Murcia grape picker

A Murcia grape picker

Maritime logistics provider MacAndrews has met with members of Murcia producer-exporters association Proexport to look at improving transport from the south-eastern Spanish region to the UK.

Juan Marín, president of the organisation, said: “It is important that we can count on alternatives that help us in the face of situations such as the lack of backhauling in road haulage which lead to an increase in transport costs for us.

'That is why at Proexport we have entered into dialogue with our customers in the UK supermarkets to point out both the environmental and economic value of seafreight.”

Josep Gimeno, MacAndrews’ director in Spain,was at the meeting to talk to commercial directors of Proexport’s member firms. He added: “Whereas road haulage can take three to four days to reach the UK, by ship it is five days, although we have faster transit times to Ireland than we do by road.”

However, he pointed out that the environmental impact by maritime transport is less, freight costs are lower and capacity by container is the same as well as the regularity of service.