SHIPOWNER AND PATRON OF THE ARTS

Like ships, art has the singular ability to transport people on a journey. It's for this reason that Marfret has been committed for many years to supporting artists of all tendencies by stimulating their creativity through travel. Our ships become playgrounds where their imagination can be given free rein.

In January 2010, the visual artist Erick Deroost embarked on a voyage aboard the Marfret Marajo bound for the Caribbean and Central America. During a whole month, the artist in residence lived the life of a seaman, killing time, coping with stress and bad weather and experiencing port calls. The photographs relating his experiences during the month-long trip were exhibited at Dunkirk's Maritime Museum last year. read more

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MARFRET TO PURCHASE 3000 CONTAINERS

Marfret has just ordered 3000 containers from the Chinese company CXIC: 1500 20' dry, 800 40' dry and 700 40' HC's. Production is now under way. read more

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" ROLL ON ROLL OFF " PRESENTED IN KIEV

Mécènes du Sud award winner Marie Reinert recently presented her film "Roll On Roll Off" at the Art Kyiv fair held from 2nd to 13th November at Kiev's Arsenal Museum. read more

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DOMINICAN BANANA EXPORTS DOWN

Heavy rain has taken its toll on the Dominican Republic's banana plantations, wiping out 40% of the crop. The plants have fallen victim to Black Sigatoka, or black leaf streak, a disease caused by a fungus that destroys the leaves before the bunches are harvested, making the fruit unfit for exportation. read more

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FLUVIOFEEDER GOES RIVER DATING

The 4th edition of the River Dating Conference took place on 7th and 8th December at the Halle Freyssinet in Paris. The event, dedicated to inland waterways and intermodal transport, brought together 125 exhibitors and 122 principals for a total of 3500 pre-arranged business meetings. read more

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EXPORTS: A LIFELINE FOR ITALY AND SPAIN?

Even with their economies bled dry, crumbling under the combined burdens of debt and unemployment, Italy and Spain still retain strong manufacturing bases which fuel their exports. Both countries are relying on their vigorous exports to revitalise listless growth figures.

Port activity is in full swing at Genoa, Valencia and Barcelona, a good indicator of the healthy state of Italian and Spanish exports in the midst of the current economic slowdown.

"The port of Valencia has a vast hinterland that provides it with general cargoes such as foodstuffs, ceramics, marble, and chemicals that we ship to the Dominican Republic and the French West Indies. Ceramics and marble make up 40% of the tonnage loaded on Marfret ships out of Valencia... read more

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THE "REEFER" REVOLUTION

After the container revolution, here's the reefer revolution. The reefer container is taking an increasingly large market share for the transport of fresh or fragile goods such as pharmaceutical products. To respond to this development, Marfret has decided to increase its reefer capacity, in particular on its MedCar service.

Like their "dry" container counterparts, the ancestors of which were created during the early fifties by an American, Malcolm McLean, reefer containers have become standardised and come in three sizes: 20' x 8' 6" high, 40' x 8' 6" high and 40' x 9' 6" high. The latter, called 'hi-cubes", are the most widely used. Out of the 151,000 reefers manufactured worldwide in 2011, 140,000 were 40' hi-cubes.

They are all produced in the Chinese factories of the manufacturers CIMC and Singamas. The refrigeration units on the other hand are made by specialist firms such as Carrier (factory in Singapore), Thermo King (Shanghai), Daikin (Shanghai) and Maersk Container Industry (Qingdao). Prices fluctuate according to demand; after having peaked earlier this year, they have now settled down to around $18,500 for a 40' HC complete with refrigeration unit. read more

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MARFRET EXTENDING COVERAGE OF CARIBBEAN-SOUTH AMERICA ZONE

The MedCar service now calls at two new ports, providing connections with the North Europe-South America service with 2500-TEU ships to replace the 1500-TEU ships currently in service and an increase in reefer capacity. A meeting of agents in Marseilles mid-January will set out the new service objectives.

The Mediterranean-Caribbean (MedCar) service has seen two new ports added to its routing with effect from 16th December last. The service, which calls at Algeciras, Livorno, Genoa, Sete, Barcelona, Valencia, Pointe à Pitre, Fort de France, La Guaira, Cartagena, Manzanillo, Santo Domingo, now includes Port Moin in Costa Rica and Port of Spain, Trinidad, just north of Venezuela. This adds an additional destination country on the MedCar line and provides a weekly connection with the North Europe-South America service at two points: Algeciras and Port of Spain. read more

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