Barwil South Africa (BSA) and Global Port Services (GPS) have merged their assets, staff and portfolios into the new shipping agency. Barwil is the majority shareholder.
BSA will be closed down at the end of 2005, and all directors in GPS and BSA have or will resign.
Barwil is a part of Wilhelmsen Maritime Services (WMS), a fully owned subsidiary in the Wilh. Wilhelmsen Group.
Good strategic fit
GPS’s portfolio has been focused on general cargos, semi-liner, fertilizers and bulk commodities in the local market, while Barwil has operated as a liner, husbandry and dry/liquid bulk operator for international principles. Combined, this represents a good strategic fit, filling out each other with critical volume.
Barwil Ships Service (BSS) operates with fully staffed and equipped offices in Richards Bay, Durban, Cape Town and Saldanha Bay. There is also a sub-agency network in Walvis Bay, Port Elizabeth, East London and other South African ports. Plans call for fully owned and operated offices in Port Elizabeth and East London by Q2 2006.
The new venture has 58 employees.
BSS will, over time also increase its African Shipping agency network into a comprehensive Sub Sahara network.
» Follow this link to Barwil Unitor's web site for more detailed information.
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Wilhelmsen Maritime Services (WMS) is a fully owned subsidiary in the Wilh. Wilhelmsen Group. The company was established at 1 January 2005 and embraces Barwil, Barber Ship Management and Unitor. WMS has 4 500 employees operating out of 380 locations in 72 countries, plus 8 500 seagoing personnel in its crewing network and approximately 300 ships under management. The global network is organised into 8 regions.