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”