Universal Africa Lines B.V. (UBSL) is expanding its operations by launching a new breakbulk shipping line for the Caribbean and East Coast of South America.
This venture, UBSL Caribbean Line, is a joint effort between BOCS Bremen and Universal Africa Lines (UAL), building on the companies’ existing liner services from the Mediterranean and Black Sea to West Africa.
The head office will be based in Capelle /d Ijssel in the Netherlands, utilizing a fleet of 21 modern multipurpose vessels with lifting capacities up to 360 metric tons.
“Together, the new service can draw on 21 modern geared multi-purpose vessels ranging from 4.354 deadweight tonnage (dwt) to 33.000 dwt, equipped with ships gear up to 360 metric ton lifting capacity,” UAL said in an Oct. 8 announcement seen by OilNOW.
Initial sailings will occur monthly, with loading ports in Aberdeen and Antwerp, and discharge points in Trinidad, Guyana, Suriname, and potentially Brazil, depending on demand.
“Having the chance to expand trading routes and respectively our network certainly is a great opportunity,” said Björn Hollnagel, Managing Director of BOCS. “Openness, flexibility, and customer proximity have always built the core of our business activities. Our clientele will not only benefit from an extended service, but also from our well-established collaboration with UAL.”
He said the company is enthusiastic about this new challenge and looks forward to continuing its joint success story.”
Harald Maas, Director of Universal Africa Lines, noted that the company has experienced increasing demand from its clients for a liner service originating in Northwest Europe, similar to the service they already run from the USA to the Caribbean and South America.
“So it was only logical after our joint venture in the Mediterranean that we would start this new adventure together with our good partner BOCS. We will continue to build on our success,” he said.
