Grimaldi adds U.S./Africa direct service

Grimaldi adds U.S./Africa direct service    The Grimaldi Group, the world’s leading operator of multipurpose roll-on/roll-off/container and pure car and truck carrier vessels, on Monday announced an expansion of its services to West Africa.
   The company will establish a new, direct service between the U.S. East Coast and West Africa starting March 1 to complement the group’s existing North America/West Africa Service, which combines ACL's transatlantic vessels with Grimaldi's Europe/West Africa vessels via Antwerp.
   Grimaldi has been the largest carrier of new and used vehicles between Europe and West Africa for almost 30 years, with a history of operating car and truck carriers in the West African trades since the mid-1970s. The company also transports vehicles between South America and Africa and handles Far East/Africa transshipments via Europe.
   The new Grimaldi service will call at the Northeast Auto Terminal in the port of New York and New Jersey, Dundalk Terminal in Baltimore, and the Blount Island Terminal in Jacksonville, Fla. Ships will sail directly to Dakar, Lome, Cotonou, Lagos and Tema, with connecting service on Grimaldi vessels to Banjul, Conakry, Freetown, Monrovia, Abidjan, Douala, Pointe Noire, Matadi and Luanda. Cars, SUVs, trucks, construction and agricultural equipment of all sizes will be accommodated. The new service will be operated monthly at first, but the frequency will be reviewed as market demand grows.