Prior to sailing from Albert Johnson Quay, Portsmouth (Tuesday 11 Aug 15) for her 100th voyage for the UK’s premier Caribbean shipping line, MV Klipper Stream hosted a celebration lunch for her crew, members of MMD and Geest Line.
Captain Peter Dixon, the Managing Director of Geest Line, presented the ship’s Master, Captain Gerard Flippo, with a plaque to mark the occasion. In doing so he thanked the Captain and crew for all their hard work and sterling service as they carry out the requirements of the Line in the Caribbean, UK and France.
Geest Line has been operating in the Caribbean for over 6 decades, Klipper Stream is one of four specialist refrigerated (reefer) vessels which has been under charter to the line from since 2008. A very versatile vessel, she is capable of carrying 324 x 20 foot containers for cargo (or 40 foot equivalent), and her 4 holds are used to carry Break Bulk Cargo. Geest Line is the leading shipping line in terms of Break Bulk Cargo carriage from UK and Europe to the Caribbean and can carry almost anything on deck. Her 4 holds are temperature and atmosphere controlled, allowing her to ship millions of Bananas from the Caribbean to the UK and Europe on a weekly basis.
During her 100 voyages Klipper Stream has covered approx. 1.2 million miles travelling from Europe to the Caribbean and inter island between Antigua, St Kitts, Dominica, Martinique, St Lucia, St Vincent, Grenada, Barbados and Trinidad, she has also just finished a mango season in Puerto Rico. She takes eight days to make her Atlantic crossing and only 28 days for a round trip Portsmouth to Portsmouth. She has carried approx. 2.6 billion bananas from the Caribbean to the UK – enough to supply over a quarter of the earth’s population with a banana.
Klipper Stream, in concert with her 3 sister vessels (Benguela, Agulhas and Timor), maintains a weekly presence for Geest Line within the Caribbean, arriving Portsmouth on a Sunday and sailing Tuesday. Klipper Stream 100 will arrive in Le Havre AM Wednesday 12 Aug – Fort de France, Martinique PM Thursday 20 Aug – Bridgetown, Barbados AM Friday 21 Aug – Port of Spain, Trinidad AM Saturday 22 Aug – St George’s, Grenada AM Sunday 23 Aug – Kingstown, St Vincent PM Sunday 23 Aug – Castries, St Lucia AM Monday 24 Aug – Vieux Fort, St Lucia PM Monday 24 Aug – Fort de France, Martinique AM Tuesday 25 Aug – Roseau, Dominica PM Tuesday 25 Aug – Manzanillo, Dominican Republic PM Thursday 27 Aug before returning to Portsmouth PM Sunday 6 Sept. Her westbound cargo includes brand new luxury cars, large excavators, containers with dry cargo; sugar, fertilizer, household goods, British products etc. She will move various cargos between the islands, whilst once again her eastbound return leg will see her full to the gunnels with tropical produce.
GEEST LINE
”CONNECTING THE CARIBBEAN”
Geest Line are proud to announce sponsorship of the Wadadli Atlantic rowing team based in Antigua. The challenge commences in December 2015 from La Gomera in the Canary Islands and there starts the adventure crossing the Atlantic to arrive in English Harbour, Antigua. The team leader Dr Nick Fuller decided to take up the challenge of rowing the 2,800 miles last year after watching the rowers arrive many times over the years from his small fishing boat he owned and with the desire to be the first Antiguan team to enter the challenge. The team has been entered as a Foursome with the name of Wadadli – the local variation of the Amerindian name for Antigua Waladli or common for visitors the name of the local brew!
We wish the team well in their training and look forward to further updates. Please click here
Geest Line are pleased to announce their membership to the British International Freight Association.
BIFA is the trade association for UK-registered companies engaged in international movement of freight by all modes of transport – air, road, rail and sea. BIFA has around 1,500 corporate members, which offer a wide range of services within the logistics and supply chain management sector. Geest Line will benefit in four main ways from its membership to BIFA:
Geest Line continue to operate four vessels on weekly service to/from UK, France and the Eastern Caribbean.
Should you require further information &/or quotation for any of our services please do not hesitate to contact us:
Consignees/Importers &/or their Agents should be aware that with effect from 1st October 2014 a local charge of $28 per B/L will be applied by Admiral Shipping Ltd on all imports.
As part of their unwavering commitment to customers, Admiral Shipping endeavours to deliver the most competitive and dependable transportation value. Due to dramatic increases in administrative costs, their ability to sustain and invest in the service delivery that you have come to expect has been impacted. Therefore, in order to continue to provide the highest quality of service, application of a local Administrative fee has become necessary. This charge is common throughout the Caribbean and sanctioned by the various local Shipping Associations.
For further clarification &/or additional information please do not hesitate to contact:
Karen Lawrence
Admiral Shipping Ltd
9 Bridge Street
PO Box 99
Castries
St Lucia
Email: [email protected]
Tel: +1 (758) 458 8250
To visit the website click here.
Geest Line and their local agents HHV Whitchurch were happy to lend a small gesture of support to the Twenty-20 match between the iconic teams of the West Indies and New Zealand at Windsor Park Stadium, Roseau recently.
Geest Line positioned one of their containers at the famous ground to help with storage of consumables over the weekend. Despite rainy conditions, the teams as expected performed to a high level for the excited crowd. The two match series ended in an honourable draw with NZ taking the Saturday game on the D/L method due to rain, with the WI finishing on a high during Sunday with 165 for 6 off their twenty overs – then skittling out the NZ tourists for 126.
Andre Fletcher of the West Indies gained the Man Of The Match Award for his two innings totalling 114 runs.
Geest Line UK have a long history with Dominica and the Eastern Caribbean, bringing many success stories through the import & export trades for the local community and industry at large – however cricket is one export from the UK we have yet to master (a work in progress you could say!)..
To further enhance visibility to their customers Geest Line has embarked on tweeting information on each port call made by their vessels.
Tweets will include actual times of arrival, actual time of sailing and next port call giving Geest Line customers real time information.
We hope that you will follow us @geestshipping or please click here to follow.
If you are not already registered with Twitter you can do so at https://twitter.com
Geest Line were proud to be a sponsor of Bradfest, held by Bradleys Foundation charity in aid of the Teenage Cancer Trust on the 28th June 2014. A Hampshire based charity helping local children and young people with life shortening illnesses.
The aim of the foundation is simple; to raise funds to support the welfare of sick children and their families whilst being treated in hospital, at home or in the community.
The event has become a yearly “party in the park”, based on live music and entertainment, if you missed this year’s sold out event there’s always 2015! Great fun was had by all with many of the Geest staff in attendance.
For more information please visit either https://www.bradleysfoundation.com/home/ or https://www.bradfest.net/
m/v KLIPPER STREAM loading the first consignment of Mangoes of the 2014 season for Geest Line in San Juan, Puerto Rico on 7th May 2014. Geest Line will be calling in San Juan on a weekly basis throughout the Mango season from May to August providing a fast service to European markets.
Eastern Caribbean cargo carrier Geest Line is preparing to support the Americas debut of the world-renowned Top Gear Festival, which is heading to Barbados 17-18 May, 2014. The action-packed weekend, which will take place at the newly renovated Bushy Park Circuit, will feature an awe-inspiring line-up of cars and driving talent in an event that is expected to be attended by thousands.
The Barbados Tourism Authority, which has a three-year contract to host the festival, has engaged Geest Line to ship participating rally and super cars from Europe. The vehicles, many owned by private individuals, will be loaded onto Geest Line vessels at its Portsmouth docks facility.
On arrival in Barbados, the cars will be taken to Bushy Park racing circuit by Geest’s local agents Seafreight and Goddards Enterprises. After the festival, Geest Line will ship the cars back to Portsmouth.
Captain Peter Dixon, Managing Director of Geest Line, which is headquartered in Fareham, said:
“Geest Line has more than 50 years’ Caribbean experience in shipping everything from large project machinery to tiny perishables. We’re thrilled to be working with our partners, the Barbados Tourism Authority, to support the Top Gear Festival Barbados. It promises to be a fabulous celebration of all things motoring and a superb way to promote Barbados and provide an onward stimulus to the country’s economy.”
Petra Roach, UK Vice President of Sales and Marketing at the Barbados Tourism Authority, said:
“The Top Gear Festival has enjoyed amazing success in countries such as South Africa and Australia, and we are delighted to add Barbados to the list. Geest Line is providing essential logistical support and transportation to enable the event to happen. It’s a substantial investment in time and resource, so my thanks go out to them.”
Geest Line are delighted to announce that we are exclusive shipping sponsors of the Top Gear Festival Barbados for 2014. (more…)