Bringing you shipping, freight, trade and transport related news of interest for Africa since 2002

Bringing you shipping, freight, trade and transport related news of interest for Africa since 2002

TODAY’S BULLETIN OF MARITIME NEWS

These news reports are updated and added to on an ongoing basis.  Check back regularly for the latest news as it develops – where necessary refresh your page at www.africaports.co.za  

Click on headline to go direct to story : use the BACK key to return

• First View : OCEANIC INDIGO
• GE pulls out of Nigerian rail concession–hands over to Transnet
• Saldanha ship repair comes alight as LNG carriers dock
• CTF 151’s counter piracy Operation Haka is underway off Horn of Africa
• LBH Mozambique breaks record in the Port of Beira
• ONE Line’s latest newbuild the 14,000-TEU ONE Columbia is delivered
• Countdown to the 20th Intermodal Africa 2018 being held in Ghana
• Cruise season opens as MS Amadea arrives in Mossel Bay
• Cruise season sets sail in the Port of PE
• Two new 3212-series tugs for Smit Lamnalco West Australian Rio Tinto port
• Five leading container lines plan container shipping association
• A new book on seafaring: Recollections of an Unsuccessful Seaman
• Fogo, Cabo Verde, courtesy of ESA and the Copernicus satellite
• US Maritime Alerts: 2018-014-GPS Interference-Eastern Mediterranean and Red Seas
• EARLIER NEWS YOU MAY HAVE MISSED…….
• Total prepares to start drilling off South African coast
• Pemba Logistics Base to receive ships from January
• PE Port Festival launched with focus on the people of Port Elizabeth
• New bold vision tilts capital flows into Africa
• SA Port Statistics for the month of October 2018 are now available here
• Waning piracy threat off East Africa no reason for relaxation: IMO Durban workshop hears
• ForSea (formerly HH Ferries Group) completes conversion of the world’s largest battery ferries
• DP World Inland Container Terminal opens near Kigali, Rwanda
• Greenpeace Africa celebrates a decade Of environmental activism
• OLDER NEWS CAN BE FOUND AT NEWS CATEGORIES…….
• The masthead today (Tuesday) is Durban Sugar Terminal, Maydon Wharf

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FIRST VIEW: OCEANIC INDIGO

The port of Durban has been a hive of activity lately following the disruptions brought about by strong winds and heavy sea swells that have battered the South African east coast on and off for several weeks. One of the ship movements involved is this products tanker, OCEANIC INDIGO (IMO 9528902), an 11,596-dwt chemical & oil products tanker owned by a company registered in Guernsey in the Channel Islands. The commercial manager is Panocean Bulk Carriers Ltd also of Guernsey and the ISM manager is ASP Shipmanagement of Singapore. The ship, which was built in 2011 at the Bohai Shipbuilding yard in Penglai, China, measures 129.6-metres in length and 19m wide and is flagged in Limassol. Oceanic Indigo sailed from Durban bound for Lome in Togo. This picture is by Keith Betts

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GE PULLS OUT OF NIGERIAN RAIL CONCESSION – HANDS OVER TO TRANSNET

General Electric (GE) which was one of the partners in a consortium headed by GE and South Africa’s Transnet SOC Ltd, has pulled out in terms of its strategy of exiting the transportation business, and has handed over leadership of the consortium to Transnet.

That’s according to a report from Nigeria that agreements GE had with the Nigerian government were being negotiated by Transnet and its consortium partners including SinoHydro of China and APM Terminals.

Africa PORTS & SHIPS reported on 2 May 2018 that Transnet was part of an international consortium concession to rebuild the colonial-built Nigerian rail network – see that report by CLICKING HERE

GE has announced that it intends focusing in the future on infrastructure development in Nigeria in areas such as health care and power.

The concession to rebuild the once extensive but now collapsed Nigerian Cape-gauge railway was signed in late April this year and envisaged not only the redeveloping of the Cape-gauge railway but also operating the railway with the intention of growing freight rail haulage and enticing freight back on rail from the roads.

The concessionaires were expecting to grow freight haulage capacity to 500,000 tonnes annually, up from the approximately 50,000 tonnes annually at present.

In addition to the concession awarded to GE and Transnet and its other partners, Nigeria is building a standard gauge railway to connect the routes between Lagos-Kano, Lagos-Calabar and Port Harcourt-Maiduguri.

In a statement GE said that Transnet has been a trusted partner of GE for several decades. “We have confidence in their ability and that of the other consortium members to execute on the rail concession project successfully.”

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SALDANHA SHIP REPAIR COMES ALIGHT AS LNG CARRIERS DOCK

The liquefied natural gas carrier (LNG), METHANE MICKIE HARPER (IMO 9520376) recently docked at the Port of Saldanha after requiring critical repairs, ahead of its journey to Punta Europa, Equatorial Guinea.

While docked, the team conducted intermediate surveys and…

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CTF 151’s COUNTER PIRACY OPERATION HAKA IS UNDERWAY OFF HORN OF AFRICA

The Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) Counter Piracy Combined Task Force (CTF) 151, which operates primarily in the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Aden to counter piracy and other illegal maritime activity, is currently conducting Operation HAKA, a Counter Piracy Operation in the Gulf of Aden /Socotra Gap over the period 16-23 November 2018.

This is being conducted as part of the Kuwait-led CTF 151’s mission to…

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LBH MOZAMBIQUE BREAKS RECORD IN THE PORT OF BEIRA

LBH Mozambique has the proud distinction of having been involved with the vast majority of coal shipped through Beira’s TCC8 Coal Terminal since its first tonnage was exported in 2012.

Initially, and with slow, careful loading operations, shipments of 30,000 – 35,000 metric tonnes were loaded over a period of around three days, utilising the shore loaders and conveyor system at the berth.

The experience gained by the LBH Beira team since the first shipments and continuous improvements across every aspect of both the operation side as well as the terminal equipment has been the focus of all involved. In addition, the draft at the Beira coal berth, quay no.8, was improved from 9.5 metres to a depth of 10m in May 2018 following months of emergency dredging.

The culmination of this effort was realised in October 2018, with the cargo vessel CMB RUBENS called at Beira to load coal for delivery to India. The vessel was the first to exceed 40,000 tonnes on a single coal shipment out of TCC8.

CMB Rubens arrived at Beira on 22 October 2018 and berthed on the next high tide on the following day, 23 October 2018. A good loading rate was achieved through effective cooperation between the Master of the vessel, LBH Southern Africa as agents, and the terminal. The vessel completed loading in just 28 hours, with a total of 40,640 tonnes loaded on a draft of 10 metres.

The vessel sailed from Beira on 24 October to deliver Mozambican-mined coal to India.

In a statement LBH gave thanks to all parties involved for their close cooperation, and offered sincere congratulations to one of their operators, Lotana Nhanga, who did very well in the preparation and handling of the operation.

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ONE LINE’S LATEST NEWBUILD THE 14,000-TEU ONE COLUMBIA IS DELIVERED

Speaking from Kure, Hiroshima in Japan, ONE Line has announced that the 14,000-TEU capacity newbuild container ship ONE COLUMBIA has been delivered at the Kure Shipyard of Japan Marine United Corporation.

The sublet owner of the new vessel is Nippon Yusen Kaisha (NYK), one of the three Japanese shipping companies making up Ocean Network Express (ONE).

ONE Columbia is the fourth 14,000-TEU container ship delivered this year, following…

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COUNTDOWN TO THE 20th INTERMODAL AFRICA 2018 BEING HELD IN GHANA

Intermodal Africa continues to be the biggest annual Maritime Ports Shipping and Transport Logistics Exhibition and Conference in Africa and is now in its 20th successful year!

The 20th Intermodal Africa 2018 Exhibition and Conference will take place in Ghana from Tuesday 27 to Thursday 29 November 2018 at the luxurious 5-star Movenpick Ambassador Hotel Accra.

The event is being hosted by Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority.

A two days Conference Programme will feature 30 world-class conference speakers addressing topical issues and challenges on global transportation and logistics attended by a gathering of 400 senior government officials, industry principals, academics, senior executive harbour masters, harbour engineers, port engineers, maintenance supervisors and procurement decision makers together with the region’s leading shippers, cargo owners, importers / exporters, shipping lines, freight forwarders, logistics companies, ports, terminal operating companies, railway operators, port equipment and services suppliers from countries throughout Africa.

There are commercial opportunities for 50 exhibitors and sponsors to network directly with the delegates at this major annual international maritime transport Exhibition and Conference trade event for Africa.

The organisers look forward to your successful participation at the biggest annual Maritime Ports Shipping and Transport Logistics Exhibition and Conference in Africa taking place in Ghana from Tuesday 27 to Thursday 29 November 2018 at the luxurious 5-star Movenpick Ambassador Hotel Accra.

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CRUISE SEASON OPENS IN SOUTHERN CAPE AS MS AMADEA ARRIVES IN MOSSEL BAY

The Port of Mossel Bay’s 2018/19 cruise season officially opened on Friday, 16 November with the arrival of the MS AMADEA cruise ship, operated under charter by the Germany-based Phoenix Reisen.

Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) Port Manager for the Mossel Bay, Shadrack Tshikalange, said: “We are delighted to welcome MS AMADEA to Mossel Bay as the first of several cruise ships anticipated to call at the port between now and mid-April 2019. She arrived in Mossel Bay en route from Cape Town and her next ports of call would be Port Elizabeth, East London, Durban and Richards Bay.”

Tshikalange added: “Although it is one of the quieter ports, the Port of Mossel Bay continues to enjoy calls by international cruise liners bringing visitors to the Garden Route coastline to take in tourist activities such as foot tours around Mossel Bay and bus tours to neighbouring cities like George and Plettenberg Bay.”

He said that the TNPA is working closely with the Mossel Bay Municipality and Mossel Bay Tourism to develop the Port of Mossel Bay as a tourist port. “The Mossel Bay Waterfront will help to make the Port of Mossel Bay an even bigger attraction on this beautiful coastline, with a mixed-use waterfront that could include retail, commercial and industrial facilities,” he said.

TNPA is also looking at developing a facility that will enable cruise passengers to disembark directly onto the quayside, instead of arriving by ship’s tender.

MS AMADEA was built in 1991 by the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries shipyard in Nagasaki, Japan. Her current capacity is 624 passengers. In Mossel Bay she arrived with 550 passengers mainly from Germany.

Other cruise liners scheduled to call at the Port of Mossel Bay this season include MS NAUTICA operated by Oceania Cruises and SEABOURN SOJOURN operated by SEABOURN Cruise Lines

Phoenix Reisen also has its MS ARTANIA vessel sailing to South Africa this season.

Provisional schedules indicate that at least 24 luxury cruise ships operated by at least 17 international cruise lines are scheduled to call at the country’s six cruise ports this season.

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CRUISE SEASON SETS SAIL IN THE PORT OF PE

On Sunday morning (18 November) it was the turn of the Port of Port Elizabeth’s 2018/19 cruise season to welcome the cruise ship MS AMADEA to the shores of Algoa Bay.

Amadea was arriving from Mossel Bay and was welcomed into port by way of a tug ballet from the harbour tugs which sprayed water with their fire monitors. As far as Port Elizabeth is concerned the season got underway recently with the arrival of the first cruise liner, MS Europa 2 on 6 November.

Phoenix Reisen’s MS Amadea sailed into port carrying…

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TWO NEW 3212-SERIES TUGS FOR SMIT LAMNALCO’S CAPE YORK PENINSULAR RIO TINTO PORT

Shipbuilder Damen has delivered the final two tugs in a four-vessel contract to towage company Smit Lamnalco.

All four vessels are Damen’s ASD Tug 3212 class with a bollard pull of 80 tonnes. The order was placed in November 2017 and, with stock boats available, the first two were delivered in June, with the latest arriving…

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FIVE LEADING CONTAINER LINES PLAN CONTAINER SHIPPING ASSOCIATION

Hapag-Lloyd and others plan to establish a container shipping association

AP Moller-Maersk, CMA CGM, Hapag-Lloyd, MSC and Ocean Network Express (ONE) announced on 15 November a plan to establish a container shipping association with the purpose of paving the way for digitalization, standardization and interoperability in the container shipping industry.

IT executives from these companies are currently discussing the creation of common information technology standards which shall be openly available and free of charge for…

Edited by Paul Ridgway
London

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NEW BOOK ON SEAFARING: RECOLLECTIONS OF AN UNSUCCESSFUL SEAMAN

 

A new book on seafaring: Recollections of an Unsuccessful Seaman
By Leonard Noake
Edited by David Creamer

Published by Whittles Publishing www.whittlespublishing.com
190 pages; price £18.99
ISBN 978 1 84995 393 1

 

 

 

 

 

 

Born in 1887, George Leonard Noake joined the nautical training establishment, HMS Conway, in 1903. He then served an apprenticeship at sea until 1908 when his detailed memoirs commence, sailing as a second officer in the Europe-West Africa trade in ssMango. He referred to the kroo or kru boys from the Krumen, an ethnic subgroup of the Grebo tribe who were the first West African people to serve in European vessels. He also mentions the Grain Coast of the Gulf of Guinea, the Windward Coast of the Ivory Coast, Liberia and Sierra Leone and, as one would expect, the Gold Coast, the former colony now known as Ghana since independence from Britain in 1957.

In Noake’s day a voyage to West Africa from Europe was said to be one of the toughest in the mercantile marine. As he said: “Unlike the mail boats from England, we had none of the pleasures of orchestras, French menus, ships’ doctors, or other luxuries. On these steamers, we just made do with rum, bully beef, and pyjamas instead.”

Here there is an extract from the Admiralty Sailing Directions (probably the edition of 1890 and what we call today NP 1, Vol A which covers the waters of West Africa from Tangier to Port Harcourt and is now in its 18th edition). It quotes from advice of the 17th century: “From ten o’clock in the morning till five in the evening a white man is seldom seen abroad…”. It goes on: “Here a European must look after himself; for the inhabitants are so subtly mischievous, that you will be betrayed before you are aware; and they are so barbarously cruel, that the parents sell their children, and the husband his wife…”

Principal cargo to West Africa appears to have been gin loaded in Hamburg with a return cargo of mahogany and other woods for Europe, also animals to sell on to zoos. In two years he had five Masters, four of whom each had an unpleasant trait. Chief Officers were considerably worse. On the passage outward from the Elbe the third mate was killed by a shifting deck cargo of heavy oil drums. Many pages follow of vivid chronicles and portraits of people and places encountered en route.

After going ashore to work on a farm between 1913 and 1915, he returned to the British Mercantile Marine in 1915 to sail in a number of ships carrying horses, grain and coal from the US and Canada for the war effort at a time of high freight rates. He was torpedoed in the English Channel and made 112 voyages between England and the Continent carrying war materials including tanks and Pullman hospital cars. His ship was convoyed to the Mediterranean: Gibraltar, Malta, Port Said, onwards to the Red Sea and Karachi, the latter to load wheat for Aden.

Subsequently joining one of the world’s then largest tankers carrying fuel valued at around £1,000,000 and in which trade he was paid £6.00 a week. He endured a hazardous passage without a naval escort through the Channel and north to Rosyth in Scotland to deliver safely a precious oil cargo before hostilities ended in 1918. Narrative of his wartime experiences is both harrowing and humorous.

The tanker continued to cross-trade in peacetime between Mexico and elsewhere in South America before eventually returning to Hull, where he signed-off.

After the First World War he sailed to the East as a passenger from Marseilles with 2000 Chinese labour being repatriated then followed adventures in Java and Sumatra to join a war prize of the Hamburg America Line as Second Officer bound for Europe, with more travails en route.

Back home severe unemployment hit seafaring badly with the Depression and he had no hope for further seagoing employment so with borrowed money from a relative in 1921, went farming before becoming a haulage contractor. More adventures follow recorded in a seaman-like style.

On the verge of bankruptcy in 1923, he escaped his creditors by joining a modern diesel-powered ship of 10,000 tons (Bibby’s Dorsetshire) bound for Australia as quartermaster at £9.00 a month when the stevedores there were earning more than a pound a day. Luck was on his side and on his return home he became master of a Glasgow (or Clyde) Puffer, a small busy steamship on coastal trades at 7.5 knots, 105nrt, and converted to carry oil.

He went on to command coastal tankers before accepting work as a chief officer in a ship trading in the Mediterranean. His seagoing career ended in 1927 when he was diagnosed with tuberculosis and commenced writing. Sadly he died aged 42 in 1929.

Readers of this poignant portrayal of life in the first quarter of the 20th century, not only at sea but also ashore, will be thoroughly entertained and moved by the author’s experiences and humour.

Leonard Noake was undoubtedly a true character, one who enjoyed more than a tipple or two, a strong supporter of the unions (the Merchant Service Guild is mentioned) and an unrelenting critic of shipping magnates and their shareholders.

Here is an amazing collection of a seafarer’s tales. Leonard Noake’s wife outlived him by 40 years and handed down to their daughter this valuable document containing not only text but the author’s sketches, watercolours and photographs. All are supported by extensive chapter notes over 12 pages.

In all Recollections of an Unsuccessful Seaman is a valuable contribution to the literature of the British Mercantile Marine. In particular it is one of the best of its type and a valuable link with our forefathers’ seafaring days: 1903-1927.

This book is obtainable from Whittles Publishing, Dunbeath, Caithness, Scotland, UK. KW6 6EG; e-mail: info@whittlespublishing.com

Reviewed by Paul Ridgway
London

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FOGO, CABO VERDE, COURTESY OF ESA AND THE COPERNICUS SATELLITE

Our image here is from the Copernicus Sentinel-2A satellite made over Fogo, Cabo Verde.

This small volcanic island, which can be seen in the right of the image, is about 25 km in diameter and home to…

Edited by Paul Ridgway
London

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US MARITIME ALERTS: 2018-014-GPS INTERFERENCE-EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN AND RED SEAS

This revised advisory cancels US Maritime Advisory 2018-007

Reference: US Maritime Alerts 2018-004A, 2018-004B, 2018-008A
https://www.marad.dot.gov/msci/advisory/2018/30688/

Multiple instances of significant GPS interference continue to be reported by vessels and aircraft operating in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea.

These reports have been concentrated near Port Said, Egypt, the Suez Canal, and in the vicinity of the Republic of Cyprus.

Additional instances of similar interference were reported in October 2018 near Jeddah Port, Saudi Arabia.

This interference is resulting in lost or otherwise altered GPS signals affecting bridge navigation, GPS-based timing and communications equipment.

Guidance

Navigators have been advised to exercise caution when transiting these areas.

The US Coast Guard Navigation Center (NAVCEN) and NATO Shipping Center websites contain information regarding effective navigation practices for vessels experiencing GPS interference. This information reaffirms safe navigation practices when experiencing possible GPS disruption, provides useful details on reporting possible GPS disruption, and is intended to generate further discussions within the maritime community about other disruption mitigation practices and procedures.

Further, this guidance also recommends taking note of critical information such as the location (latitude/longitude), date/time, and duration of the outage/disruption, and providing photographs or screen shots of equipment failures during a disruption to facilitate analysis.

The USCG NAVCEN information is available at: https://go.usa.gov/xQBaU

Contact Information

USCG NAVCEN
GPS disruptions or anomalies should be immediately reported to the NAVCEN at https://go.usa.gov/xQBaw

Or via phone at + 1 703 313 5900 (Line manned 24 hours a day).

NATO

The NATO Shipping Center has requested that instances of GPS interference also be reported to them using the format on their Cyber Interference link*: https://shipping.nato.int/nsc/page10303037.aspx

*Such reporting is requested by NATO Maritime Command in order to construct a comprehensive picture of this activity and thereby assess the impact in the maritime domain. The NATO Shipping Centre remains the primary point of contact for merchant vessels and shipping companies.

Navigators may use the link above or alternatively the forms can be sent either via e-mail to: info@shipping.nato.int
or by fax: +44 (0) 1923 956 575.

Reported by Paul Ridgway
London

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NEWS FROM EARLIER

 

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TOTAL READY TO START DRILLING OFF SOUTH AFRICAN COAST

French oil major Total E&P is about to start drilling for oil in the South Outeniqua Deepwater Basin off the coastof Mossel Bay early next month (December).

See our report dated 15 May Total to return to offshore oil exploration in South African waters

According to Petroleum Africa the drilling could prove to be one of Africa’s most prospective oil exploration assets with multi-billion-barrel potential and a high chance of success.

Total is the operator of…

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PEMBA LOGISTICS BASE (BLP) TO RECEIVE SHIPS FROM JANUARY

A report on Radio Mozambique says that the Pemba Logistics Base (BLP) in northern Mozambique should be ready to receive its first ships from January 2019.

That’s according to José Daúde, the operational director at Portos de Cabo Delgado,

Daúde told the broadcaster that construction of a…

 

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PE PORT FESTIVAL LAUNCHED WITH FOCUS ON THE PEOPLE OF PORT ELIZABETH

The management team of the Port of PE (Port Elizabeth) have enthusiastically launched Transnet National Ports Authority’s (TNPA) People’s Port Festival to its customers, inviting them to come on board as partners to collectively give back to the community.

“The Port Festival has been centred around people. These people do not only include Transnet employees, the port users and port customers, but also the broader business community, all levels of government and the communities of Nelson Mandela Bay and surrounding areas,” said Rajesh Dana, Port Manager.

Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) says its key objectives include building positive long term and sustainable relationships with all stakeholders, inspiring young people to see the maritime industry as a lucrative career, promoting the twin ports of Nelson Mandela Bay (the Ports of PE and Ngqura) – showcasing its diversity and its contribution to the local economy – and offering a fun filled weekend of activities for the broader Nelson Mandela Bay community.

“This festival will provide the perfect platform to market our port city locally, nationally and internationally. It takes place over the weekend of 1 and 2 December.

“This year’s festival promises to be bigger and better than last year, offering an exciting blend of water and landside activities – free edutainment and once-in-a-lifetime experiences for the whole family,” Dana concluded.

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NEW BOLD VISION TILTS CAPITAL FLOWS INTO AFRICA

Africa Investment Forum 2018 — a solid pipeline of projects and wealth of opportunities ready for investors

“Vision is the art of seeing what is invisible to others,” a saying goes. When African Development Bank (www.AfDB.org) President Akinwumi Adesina laid out his vision to tilt the flow of capital into Africa by convening the first transaction-based investment forum, many did not see what was coming ahead.

One year down the road, the verdict is undisputed.

The three-day Africa Investment Forum ended 9 November in the South African capital exceeded the expectations of its conveners – The African Development Bank. Beyond participants’ commendations, a…

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SA PORT STATISTICS FOR THE MONTH OF OCTOBER 2018 ARE NOW AVAILABLE HERE

Port statistics for the month of October 2018, covering the eight commercial ports under the administration of Transnet National Ports Authority, are now available.

The port with the highest turnover throughput in terms of tonnages handled was again Richards Bay, followed by the general cargo port of Durban, followed by iron ore export port at Saldanha. The ports of Ngqura and Cape Town individually handled over one million tonnes of cargo while Port Elizabeth handled close to 900,000 tons of cargo. Details are in the tables below.

Throughputs for the port during August were…

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WANING PIRACY THREAT OFF EAST AFRICA NO REASON FOR RELAXATION, IMO DURBAN WORKSHOP HEARS

The virtual elimination of piracy along eastern oceans of the African continent over the last few years – thanks to a concerted highly collaborative international effort – is no reason for the continent to relax.

Other serious crimes involving and affecting international shipping and impacting global trade remain a constant threat and present danger, delegates to a three day International Maritime Organization (IMO) workshop in Durban heard on Monday.

Mr William Azuh, head of the Africa section of the IMO’s technical cooperation division, told the dozens of delegates that while collaborating actions to deter piracy had largely been successful, “Make no mistake about this, the pirates are not done yet.”

Mr Azuh was speaking during the first of a scheduled three day IMO workshop for countries in Africa that are members of the IMO’s anti-piracy Djibouti Code of Conduct and its revised version, the ‘Jeddah Amendment to the Djibouti Code of Conduct 2017’.

According to the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA), hosts of the workshop along with the Department of Transport (DoT), the DCoC is a regional counter piracy programme with the main objective of repressing piracy and armed robbery against ships in the Gulf of Aden and West Indian Ocean regions.

However, the revised version – the ‘Jeddah Amendment to the Djibouti Code of Conduct 2017’ – has since expanded the scope of the DCoC to include all acts of criminality in the maritime environment, including illicit maritime activities such as human trafficking and illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

According to the IMO, the Jeddah Amendment “recognizes the important role of the ‘blue economy’ including shipping, seafaring, fisheries and tourism in supporting sustainable economic growth, food security, employment, prosperity and stability.

“But it expresses deep concern about crimes of piracy, armed robbery against ships and other illicit maritime activity, including fisheries crime, in the Western Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Aden. Such acts present grave dangers to the safety and security of persons and ships at sea and to the protection of the marine environment.

“Crucially,” says the IMO, “The Jeddah Amendment calls on the signatory States to cooperate to the fullest possible extent to repress transnational organised crime in the maritime domain, maritime terrorism, illegal, unregulated and unreported (IUU) fishing and other illegal activities at sea.

“This will include information sharing; interdicting ships and/or aircraft suspected of engaging in such crimes; ensuring that any persons committing or intending to commit such illicit activity are apprehended and prosecuted; and facilitating proper care, treatment, and repatriation for seafarers, fishermen, other shipboard personnel and passengers involved as victims.”

The three day workshop in Durban was the first of its kind for the Africa region aimed at finding agreement and drawing up action plans for establishment of national and regional maritime information sharing centres for improved maritime domain awareness.

Maritime domain awareness (MDA) is described as constituting three aspects; situational awareness, threat awareness and response awareness. For effectiveness to the benefit of a wider community, MDA needs to exist at national (country), regional (continental) and international level.

According to William Azuh, the vastness of the global maritime domain was such that no region or country in Africa or elsewhere was totally safe and crucially, no region of the world could act alone in efforts to combat crimes at sea that impact global shipping and trade.

“Without the understanding and effective management of the maritime sphere, we all labour in vain,” he said, adding that maintaining the success achieved to date against piracy in a sustainable manner, was dependent on meticulous implementation of IMO guidance and best management practices.

For Mr Azuh’s full remarks click on video at the foot of this report.

Mr Azuh’s remarks were shared by Mr Sobantu Tilayi, Chief Operations Officer of SAMSA who on behalf of the South African government under the auspices of the Department of Transport, welcomed the delegates to the country.

Mr Tilayi said it was significant that South Africa was hosting the event relevant to its role in both regional and international maritime matters, and precisely those include ensuring safety of eople and property at sea.

He said that ever evolving advances in communication technology were among tools that needed to be brought into the fray towards strengthening safety and security of shipping and South Africa has quite a contribution to make in this regard. He enumerated the Nelson Mandela University in Port Elizabeth as among research institutions in the country that were making a significant contribution.

Mr Tilayi’s full remarks are available in the video below

The issue of maritime sector shipping safety and security was a concern not only of countries with direct access to the oceans, according to Mr Timothy Walker, senior researcher at the Institute of Security Studies in Pretoria.

Speaking on “Making Safer Seas for Africa” he said piracy at sea and armed robbery of ships had a direct and immediate impact on global trade which involved all countries of the world.

But also, he said, inland waters across countries in Africa were not excluded as there are vast areas of these waters that were used for shipping and therefore remained attractive to criminals.

For this reason, cooperation to improve security of the marine domain was of equal economic benefit to everyone.

Workshop coordinator Jon Huggins expressed satisfaction with both the intensity and focus of the deliberations, expressing the hope that by day three on Wednesday, there would be clarity on a plan of action forward.

source: SAMSA

VIDEOS FROM THE MEETING

For the welcoming speech by Mr William Ahuh, click the video below (14:51]

Comments below by Sobantu Tilayi, Chief Operating Officer at SAMSA  [5:09]

Speech by ISS researcher Timothy Walker click the video below [8:58]

Closing comments by Mr Jon Huggins, click the following [2:15]

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FORSEA (FORMERLY HH FERRIES GROUP) COMPLETES CONVERSION OF THE WORLD’S LARGEST BATTERY FERRIES

Inauguration of Tycho Brahe and Aurora marks successful completion of a high-profile conversion project with ABB’s technology at its heart.

These largest emission-free ferries in the world have been officially welcomed into service after guests boarded Tycho Brahe in Helsingborg, Sweden and Helsingør, Denmark on 9 November for a special inauguration ceremony marking…

Edited by Paul Ridgway
London

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DP WORLD INLAND CONTAINER TERMINAL OPENS NEAR KIGALI, RWANDA

DP World Kigali’s Logistics Platform is a secure, bonded facility spread over 13 hectares

DP World and the government of Rwanda announced today (Wednesday 14 November 2018) that they have setup a state-of-the-art­ logistics hub, located 20 kilometres from the capital city Kigali, close to the international airport­.

The facility is East Africa’s first ever Inland Dry Port developed by DP World.

DP World Kigali is a secure, bonded facility spread over…

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GREENPEACE AFRICA CELEBRATES A DECADE OF ENVIRNMENTAL ACTIVISM

Partnering with artists, volunteers and other civil society organisations, the environmental watchdog is organising an open day to spark an environmental revolution

This November, Greenpeace Africa celebrates 10 years of environmental activism on the African continent.

Partnering with artists, volunteers and other civil society organisations, the environmental watchdog is organising an open day to spark an environmental revolution. As part of commemorative activities in South Africa and Senegal, artwork will be used to encourage partners and Africans to celebrate their individual acts of courage towards the environment.

“Greenpeace Africa is using this occasion to highlight environmental concerns and calling on partners to share their memories of being part of this environmental movement over the years. The challenges facing the environment are enormous in Africa and it is impossible for Greenpeace Africa to address them without the goodwill of other stakeholders,” says Njeri Kabeberi, Greenpeace Africa’s Executive Director.

Greenpeace Africa currently runs campaigns on four key issues on the continent; to protect the Congo Basin from large-scale deforestation, stop overfishing in West Africa, promote ecological farming in the horn of Africa as well as demand a shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources in South Africa in order to reverse the impacts of climate change.

Over the past 10 years, Greenpeace Africa has exposed illegal fishing by Chinese companies in West Africa which led to the cancellation of over 29 fishing licenses in 2012 and pushed relevant ministries to seek help from Greenpeace Africa in finding solutions to the problem of Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated fishing in West Africa.

In the Congo Basin, Greenpeace has investigated and exposed breaches on the moratorium and succeeded to push the government to cancel more than three illegal logging titles. The region also boasts the organisation’s largest and most active volunteer base in Africa.

The ten-year anniversary is an opportunity for Greenpeace Africa to appreciate and amplify the contribution of local and indigenous communities, volunteers, staff and donors who have given substance in our struggle to protect the environment. Greenpeace Africa is also celebrating a decade of fruitful militant contribution towards protecting the planet and the amazing work of partners that resonate across the continent.

“After ten years of countless affirmative actions down the lane, the people remain central to Greenpeace Africa’s identity. Communities are at the heart of who we are and what is needed to create the green and peaceful Africa we crave for. Without the activists, volunteers, partners and local communities, Greenpeace Africa will just be a farce and we won’t be able to face environmental injustices with courage,” said Njeri.

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GENERAL NEWS REPORTS – UPDATED THROUGH THE DAY

in partnership with – APO

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Request a Rate Card from info@africaports.co.za

 

EXPECTED SHIP ARRIVALS and SHIPS IN PORT

Port Louis – Indian Ocean gateway port

Ports & Ships publishes regularly updated SHIP MOVEMENT reports including ETAs for ports extending from West Africa to South Africa to East Africa and including Port Louis in Mauritius.

In the case of South Africa’s container ports of Durban, Ngqura, Ports Elizabeth and Cape Town links to container Stack Dates are also available.

You can access this information, including the list of ports covered, by going HERE remember to use your BACKSPACE to return to this page.

 

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CRUISE NEWS AND NAVAL ACTIVITIES

QM2 in Cape Town. Picture by Ian Shiffman

We publish news about the cruise industry here in the general news section.

 

Naval News

Similarly you can read our regular Naval News reports and stories here in the general news section.

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THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK

“The three great elemental sounds in nature are the sound of rain, the sound of wind in a primeval wood, and the sound of outer ocean on a beach.”
– Henry Beston

 

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