SAECS reefer loop to restart

SAECS reefer loop to restart    A group of carriers operating a joint service between South Africa and Northern Europe are reportedly set to restart a seasonal express reefer loop on the same trade.
   Members of the South Africa Europe Container Service include Safmarine, sister line Maersk Line, MOL, and Deutsche Afrika Linien (DAL). The lines operate a seven-ship service with a rotation of Rotterdam, Tilbury, Bremerhaven, Las Palmas, Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, Durban, Cape Town, Las Palmas and Rotterdam, reports American Shipper affiliate ComPair Data.
   Three years ago, the lines started a seasonal reefer loop to complement the service, primarily to take advantage of citrus season in South Africa. The reefer loop was shuttered in August.
   According to a report Friday by Containerisation International, the service is to start up again May 28 with the same rotation as was pulled in August: Port Elizabeth, Cape Town, Rotterdam, Tilbury and Port Elizabeth. It's unclear what ships will be used on the service, but when it was withdrawn, it operated with five ships of 1,200 to 1,800 TEUs of capacity, with Safmarine providing three and MOL and DAL one each.