Cargo Ship Voyages
 

Don't really know where to post this: has anyone experience of travelling trans-Pacific by container ship?? Looking at Japan-USA west coast. Probably early 2025. Have looked at various websites but no joy so far. Covid seems to have killed some of them off. And please no cruises. Thanks!

A while back I booked a trip from Singapore to Malta with Hamish Jamieson of Freighter Travel in New Zealand & recommend him highly. I just had a look at his website & he notes in a link at the top of the page that no companies have been taking passengers because of Covid but that freighter travel should resume this year. I suggest you contact him to see what the current status is & if he can book something for you, you’ll be in excellent hands. Good luck & I hope you find your ship!

Freighter Travel l Napier, New Zealand

Thank you Mme Perdu. I read your post before I wrote my own! But I thought NZ is not the area I am looking for. Like you say, maybe they have general information.

Hamish's business is booking trips with shipping lines all over the world. He will have specific information for you for wherever you want to go. I didn't go to NZ either, as mentioned, he just happens to be in NZ.

Just had a very sad reply to my enquiry from Hamish Jamieson. Basically he says freighter travel is finished. I will forward you the e mail if there is a way to do it!

I'm really sorry to hear it, gertie, but if anyone knows it would be Hamish. I think others would benefit from reading his email, too, so you could copy the message part of the email & paste it into a reply here. Thanks for letting us know & so sorry your plan is a no go.

Hello there unfortunately, life as we know it has changed, and changed the world as weknow it.... In the last three weeks ALL the major shipping companies that FreighterTravel has dealt with over the last 30 years have indicated that they willNOT re-start carrying passengers that was the case prior to COVID 19. This means that Freighter Travel as we know it is finished......Sad buttrue! Even though passenger cruise ships have re-started and are enjoying a boomof business the freighter companies are not keen. I suspect they are nolonger interested. I f you want I can try and find a cruise ship for you -but it will be more expensive than a freighter. I hope you understand that these decisions have been made by others and areout of my control. The consequence is that Freighter Travel is closing downas it's impossible to keep any business trading without any income - or hopeof such income. I have done my best in the last 4 years (at great personalfinancial cost) to stay open in the hope of a re-start but to no avail. AllI can suggest is that you make representations to your localCongressman/Senator/ MP etc., or even Greenpeace, Greta Thunberg, indeedanybody who can inform shipping companies that in a time when "CarbonNeutral" is the fastest growing Market Segment on this earth this is NOTthe time to shut down. If I have dealt with you before - I thank you for your trust in me. If Ihave never had the pleasure of booking you on the only way to travel - I amso sorry but it's too late. Kind wishes to you all, my friends! Hamish D Jamieson MNZITTManaging DirectorFreighter Travel (NZ)

Oh - what a sad e-mail. :( A freighter voyage was one of the things a bit farther down my Bucket List. Guess that strikes one off the list

Thanks for posting Hamish’s email to you, gertie. I can honestly say that having him book my freighter journey & also keeping me posted as the trip unfolded was one of the 2 best experiences of my travel life (the other was Laura Wadsworth, Airtreks). Both are knowledgeable & such thoughtful providers of travel dreams. I was happy I took my freighter trip when I did, including the Suez Canal that I first conceived of watching Peter O’Toole on a sand dune in Lawrence of Arabia. Now even more grateful as I respond to Hamish’s sad news. Thanks again, gertie.

My sweetie and I used Hamish's excellent services for a freighter trip from Auckland to San Francisco back in 1998. One of our best trips ever.

I filed a retrospective TR on Flyertalk during the Covid lockdown.

https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trip...freighter.html

Freighter Travel Update
 

FREIGHTER UPDATE

Here's the latest message on the Freighter Travel website:

Unfortunately, life as we know it has changed the world as we know it……….

The COVID 19 Pandemic has completely decimated Freighter Travel globally for the last 4 years.

All of the shipping companies that we deal with have decided not to carry passengers any longer..

There will be no freighter voyages at all in 2024 – perhaps never again .

Please do not send me emails asking for news – I regret they will not be answered as I cannot afford to keep the business operating without any income.

Everything has been shut down for passenger sailing– this is a global decision not made by me.