SAFMARINE RENAMES OPERATIONS, AGENCIES

SAFMARINE RENAMES OPERATIONS, AGENCIES    Safmarine Container Lines, the north/south shipping group acquired last year by the A.P. Moller group, said that it is bringing virtually all of its shipping services, subsidiaries and agencies worldwide under the single brand name Safmarine.
   The liner shipping services previously operated under the names SCL (Safmarine Container Lines) and CMB Transport are being renamed Safmarine. The name CMB Transport, well known in the West African trades, will be phased out and replaced by the new corporate name by the end of the year.
   The group’s ASECO agency offices in Europe and its SafLink office organization in South Africa have also been renamed Safmarine.
   In North America, the activities of the former third-party agent Gulf & Atlantic Maritime Services are being integrated into Safmarine-owned offices.
   The North America/South Africa shipping line SafBank, owned by Safmarine and by the British shipping group Andrew Weir Shipping, is not affected by the changes of names within the Safmarine group.
   Howard Boyd, chief executive officer of Safmarine, said that his company will continue to operate under its name and commercial independence separately from Maersk Sealand, its sister company within the A.P. Moller group.