The National Shipping Company (CNAN) took delivery on Thursday at Algiers Port, of a new cargo ship, which will be exploited by its subsidiary CNAN -north.

The USD$25million ship Timgad has been manufactured in China. Its capacity can reach 12,000 tonnes of goods and 800 containers.

This is the seventh ship purchased by CNAN-North as part of the CNAN Group capacity building programme, which fleet currently includes 9 ships and its subsidiary CNAN Med bought two cargo ships.

Algeria: National Shipping Company takes delivery of new cargo ship

The national merchant navy development plan eyes the purchase of 25 ships, including 18 cargo ships for CNAN North and seven for CNAN Med.

This plan aims to meet the growing demand in terms of maritime transportation, responsible for the conveying of 95% of imported goods by Algeria.

The plan also ambitions to increase the share of the national shipowners to 30% of the Algerian non-hydrocarbon goods transport market by 2020 against less than 3% currently, Minister of Transport and Public Works Boudjemaa Talai told the press.

In this regard, the minister insisted on the need for strengthening of the national maritime fleet and the maritime transport.
However, the programme of ship purchase remains "insufficient" to reach the set goals, said Talai who announced the creation of other maritime companies, plus CNAN Med and CNAN North.

He also mentioned the creation of joint ventures with foreign maritime companies.

CNAN-North transports the goods between Algeria and the ports of Antwerpen (Belgium), Hamburg (Germany), Istanbul (Turkey) and Charleston (U.S.), while CNANA Med covers the Mediterranean region notably France, Spain and Italy.

Source: Algeria Press Service