.
   In 1992 Delmas bore the brunt of punitive EC fines for anti-competitive behaviour, which shut down the former Europe/West Africa conference.