Grounded ship hits SA sectors

JOHANNESBURG – Volkswagen South Africa said on Thursday it was cutting back on production after losing car parts on a ship grounded off the southern English coast.

Looters made away with everything from car parts to BMW motorbikes and nappies as wreckage littered the beach after MSC Napoli was purposely grounded last Saturday to prevent it sinking at sea amid storms. The vessel was supposed to unload almost half of its 2 400 containers at South African ports in Cape Town, Port Elizabeth and Durban, said Mike Vanhear, Johannesburg’s manager for MSC, one of the world’s largest shipping lines.The total value of the cargo was still to be calculated, he said.Volkswagen South Africa said it would shut production at its South African plant every Friday for at least the next four weeks after vehicle parts needed for four car models – the Citi Golf, Polo, Golf and Jetta – were lost, a company spokeswoman said.The reduced production would affect about two thirds of Volkswagen’s 6 500 domestic workforce, the spokeswoman said.She declined to say whether the change would disturb sales.”We will review the situation on an ongoing basis,” she said.Also in the beached containers were dozens of oak barrels on their way to South African wineries, said Dalene Steyn, market manager of Wines of South Africa.The shipment loss comes as vineyards prepare to harvest grapes by early February and could disrupt production of some top quality wines, Steyn said.”Some producers will be affected, yes definitely,” she said.Acerinox, the Spanish owner of South African steel maker Columbus Stainless, said 160 tonnes of nickel was on board the ship.BMW South Africa said it had 39 motorbikes and back-up vehicle parts on board.Some of the containers were also carrying the belongings of people emigrating to South Africa, officials said.A search is still underway to recover more than lost 30 containers while some 70 have been found, according to London’s Zodiac Maritime Agencies, managers of the ship.Nampa-ReutersThe vessel was supposed to unload almost half of its 2 400 containers at South African ports in Cape Town, Port Elizabeth and Durban, said Mike Vanhear, Johannesburg’s manager for MSC, one of the world’s largest shipping lines.The total value of the cargo was still to be calculated, he said.Volkswagen South Africa said it would shut production at its South African plant every Friday for at least the next four weeks after vehicle parts needed for four car models – the Citi Golf, Polo, Golf and Jetta – were lost, a company spokeswoman said.The reduced production would affect about two thirds of Volkswagen’s 6 500 domestic workforce, the spokeswoman said.She declined to say whether the change would disturb sales.”We will review the situation on an ongoing basis,” she said.Also in the beached containers were dozens of oak barrels on their way to South African wineries, said Dalene Steyn, market manager of Wines of South Africa.The shipment loss comes as vineyards prepare to harvest grapes by early February and could disrupt production of some top quality wines, Steyn said.”Some producers will be affected, yes definitely,” she said.Acerinox, the Spanish owner of South African steel maker Columbus Stainless, said 160 tonnes of nickel was on board the ship.BMW South Africa said it had 39 motorbikes and back-up vehicle parts on board.Some of the containers were also carrying the belongings of people emigrating to South Africa, officials said.A search is still underway to recover more than lost 30 containers while some 70 have been found, according to London’s Zodiac Maritime Agencies, managers of the ship.Nampa-Reuters