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Safmarine (''Safmarine Container Lines N.V.'') is an international shipping business offering container and break-bulk shipping services worldwide. Formed in 1946 by South African industrialists and American ship owners, Safmarine is now widely known as a north/south trade and African specialist. The line is represented in more than 130 countries throughout the world, with more than 1200 sailors selling their services. Safmarine has been headquartered and registered in Antwerp, Belgium, since 1996, when it completed its acquisition of the Belgian container line, CMBT, which in turn had been an outgrowth of CMB. In 1999, Safmarine was bought by the Danish company A.P. Moller-Maersk Group, and Maersk chose to retain the Safmarine brand rather than integrating it wholly into Maersk Sealand. In 2002, Safmarine acquired Torm Lines. On October 3, 2011, it was decided that Safmarine would integrate its internal support and management functions into those of its sister company Maersk Line.〔http://www.prezencenewmedia.com/safmarine/info_detailed/index.php?AssetID=1626〕 Present day ships include safmarine Nuba, safmarine ngami, safmarine nakuru, safmarine benguela, safmarine bayete, safmarine nile. ==Passenger services== Safmarine operated a passenger liner service between the United Kingdom and South Africa in 1965–77 and again in 1984–85. Safmarine passenger operations had begun in 1965, when two Union-Castle Line ships used on the Southampton–Durban service, and , were transferred to Safmarine to satisfy demands from the South African government. The ships were renamed ''S. A. Vaal'' and ''S. A. Oranje'' respectively, re-painted in Safmarine colours but continued on the same service as before. In 1969, both vessels were transferred from British to South African registry. During the 1970s the South African liner trade started to decline, mainly due to competition from the jet airplane and the rising success of the revolutionary new container ships, in carrying cargoes more efficiently and more economically than conventional, older vessels. Thus, in 1975 the ''S. A. Oranje'' and her Union-Castle sister RMS ''Edinburgh Castle'' were withdrawn and sold for scrapping. RMS ''Pendennis Castle'' was also withdrawn in June 1976, leaving ''S. A. Vaal'' to remain with Union-Castle's , and the two smaller cargo/passenger mailships RMMV ''Good Hope Castle'' and RMMV ''Southampton Castle''. In October 1977, both companies withdrew their passenger services and ''S. A. Vaal'' was sold to Carnival Cruise Lines, becoming their .〔 In 1984, Safmarine purchased the cruise ship from the West German Hadag Cruise Lines. Following refit she was used to revive the Southampton–Cape Town service, also making cruises out of South Africa and the United Kingdom between liner voyages.〔 However, in service the ''Astor'' was found not to have enough speed to maintain the liner schedule, and Safmarine decided to order a replacement ship based on the same design from Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft in Kiel, also to be named .〔 In preparation for the delivery of the new ship, the first ''Astor'' was sold to the East German Deutsche Seerederei via a West German intermediary, becoming .〔〔 Ultimately the second ''Astor'' never entered service for Safmarine, as the company decided to abandon the liner service in 1986. The second ''Astor'', still under construction at the time, was sold to Marlan Corporation in January 1986. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Safmarine」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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