Thanks to the dedication of our teams, we were able to launch this new service last June even though we were in lockdown. Next departure from Le Havre is scheduled for early December to arrive in the West Indies and then French Guiana before the end of the year. Learn more about the service in this video

What does MPV stand for and what does it do?

MPV stands for Multipurpose Vessel. The service transports everything that cannot be containerized. It is dedicated to the transport of breakbulk, Ro-Ro and conventional goods and provides a regular 42-day link between Northern Europe, the West Indies and French Guiana.

We operate this service with our roro ship Marfret Niolon. It’s 1212 linear meter capacity enables it to load a wide variety of goods on wheels. Over the first three rotations, we transported trailers, public works machinery, fire trucks, tankers, coaches, and light vehicles, among many other types of cargo. The ship can also accommodate sailing boats on deck or even dangerous cargoes on return from the West Indies and French Guiana. Thus it offers real solutions to the hazardous waste treatment industry, which suffers from a lack of specialized sites overseas.

What are the advantages of the MPV service?

Our main advantages are our experienced teams and our ability to be in control of the entire supply chain.

We provide a wide range of specialized equipment including mafis, spreaders, cradles for the transport of sailing boats, etc. The MPV service also offers 45′ curtainside containers. The side walls of this innovative container have been replaced by curtains which make it easier to load. It is particularly suitable for transporting building materials such as plasterboard or cement in IBCs (Big Bags).

Another advantage for us is that the MPV service benefits from a direct connection with our Ferrymar service from Pointe-à-Pitre. This extends the service to other Caribbean destinations including Fort de France, Saint Barthélémy and Saint Martin.

From July, Marfret will be providing a weekly service to Mexico via its new, revamped MedCar line. True to its values of independence, the company has chosen the family-owned Transpac as its ships’ agent and country-wide sales agent. An interview with sales  manager Andrès Echeverria, who

An independent group, Transpac has more than one string to its bow, since it is a ships’ agent, broker, freight forwarder and customs clearance specialist.

Transpac has announced that a dedicated team is being formed to better serve Marfret’s interests. “We are recruiting four people. We’re providing Marfret with our operational and sales know-how in the country,” says the Transpac sales manager, who also represents the second generation in the family-run company.

With its 80 employees located in various offices including Mexico City and  Veracruz, Transpac also provides inland transport services by rail and road.

Since the trade agreement signed between the European Union and Mexico in 2000, commercial exchanges have increased 8% per year, 148% over the period to date. The European Union today is Mexico’s third-largest trading partner after the United States and China and trade is expected to increase even further with a new agreement under discussion since 2018.

“Mexico exports avocado, lemons, beer, tequila, fish… On the import side, it brings in car parts and wine. Italy and Spain are very dynamic markets that import large quantities of fruit,” explains Echeverria.

Transpac was founded in 1975, almost by chance. “My parents are from Chile and in 1970 they decided to visit Mexico. They fell in love with the country. My father worked for a shipping firm for five years before starting his own company.”

Transpac is a BIMCO (Baltic and International Maritime Council) member since 1976 and is also part of the Association of Mexican Shipping Agents (AMANAC).

Photo: Andrès Echeverria represents the second generation of the family-owned Transpac company, Marfret’s ships’ agent and sales agent in Mexico. ©econostrum.info