November 11 - SafmarineMPV expects the multipurpose trade between South and West Africa to grow in 2015 as South African companies strengthen their foothold in the West African market and become more globally competitive.
James Lewer, SAFWAF line manager at SafmarineMPV said: "Intra-Africa trade of value-added, manufactured goods has grown faster than African exports to the rest of the world, according to a recent Economic Outlook Report published by the African Development Bank, OECD Development Centre and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
"South African companies such as Gauteng-based Dominex - which provides infrastructure parts and manufactured goods to railway and mining companies in Africa - have seemingly proven their competitiveness globally as well as their ability to respond to West Africa's needs for goods and services."
Earlier this year Dominex was awarded a tender to supply Angola's major railway line, Caminho de Ferro de Benguela (CFB) with 11 rail wagons, following a global tender process.
The CFB line links the port of Lobito to the eastern border town of Luau in Moxico province, where a new international airport is under construction.
Kirk Christodoulakis, ceo, and Nico Christodoulakis, sales engineer, at Dominex commented on the project: "Angola is rebuilding and upgrading the railway infrastructure for the future, responding in particular to the demand from the emerging and growing middle-class for more executive rail transportation and accommodation.
"The CFB is a very important and strategic Angolan rail network, not only because it provides access to the inner part of the country but, more importantly, because it links to the copperbelts of Katanga province, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Zambia."
This was the first time Dominex and its freight forwarder, Mentor Freight Services, had shipped with Belgian-based shipping line SafmarineMPV.
Kirk Christodoulakis said that "having access to a reliable and frequent shipping service, such as SafmarineMPV's SAFWAF service, makes it possible for companies such as Dominex to take advantage of the significant business opportunities in West Africa."
SafmarineMPV was on hand throughout the loading process and appointed a team of experts in rigging and lashing, as well as handling and stowing, in order to ensure that the rail carriages arrived safely in Angola.
