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PANORAMA: Whither DCT2?

Terry Hutson
Africa Ports & Ships

Since 1 January, the Durban Container Terminal Pier 2 has entered a new operational phase under a public–private partnership between ICTSI and Transnet Port Terminals, with Transnet assuming a more landlord-style role and ICTSI responsible for day-to-day terminal operations.

Structurally, the arrangement mirrors international concession models designed to combine state ownership of strategic infrastructure with private-sector operational discipline, capital deployment and performance accountability.

From an industry perspective, expectations are focused squarely on measurable improvements in terminal efficiency. These include higher crane productivity rates, improved berth window adherence, reduced vessel and truck turnaround times, and more predictable yard performance.

ICTSI’s global operating model — typically characterised by tighter berth planning, optimised yard stacking strategies, increased equipment availability and enhanced terminal operating systems — offers a pathway to stabilising throughput and extracting latent capacity from Pier 2 without immediate large-scale civil expansion.

Execution, however, will be shaped by several structural constraints. Transnet’s majority shareholding and governance control introduce a dual-authority environment, where commercial operating imperatives must coexist with public-sector oversight processes.

This can affect the pace of capital approvals, equipment procurement cycles and labour deployment strategies, all of which are critical to terminal optimisation.

The challenge for ICTSI will be to deliver operational gains within a framework where key strategic decisions remain subject to state-owned enterprise protocols rather than purely commercial criteria.

The operating context is further complicated by South Africa’s subdued macroeconomic environment, which limits cargo growth potential and places greater emphasis on productivity-led gains rather than volume expansion.

At the same time, government policy continues to favour a strong state role in core logistics assets, informed by a left-leaning ideological approach that prioritises employment preservation and public control.

This often sits uneasily alongside industry calls for deeper market liberalisation, automation and performance-based reform.

Labour remains a decisive variable in the Pier 2 equation. Union influence over manning levels, shift structures and work practices has historically constrained operational flexibility across the port system.

While labour stability is essential, ICTSI’s ability to introduce internationally standardised productivity benchmarks — including multi-skilling, equipment utilisation targets and data-driven performance management — will depend on sustained engagement with organised labour and careful alignment with Transnet’s existing agreements.

Ultimately, the Pier 2 partnership represents a technical and institutional stress test: whether a globally experienced terminal operator can materially improve berth, yard and gate performance within South Africa’s unique blend of state control, labour influence and policy inertia.

If successful, the model could establish a credible blueprint for future terminal concessions; if not, it risks reinforcing scepticism about the ability of hybrid partnerships to deliver the step-change in efficiency that Durban, and the wider South African logistics system, urgently requires.

The first six months could provide a useful indicator of the success or otherwise of this unique venture.

Added 18 January 2026

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WHARF TALK: multi-purpose heavylift vessel – ANNA

Pictures by ‘Dockrat’
Story by Jay Gates

The anticipated arrival of any multi-purpose heavylift vessel is always one that excites the casual maritime observer. Not least because there is the expectation that the caller will have on her deck a display of items of an industrial, and complex, project cargo of such large dimensions that creates the guessing game to determine what exactly she is carrying, what it is likely to be used for, why she is carrying it, and where exactly is she going. For 99% of the heavylift arrivals, the cargo is not destined for any South African destination, but elsewhere on the planet.

On New Year’s Eve, 31 December 2025, at 13:00 in the early afternoon, the multi-purpose heavylift vessel ‘Anna’ (IMO 9501887) arrived off Cape Town, from Matadi in the Democratic Republic of Congo. She entered Cape Town harbour, proceeding into the Duncan Dock, and went alongside the Landing Wall. Again, a London Bus scenario was in train, as only 10 days earlier, on 21st December, the multi-purpose heavylift vessel ‘Eemslift Nelli’ had arrived in the port. So, after a gap of not seeing any such vessels for a while, two turn up in short order.

Built in 2010 by Taizhou Kouan Shipbuilding at Taizhou in China, ‘Anna’ is 134 metres in length and has a gross registered tonnage of 11,473 tons. Her keel was laid in December 2008, and she was launched in February 2010, with her being handed over to her new owners in May 2010. She was one of six sisterships and was originally launched as ‘Palembang’, and known by her original owners, along with her sisterships, as the Palmerton PK-116-1 class.

She is powered by a single MAN-B&W 6L48/60B, six cylinder, four stroke, main engine producing 9,789 bhp (7,200 kW), which drives controllable pitch propeller for a service speed of 16.5 knots. Her auxiliary machinery includes two MAN-B&W 7L23/30H generators providing 865 kW each, and a single MAN D2866 LE203 emergency generator providing 290 kW. She has a single Alfa Laval Aalborg CHR exhaust gas boiler, and a single Alfa Laval Aalborg CHO oil fired boiler. For added manoeuvrability ‘Anna’ has a single bow Jastron BU90F transverse thruster providing 600 kW.

She has a single hold with dimensions of 94 metres long, by 16 metres wide, and by 12 metres deep. With a cargo carrying capacity of 15,700 m3, ‘Anna’ has a deck strength of 16 tons/m2. She has pontoon hatch covers, which are moved by a travelling deck gantry crane, and which gives her a clear main deck of 108 metres by 23 metres, and a working deck area of 2,311 m2. She if fitted with two offset, portside, Liebherr deck cranes with a lifting capacity of 450 tons each, and a maximum lifting capacity of 900 tons when utilised in tandem. She has a container carrying capacity of 596 TEU.

She has accommodation for a crew of up to 24 persons, and is classified for worldwide operations, with an ice classification of ICE 1A, which allows her to operate independently in first year Baltic Sea ice thickness of up to 0.8 metres. However, her arrival in Cape Town, for the casual maritime observer, sadly showed no heavy, or complex, deck cargo on view.

As her previous port was Matadi, and before that Monrovia in Liberia, both nations not known for the ability to manufacture anything that would require a heavylift vessel, it can only be assumed that she discharged her outsize cargo in these two ports, and was now en-route to a port in a nation better known for its heavy and complex manufacturing prowess.

Owned and operated by SAL Heavylift GmbH, of Hamburg in Germany, whose company name is displayed along her hull, ‘Anna’ is managed by SAL Ship Management UG, also of Hamburg. She forms part of the heavylift fleet of the JSI Alliance, which is made up of Jumbo Shipping of Holland, SAL, and Intermarine of the USA.

SAL Heavylift GmbH are part of the Harren Group, of Bremen in Germany, who acquired SAL in 2017. Up to that time the company was known as Harren & Partner, who renamed themselves as the Harren Group, and renamed ‘Anna’ from her original name of ‘Palembang’ in May 2018. She was originally managed by Pacific Investment and Trading GmbH, of Bremen, who was a subsidiary company of Harren & Partner.

On Christmas Eve 2018, ‘Anna’ was detained in the Russian Black Sea port of Novorossiysk after a Port State inspection by the local Maritime Authorities. She was detained for failures connected to her Emergency Systems, which included to emergency lighting, emergency batteries, emergency switching arrangements, and responsibility of systems by a recognised organisation. Her detention lasted over Christmas Day, and she was released on December 26th.

In February 2019, whilst ‘Anna’ was lying at anchor in the Takoradi Anchorage, in Ghana, she was boarded by an unknown number of robbers, who made off with ship’s stores. The crew were unharmed and the local Port Security authorities were advised of the theft. Whilst most casual observers think of the waters of Nigeria as the hotspot of piracy and robbery, around the Gulf of Guinea area, at the time the waters of Ghana was listed as the second worst hotspot in the West African regions for acts of piracy and robbery.

As expected, the stay of ‘Anna’ in Cape Town was never expected to be long, especially considering her arrival on New Year’s Eve. No sooner had she come alongside the Landing Wall, and the Cape Town harbour bunker tanker came alongside her to begin her uplift of bunkers. After a very swift eight hours alongside, with her uplift of bunkers, stores, and fresh provisions, all completed in quick time, ‘Anna’ made ready to sail.

Before the end of year celebrations got underway, at 20:00 on the evening of 31st December, ‘Anna’ sailed from Cape Town with her AIS now showing that her next destination was to be Port Kembla, in the New South Wales state in Australia, where presumably she was heading to load another deck load of outsized project freight.

Port Kembla, located at 34°28’ South 150°54’ East, was first sighted by Commander James Cook RN in 1770, on the first of his three famous circumnavigation discovery expeditions, whilst aboard ‘HMS Endeavour’. It lies south of Sydney, and is the industrial suburb of the city of Wollongong. Port Kembla has one of the largest industrial complexes in the whole of Australia, and includes a major steel works and a major steel mill, which is potentially where the next cargo for ‘Anna’ is coming from.

Added 18 January 2026

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Sitarail bolsters West Africa’s rail corridor with new locomotive

Terry Hutson
Africa Ports & Ships

Sitarail, the rail operator linking Côte d’Ivoire and Burkina Faso under Africa Global Logistics (AGL), has marked another milestone in its modernisation drive.

On 15 December 2025, the company welcomed four brand-new GL30/GT26 diesel-electric locomotives at the Autonomous Port of Abidjan — powerful additions designed to boost capacity and reliability across the Abidjan–Ouagadougou corridor.

Power and Precision on the Rails

Each locomotive delivers around 3,000 horsepower, a significant upgrade that promises smoother traffic flow and improved availability of rolling stock.

Outfitted with computerised control systems, on-board diagnostics, and advanced safety features, the GL30s are engineered to cut maintenance costs while enhancing operational efficiency.

For crews, the benefits are equally tangible: ergonomic, air-conditioned cabs provide a safer and more comfortable working environment, underscoring Sitarail’s commitment to its workforce as well as its customers.

Strengthening Supply Chains

The arrival of these locomotives signals more than just technical progress. By expanding service capacity — including private branch lines — Sitarail is reinforcing supply chain resilience across the region.

The new units will help absorb seasonal peaks in demand, ease pressure on the road network, and contribute to reducing the corridor’s carbon footprint.

“This new investment, which follows the acquisition of 260 flatbed wagons — 40 already in service since November — reflects our commitment to work alongside the States of Côte d’Ivoire and Burkina Faso for the development, modernisation and sustainability of the network,” said Simplice Essoh, Managing Director of Sitarail.

“It also strengthens the socio-economic impact of our operations for local communities,” he added

A Legacy of Integration

Since its establishment in 1995 under a public-private partnership, Sitarail has been a cornerstone of regional integration. The company moves around one million tonnes of freight annually and, before the pandemic, carried more than 200,000 passengers each year.

With a workforce of 1,500, Sitarail’s role extends beyond transport: its initiatives in health, education, and environmental stewardship make it a vital socio-economic actor in West Africa.

Looking Ahead

The investment in new locomotives complements ongoing upgrades to maintenance equipment, operating systems, and rolling stock. Sitarail also remains engaged in revival projects for the Abidjan–Ouagadougou–Kaya network, aligned with the Emergency Plan and Integral Rehabilitation Program led by Côte d’Ivoire and Burkina Faso.

With these latest additions, Sitarail is not just modernising its fleet — it is reaffirming its role as a driver of sustainable growth and regional connectivity in West Africa.

📌 Sitarail at a Glance
New Locomotives (Dec 2025)	4 × GL30/GT26 diesel-electric units ~3,000 horsepower each Computerised controls, diagnostics, enhanced safety Ergonomic, air-conditioned cabs
Recent Investments	260 flatbed wagons (40 in service since Nov 2025) Ongoing upgrades to maintenance equipment and operating systems
Operational Impact	Greater rolling stock availability More reliable traffic on Abidjan–Ouagadougou corridor Expanded service for private branch lines Improved responsiveness to seasonal demand peaks Reduced road congestion and carbon footprint
Company Snapshot	Subsidiary of Africa Global Logistics (AGL) Operating since 1995 under PPP with Côte d’Ivoire & Burkina Faso ~1 million tonnes of freight annually >200,000 passengers per year pre-pandemic ~1,500 employees Active in health, education, and environmental initiatives

Added 18 January 2026

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Trade News: MariTrace partners with Nigeria’s Tamrose with vessel tracking

Africa Ports & Ships

Tamrose deploys MariTrace Mercury fleet-wide to enhance maritime safety and transparency

MariTrace, a global leader in maritime intelligence and ship-tracking technology, announces its latest strategic partnership with Tamrose, a Nigerian-owned marine logistics and offshore support operator, to protect its entire fleet with advanced vessel tracking.

Effective immediately, Tamrose has deployed fleet-wide installation of Mercury – MariTrace’s next-generation, market-leading maritime tracking device – across 15 vessels.

The collaboration sees all Tamrose-operated vessels now equipped with Mercury – MariTrace’s real-time, encrypted ship-tracking solution that ensures uninterrupted visibility in even the most challenging maritime environments.

Designed for high-risk operating regions including the Gulf of Guinea, Mercury delivers…

Read the rest of this report in the TRADE NEWS section available by CLICKING HERE

To learn more about Tamrose, please visit  www.tamrose.com.
To learn more about Mercury by MariTrace, please visit www.maritrace.com.

Added 18 January 2026

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Global South hit hardest by supply chain disruption, DP World study warns

Africa Ports & Ships

Supply chain disruption has shifted from being an occasional shock to a permanent drag on global trade, with new research from DP World revealing that companies in the Global South are bearing the heaviest costs in lost productivity, revenue, and customer trust.

The Without Logistics report, based on a survey of 680 senior logistics and supply chain leaders across eight industries and nine regions, paints a stark picture: Disruption is now entrenched, but its impact is uneven. Firms in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) are suffering the longest downtime, highest costs, and most severe reputational fallout.

Productivity Losses

• 83% of firms in SSA, 72% in MENA, and 61% in the GCC report losing more than a month of operational capacity annually due to disruption.
• By comparison, only 50% of firms in North America, 41% in Germany, and 36% in the UK face similar losses.

Financial Impact

• Nearly half of GCC companies (47%) and 43% in MENA report annual disruption costs of $1 million or more.
• These regions also top global rankings for customer complaints, lost business, and brand damage.
Beat Simon, Chief Operating Officer – Logistics at DP World, emphasised the scale of the challenge:

Industry Realities

The study highlights two distinct disruption patterns:

• High-volume sectors such as retail, healthcare, and perishables face near-constant turbulence, with retail and healthcare businesses each experiencing around 18,000 disruption events annually.
• Automotive companies encounter fewer incidents, but each disruption is far more destructive, costing nearly $1 million per event and driving annual losses of $13 billion.

Investment in Resilience

Encouragingly, regions under the greatest strain are also responding with urgency:

• Over 90% of firms in SSA and GCC, and 86% in MENA, plan to increase logistics investment in the coming year.
• Companies that invest broadly across logistics functions – from factory flows to warehousing and digital coordination – report disruption costs up to 76% lower than peers with narrower strategies.

Customer Fallout

Disruption is eroding consumer trust worldwide:

• Between 80% and 95% of respondents across regions report rising customer complaints.
• Sub-Saharan Africa and France show the highest levels of lasting brand damage, while North America and the UK report more resilient perceptions despite increased complaints.

Strategic Alignment

The findings reveal rare consensus across boardrooms:

• More than 80% of respondents expect logistics to become a strategic board-level priority.
• Nearly 90% agree that resilient supply chains will be a decisive factor in outperforming competitors in the years ahead.

Conclusion

DP World’s study underscores a critical reality: supply chain disruption is no longer episodic but structural.

For companies in the Global South, the stakes are particularly high. Those that fail to build end-to-end resilience risk falling permanently behind, while decisive investment in logistics capabilities offers a path to safeguarding growth, customer trust, and long-term competitiveness.

Added 18 January 2026

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US blasts Iranian participation in SA-hosted naval exercise

by Guy Martin
DefenceWeb

The United States Embassy in South Africa has said allowing Iranian forces to operate in South African waters is a sign of South Africa choosing to stand with a regime that brutally represses its people and engages in terrorism.

The comments on the Iranian participation in Exercise Will for Peace 2026 were made by the US Embassy on Thursday.

“The United States notes with concern and alarm reports that the Minister of Defence and SANDF defied a government order regarding Iran’s participation in the ongoing naval exercises. Iran is a destabilising actor and state sponsor of terror, and its inclusion in joint exercises – in any capacity – undermines maritime security and regional stability,” the US Embassy said.

“It is particularly unconscionable that South Africa welcomed Iranian security forces as they were shooting, jailing, and torturing Iranian citizens engaging in peaceful political activity South Africans fought so hard to gain for themselves. South Africa can’t lecture the world on ‘justice’ while cozying up to Iran.”

Some 2,500 people are estimated to have been killed in recent protests in Iran. On 15 January, the South African Presidency said the government is following the developments in Iran with concern.

“The reports of unrest and the subsequent loss of life are concerning, and South Africa urges all parties to exercise maximum restraint. South Africa firmly believes that the right to peaceful protest, freedom of expression, and freedom of association are universal human rights that must be upheld without exception. We therefore call on the Iranian authorities to ensure that citizens exercise their right to protest in peace. Sustainable peace and stability can only be achieved through solutions that centre the agency of the Iranian people,” the Presidency said.

Iran has sent three vessels to take part in Will for Peace: the Bayandor-class corvette Naghdi (82), the forward base ship Makran (441), carrying an AB-212 ASW helicopter, and expeditionary base ship Shahid Mahdavi (110-3).

The Naghdi was seen leaving Simon’s Town naval base on Tuesday, evidently to take part in the sea phase of Will for Peace in spite of reports last weekend that President Cyril Ramaphosa asked Iran to withdraw from the naval exercise and become an observer.

A senior South African official told Daily Maverick on Monday that the defence ministries of all the countries taking part in exercise Will for Peace – notably including the Iranian defence ministry – had agreed that Iran would withdraw from the key sea phase of the exercise, which began on Tuesday.

African Defence Review Director Darren Olivier noted that if Defence and Military Veterans Minister indeed ignored a Presidential order for Iran to withdraw from the exercise, “then South Africa is in unchartered territory.”

The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) was set to provide insight into Will for Peace during a media briefing on Friday 16 January, but this was cancelled on Thursday, leaving many questions unanswered about Iran’s participation: did Iranian vessels just observe, or actively take part in the exercise?

Some clarity emerged in a statement issued by Siphiwe Dlamini, Head of Communication in the Department of Defence, who on Friday stated that Motshekga would like to place it on record that the instruction on Iran’s participation from the President “on how Exercise Will for Peace 2026 should be conducted” was clearly communicated to all parties concerned, agreed upon and to be implemented and adhered to as such.

Due to the allegations and reports in the media that Iran continued to participate, “the Minister has established a Board of Inquiry (BOI) to look into the circumstances surrounding the allegations and establish whether the instruction of the President may have been misrepresented and/or ignored as issued to all.”

Dlamini stated the BOI must establish all the facts on what took place during the Exercise and table to the Minister in 7 days a report after the completion of the Exercise.

South Africa is under pressure not to raise the ire of the United States by including Iran in the BRICS Plus naval exercise at a time when the US is renegotiating the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa), and protests are underway in Iran.

Chris Hattingh, Democratic Alliance (DA) Spokesperson on Defence and Military Veterans, said the level of secrecy around Will for Peace is “…unacceptable. These are not routine naval visits. They involve sanctioned states and carry real diplomatic and economic risks for South Africa. The Minister of Defence must urgently brief the public and Parliament. South Africans deserve to know who approved these invitations, what legal and sanctions advice was considered, why official communications were contradictory and removed, and why transparency has been abandoned.”

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), on the other hand, support Iran’s participation in Will for Peace. EFF representative Carl Niehaus said the US Embassy’s critique “is a direct interference in our right, in terms of international law and the UN Charter, as a sovereign nation to determine our own foreign policy and international relations. Iran is a member of the BRICS. South Africa should never allow ourselves to be dictated to by the imperialist USA and its fascist President.”

EFF National Chairperson and Chief Whip Nontando Nolutshungu wrote to Motshekga to express “profound outrage and deep concern regarding persistent reports that President Cyril Ramaphosa has demanded the withdrawal of the Iranian Navy from the BRICS joint naval exercises…this demand, purportedly driven by a craven fear of retaliation from the imperialist and fascist United States of America, represents a shameful capitulation that undermines our nation’s sovereignty and international standing.”

Nolutshungu also criticised Motshekga and the SANDF for the lack of communication regarding the exercise. Failure to provide answers will “only compound the perception of incompetence and complicity in this fiasco.”

Iran’s participation in Will for Peace is a “disastrous SA foreign policy move,” Jonathan Katzenellenbogen wrote for The Daily Friend. “Iran must have been happy to receive recognition as a friend and ally at a time when it faces international opprobrium over its nuclear weapons programme and human rights abuses.”

He added that South Africa belatedly requested Iran to withdraw from the exercise is likely due to its fear of antagonising the US. “US President Donald Trump’s threat to impose a new 25 percent tariff on any country doing business with Iran must have focused the minds of the ANC,” he wrote.

“Relations with the US took a bad turn when SA hosted Russia and China for naval exercises three years ago. And trying to restore normality even while asking the Iranians to withdraw from the exercises will not ease matters.”

Defence analyst Kobus Marais told IOL that Will for Peace is of more value to Russia, China, and Iran to irritate the USA, UK, and EU, “with South Africa as their proverbial useful idiot. We are in no position to irritate and risk our most important trading partners. The three exercise partners are in no position to replace and ‘make up’ for the potential trading losses we could suffer from losing the lucrative export markets of the USA, UK, and EU. Further export and trading losses could damage our economic growth and would most probably lead to further job losses. We can’t afford this at this sensitive time. The contrary should be our objective,” he said.

In addition to Iran, Russia, China, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have sent vessels to South Africa for Will for Peace. China has deployed the Type 052DL guided-missile destroyer Tangshan (122) and the Type 903A replenishment ship Taihu (889). These vessels are part of China’s naval escort taskforce in the Gulf of Aden.

Russia is contributing the Steregushchiy-class corvette Stoikiy (F545), embarked with a Ka-27PL anti-submarine warfare helicopter, along with the Altay-class oiler Yelnya (A168). A Gowind-class corvette of the United Arab Emirates Navy, Bani Yas (P110), is also present.

Will for Peace 2026 officially launched on Saturday 10 January, with an Opening Parade at Naval Base Simon’s Town. The sea phase got underway on 13 January and concluded on the 15th.

According to China’s Ministry of Defence, the sea phase was to see participating vessels conduct drills on communication, formation manoeuvres, maritime strike, hijacked vessel rescue, helicopter-borne patient transfer and treatment, amongst others.

“The exercise aims to further deepen military exchanges and cooperation among participating nations, enhance their collective capacity to address maritime threats, and contribute to jointly safeguarding regional peace and stability and building a community with a shared future for humanity and a maritime community with a shared future,” the Chinese MoD concluded.

Written by DefenceWeb and republished with permission. The original article can be found here

Added 16 January 2025

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SA Port Statistics for the month of November 2025

Terry Hutson
Africa Ports & Ships

Port statistics for the month of December 2025, covering the eight commercial ports under the administration of Transnet National Ports Authority are now available.

Overall figures for the eight South African ports covering the month of December 2025 show a substantial decrease on those for the same month of 2024 – 19.737 million tonnes of cargo handled against 23.214 in 2024.

The only ports that showed gains over the previous year were Durban (6.588mt / 5.962mt) and two of the three Eastern Cape Port – Ngqura (1.467mt / 1.213mt), and Port Elizabeth (1.305mt / 0.988mt)/

The remaining ports fared less well when compared with December 2024 – East London (0.141mt / 0.295mt); Mossel Bay (0.001mt / 0.235mt); Cape Town 1.214mt / 1.278mt) and Saldanha (5.388mt / 5.786mt).

During December a total of 720 ships called at South African ports (26,314,100 gross tons) compared with 727 ships in November 2024 (27,051,151gt) – much of a muchness!

A total of 350,011 containers were handled this December (TEUs) compared with 320,815 TEUs during the same month of 2024, an increase of 29,196.

Thus ends the year – we will publish the detailed calendar year results shortly.

The statistics we show here reflect port cargo throughputs, ships berthed and auto and container volumes handled, together with liquid and dry bulk volumes.

Motor vehicles are measured in vehicle units being the equal of 1 tonne per unit. The three ports handling motor vehicle imports and exports, Durban, East London and Port Elizabeth, performed well though a little down on the record November figure, with a total of 84,443 units handled (94,213 in November)- imports 42,544 and exports 38,116, with the balance of 3,783 being transshipments.

BTW, containers are counted in TEUs, with each TEU representing 13.5 tonnes.

Figures for the respective ports during December 2025 are:

Total cargo handled by tonnes during December 2025, including containers by weight

PORT	December 2025 million tonnes
Richards Bay	7.206
Durban	6.588
Saldanha Bay	5.388
Cape Town	1.214
Port Elizabeth	1.305
Ngqura	1.467
Mossel Bay	0.001
East London	0.141
Total all ports	23.310 million tonnes

CONTAINERS (measured by TEUs) during December 2025
(TEUs include Deepsea, Coastal, Transship and empty containers all subject to being invoiced by NPA

PORT	December 2025 TEUs
Durban	229,292
Cape Town	57,292
Port Elizabeth	8,460
Ngqura	54,519
East London	0,442
Richards Bay	6
Saldanha Bay	–
Total all ports	350,011 TEU

MOTOR VEHICLES RO-RO TRAFFIC (measured by Units- CEUs) during December 2025

PORT	December 2025 CEUs
Durban	68,514
Cape Town	6
Port Elizabeth	14,291
East London	1,632
Richards Bay	0
Total all ports	84,443

SHIP CALLS for December 2025

PORT	December 2025 vessels	gross tons
Durban	229	9,001,513
Cape Town	164	3,130,879
Richards Bay	113	4,663,160
Port Elizabeth	65	2,240,174
Saldanha Bay	50	3,448,117
Ngqura	56	2,963,699
East London	24	709,949
Mossel Bay	19	156,609
Total ship calls	720	26,314,100

— source TNPA, with adjustments regarding container weights by Africa Ports & Ships

Added 15 January 2026

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Global container volumes defy ‘normal’ patterns in November, says CTS

Africa Ports & Ships

The global container shipping industry continues to confound expectations, with November 2025 emerging as one of the strongest months on record despite traditionally softer seasonal trends, according to the latest analysis from Container Trades Statistics (CTS).

CTS data shows that global container volumes reached 16.6 million TEUs in November, making it the third-highest month ever recorded in an already exceptional year. Volumes were 7% higher than November 2024, 12% above 2023 levels, and a striking 22% up on 2022.

While month-on-month growth was relatively modest at just under 1%, CTS notes that the performance is particularly noteworthy given that November has only 30 days. On a daily basis, an average of 553,000 TEUs was lifted, surpassing August’s daily average of 543,000 TEUs.

Although August retains the overall monthly record, November stands out as the strongest month of 2025 when measured by daily throughput.

CTS adds that, had November included an additional day, it would likely have overtaken August as the highest monthly total for the year.

Pricing pressure persists despite volume strength

On the pricing side, the CTS Global Price Index ended a four-month decline in November, rising by two points to 75 — a level last seen in September 2025.

Despite this modest recovery, the index remains around 20% below its level in November 2024, underscoring continued pricing pressure even as volumes remain robust.

The last time the index was at a similar level was December 2023, highlighting the ongoing disconnect between strong demand and subdued freight rates.

Africa leads import growth among emerging markets

Regionally, year-to-date import performance in November shows growth across all regions except North America, where imports declined by 1.8%, equivalent to roughly 500,000 TEUs. CTS notes that earlier geopolitical concerns had raised expectations of a sharper contraction, which ultimately did not materialise.

In percentage terms, Sub-Saharan Africa once again recorded the strongest growth, with imports up 17.1% year to date. CTS attributes this to Africa’s rising prominence as an emerging market in 2025, driven largely by increased cargo flows from North America and the Far East, both of which are up by more than 25% on this trade lane.

Europe also posted strong results, with imports up 7.4% year to date. Unlike previous years, this growth has been relatively evenly spread across most exporting regions, with the notable exception of Australasia and Oceania.

In absolute TEU terms, the Far East remains Europe’s dominant supplier, with CTS highlighting a pronounced imbalance: in November, Europe imported 3.4 TEUs from the Far East for every 1 TEU it exported to the region.

Export growth broad-based across regions

On the export side, CTS reports year-to-date growth across all regions. The Indian Sub-Continent and Middle East lead in percentage terms, with exports up 9.1% so far in 2025. Growth has been broadly distributed across destination regions, again excluding Australasia and Oceania.

Notably, exports from the Indian Sub-Continent and Middle East to Sub-Saharan Africa surged by more than 16% year to date, reinforcing the growing importance of South–South and emerging market trade lanes.

The Far East also recorded solid export growth of over 6% year to date, with increased volumes moving to all regions except North America, where exports declined by around 3%. Even so, CTS points out that Far East–North America volumes remain at levels that would still be considered healthy by historical standards.

A year that continues to defy expectations

According to CTS, November’s performance has surprised many analysts. Historically, volumes have tended to soften slightly in November over the past four years, yet 2025 has once again broken with established patterns.

“With this continued momentum,” CTS concludes, “a 5% year-on-year increase for the full year now appears firmly within reach,” despite the range of external pressures facing the container shipping market throughout 2025.

Source: Container Trades Statistics (CTS).

Added 15 January 2026

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WHARF TALK: offshore construction and ROV support vessel – OLYMPIC CHALLENGER

Pictures by ‘Dockrat’ 
Story by Jay Gates

It is a strange thing that early development, or ongoing development, within the oil and gas industry is clearly still running apace, with little sign of a slowdown, all around the world, but not here in South Africa. That much is known just by looking at the continuous throughput of offshore construction and support vessels of all shapes and sizes. Some are heading to, or from, places far from South Africa, and some are heading to places right next to South Africa, but none bound for work in South Africa, based on the local fossil fuel anti-brigade. As always, arrivals of certain vessel types seem to continue the theme of the London Bus analogy.

Once more, it has happened, and generally, previous examples of the London Bus analogy, which is that you wait for an age for a London Bus to turn up, and then two will literally turn up together, are that two almost identical vessel types arrive within a few days, or even weeks, of each other. What they don’t do is arrive within hours of each other. As recently as 11th January, in Africa Ports and Ships, I reported on the arrival, at 08:00 in the morning of 20th December, of ‘Skandi Inventor’, an offshore construction and ROV support vessel. Well, guess what?

Back on 20th December, at 22:00 in the late evening, the offshore construction and ROV support vessel ‘Olympic Challenger’ arrived off Cape Town, from Dakar in Senegal. She entered Cape Town harbour, proceeding into the Duncan Dock, and went alongside the inner Eastern Mole berth, the same one that had been vacated by ‘Skandi Inventor’ only hours previously, as she had been shifted across the Duncan Dock to G berth to make room for another arrival, and now the reasoning for shifting her made sense, as ‘Olympic Challenger’ took her place at the berth, and such an arrival again pointed at the fact that her call was to be a short one for logistics only.

Entering service in 2008, ‘Olympic Challenger’ had her hull built by Aker SA shipyard at Tulcea in Rumania, and was then towed back for final outfitting and completion by Aker AS shipyard at Aukra in Norway. She was designed by the Aker Yards ASA ship design subsidiary, Aker Yards Project, as an Aker ROV 02 CD design, and was built at a cost of US$65.76 million (ZAR1.08 billion). With a length of 106 metres, she has a gross registered tonnage of 6,619 tons.

She is a diesel electric vessel with both propulsion and domestic power being provided by six Caterpillar 3516C HD generators providing 2,500 kW each. Power is transferred to electric motors which drive two Rolls-Royce Contaz 25 azimuth thrusters, each fitted with unique contra-rotating propellers, producing 3,300 kW each to give ‘Olympic Challenger’ a service transit speed of 15 knots.

Her auxiliary machinery includes two Scania DI 16 emergency generators providing 370 kW each. For added manoeuvrability ‘Olympic Challenger’ has three bow transverse thrusters. With her mix of azimuth propulsion and thrusters she has a dynamic positioning capability of DP2. Her dynamic positioning system is provided by Kongsberg and includes inputs from four DGPS navigation systems, two HiPAP acoustic systems, and a single Fanbeam laser system.

Her working deck has an area of 1,000 m2, and is fitted with a Hydramarine knuckleboom deck crane, which is active heave compensated, and has a lifting capacity of 250 tons, with a capability of operating down to a working depth of 2,500 metres. Her crane can be utilised for both overside operations, and by working through a central moonpool with dimensions of 7.2 metres by 7.2 metres. She was recently fitted with a secondary MacGregor deck crane, also active heave compensated, for her forthcoming contract work.

She is equipped with a hangar containing two working remote operations vehicles (WROV), which are able to be operated either overside, or via an internal moonpool measuring 4.8 metres by 4.8 metres. Both WROVs have a launch and recovery system (LARS), and are both certificated to operate down to water depths of up to 4,000 metres.

As a multi-purpose offshore vessel ‘Olympic Challenger’, as well as providing light construction capability and ROV support, is also designed for Inspection, Maintenance, and Repair (IMR) operations, as well as supporting Subsea Umbilicals, Risers, and Flowlines (SURF) installation operations. She is able to operate worldwide, and has an ice classification of ICE C, which allows her to operate independently in Baltic Sea first year ice thickness of up to 0.2 metres.

With accommodation for up to 100 persons, ‘Olympic Challenger’ also has a raised, forward helideck for crew change, or logistics requirements, with a rotor diameter ‘D’ value of 21 metres, and a deck landing strength of 12.8 tons, which allows her to receive helicopters up to the size of the Sikorsky S-92A, which is the largest commercial helicopter used today in offshore operations. Nominally owned by Olympic Challenger AS, of Fosnavåg in Norway, she is operated by Olympic Subsea ASA, and managed by Olympic Shipping AS, both also of Fosnavåg.

Her stay in Cape Town, as expected, was not long, and after 18 hours alongside, ‘Olympic Challenger’ had completed her bunkers uplift, stores loading, and replenishment of fresh provisions, and was ready to continue with her voyage. At 22:00 in the late evening of 21st December she sailed from Cape Town, with her AIS now showing that her next destination was to be the port of Pemba, in Northern Mozambique.

Most casual maritime observers who take an interest in the offshore oil and gas industry, and especially throughout Southern Africa, will be very well aware of the two major projects in Northern Mozambique to develop the natural gas fields in the Rovuma Basin. One project was under the auspices of the Italian oil major, Eni SpA, to develop the Area 4 gas fields utilising Floating Liquid Natural Gas (FLNG) platforms, with no shore infrastructure involved. The second project was under the auspices of the French oil major, TotalEnergies, to develop the Area 1 gas fields, with all field output being piped ashore to an LNG plant on the Afungi Peninsula.

At a time when the Afungi Peninsula LNG plant was 40% complete, a set of major Islamic terrorist insurgent attacks in Northern Mozambique resulted in TotalEnergies declaring a ‘Force Majeure’ event in April 2021, which meant the suspension of all obligations on the LNG project. In real terms Force Majeure, which is French for ‘Superior Force’, refers to any unforeseeable, and uncontrollable, events such as natural disasters, war, pandemics, or strikes, which prevent a party from fulfilling contractual obligations, excusing them from liability for non-performance.

It was not until October 2025 that TotalEnergies lifted the ‘Force Majeure’ suspension on the Afungi Peninsula LNG project, with the four and a half year suspension having resulted in a loss of US$4.5 billion (ZAR74 billion). The project now underway once more is based on the offshore Atum and Golfino natural gas fields, centred at 10°37’ South 040°52’ East in Area 1, which is located 22 nautical miles offshore, in a water depth of 1,600 metres. Both fields will be developed with a full subsea infrastructure, based around 20 wells between them, and connected to a subsea gathering system, which will be linked to a subsea pipeline exporting all natural gas directly back to the Afungi LNG facility.

The LNG facility will have two gas liquefaction trains, connected to an LNG tanker loading facility, for the export of the LNG. The construction phase of the subsea field infrastructure is planned to be completed before the Afungi LNG facility is completed. When it becomes fully operational it is expected to produce 13.1 million tons of LNG per annum, with the first export of an LNG cargo not expected before 2029, as a result of the more than four year project delay.

Whilst TotalEnergies will operate the Atum and Golfino natural gas fields, and the Afungi LNG plant, they are only one of the partners in the project, being the major partner in the project with a stake of 26.5%. The other partners include Mitsui of Japan with 20%, Empresa Nacional de Hidrocarbonetos (ENH) of Mozambique with 15%, Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) of India with 10%, Bharat Petro Resources Limited (BPRL) of India with 10%, Beas Rovuma Energy Mozambique Limited (BREML) of India with 10%, and Petroleum Authority of Thailand Exploration and Production (PTTEP) of Thailand with 8.5%.

Project development costs for the Afungi LNG plant, and the subsea Atum and Golfino natural gas fields is US$24 billion (ZAR394.45 billion). The arrival of ‘Olympic Challenger’ in Palma is in support of TechnipFMC, the French/American/British offshore construction company, who are responsible for the deepwater element for the Engineering, Procurement, Construction, and Installation (EPCI) of all of the subsea components for the two natural gas fields.

Similarly, TechnipFMC are part of the new Coral Norte (North) natural gas field development, which was given Mozambique government approval in late 2025. The Coral natural gas field is situated in Area 4, located 35 nautical miles offshore, and in a water depth of 2,260 metres. The field is split between the southern half, Coral Sul (South), and the northern half, Coral Norte (North), with the Coral Sul field already being in operation, since 2022, with a FLNG platform.

For the Coral Norte field an almost identical FLNG platform to the operational Coral Sul FLNG platform is to be built, coming into full production by 2028, and producing 3.6 million tons per annum of natural gas. The development costs of Coral Norte are US$7 billion (ZAR105.07 billion), with TechnipFMC being responsible for the Subsea Umbilicals, Riser, and Flowlines (SURF) element from the subsea wells up to the FLNG. It is expected that ‘Olympic Challenger’ will also be working on the Coral Norte project for TechnipFMC.

The Coral gas field project is operated by Eni SpA of Italy, who are the major project shareholder with 50%, and supported in the project by China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) of China with a 20% share, Empresa Nacional de Hidrocarbonetos (ENH) of Mozambique with 10%, Kogas of South Korea with 10%, and Abu Dhabi National Oil Corporation (ADNOC) with 10%. The operational Coral Sul FLNG programme was not overly affected by the Islamic terrorist insurgency in the onshore Cabo Delgado province, due to it being an almost wholly offshore project.

Added 15 January 2026

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Port of Maputo marks historic milestone with record cargo volumes

Terry Hutson
Africa Ports & Ships

The Port of Maputo closed 2025 on a historic high, cementing its role as one of Southern Africa’s most important logistics hubs.

According to the Maputo Port Development Company (MPDC), the concessionaire responsible for managing and operating the port, a total of 32 million tonnes of cargo was handled during the year — an increase of 3.4% compared to 2024’s 30.9 million tonnes.

Not just Mozambique’s port, but a shared regional gateway

This achievement underscores the port’s resilience and efficiency within Mozambique’s integrated transport corridor, while also reinforcing Maputo’s position as a strategically vital gateway for South African imports and exports, complementing the country’s own major ports.

Rail at the core of sustainability

Rail transport continues to be a cornerstone of Maputo’s long-term sustainability strategy. Volumes surged by 17%, climbing from 9.7 million tonnes in 2024 to 11.7 million tonnes in 2025.

The growth highlights the port’s commitment to shifting cargo from road to rail, reducing environmental impact and strengthening corridor competitiveness.

Direct operations and state contribution

MPDC’s direct operations also reached record levels, handling 15.2 million tonnes — a 6.4% increase year-on-year. Beyond operational growth, the port reinforced its economic contribution to Mozambique.

Concession fees rose to USD 48.9 million, up from USD 46.8 million in 2024, excluding additional government revenue through taxes and dividends to state-owned Ports and Railways of Mozambique (CFM).

“This increase reflects both the growth in activity levels and MPDC’s ongoing commitment to generating economic value for the country,” MPDC noted in its statement.

Chief Executive Officer Osório Lucas added: “Achieving record volumes while continuing to invest in capacity, efficiency, and social impact demonstrates the maturity and resilience of the Port of Maputo. Our focus remains on building a competitive, integrated, and sustainable corridor that supports Mozambique’s long-term economic development.”

Strategic investments and infrastructure expansion

2025 was also marked by progress in strategic infrastructure projects:

• Kanyaka Island Jetty Bridge – Scheduled for completion in March 2026, this project is expected to significantly improve access, mobility, and integration for the island community.
• Solid Bulk Terminal Expansion – Capacity increased to 16 million tonnes.
• DP World Container Terminal Expansion – Ongoing works to raise throughput to 530,000 TEUs.
• Grindrod Magnetite & Coal Terminal – Expansion to 12 million tonnes capacity.
• Corridor Efficiency Improvements – Coordinated interventions with Km4, Kudumba, TRAC, and other partners.

These investments align with MPDC’s long-term vision of positioning Maputo as a modern, competitive, and integrated logistics hub, supporting regional trade and Mozambique’s sustainable development.

📊 Sidebar: Port of Maputo – 2025 at a Glance

Indicator	2024	2025	Growth
Total cargo handled	30.9m tonnes	32.0m tonnes	+3.4%
Direct MPDC operations	14.3m tonnes	15.2m tonnes	+6.4%
Rail volumes	9.7m tonnes	11.7m tonnes	+17%
Concession fees	USD 46.8m	USD 48.9m	+4.5%

📌 Sidebar: Maputo’s role in South African trade

The Port of Maputo is not only Mozambique’s largest port but also a critical outlet for South African exports and imports, particularly from the industrial heartland of Gauteng.

Its proximity to Johannesburg and Pretoria and the provinces of Mpumalanga and Limpopo makes it a natural gateway for bulk commodities and manufactured goods moving in and out of South Africa.

• Key Exports via Maputo: South African coal, ferrochrome, iron ore, and magnetite are major commodities shipped through the port, alongside agricultural products such as citrus and sugar.
• Imports: The port also handles petroleum products, fertilisers, and manufactured goods destined for South African markets.
• Maputo Development Corridor: The port anchors the Maputo Corridor, a strategic logistics route linking Gauteng to the Indian Ocean. This corridor has historically carried a significant share of South Africa’s trade, with rail and road networks feeding directly into Maputo.
• Complementary Role: While Durban and Richards Bay remain South Africa’s largest ports, Maputo provides a competitive alternative — especially for exporters seeking shorter transit times and lower costs. Its integration into South Africa’s logistics system cements its role as a regional hub rather than a purely national asset.

📌 Sidebar: Comparing Key Southern African Ports

In the Southern African context, Maputo’s growth must be seen alongside Durban and Richards Bay…

Port	Main Cargo Specialisations	Approx. Annual Volumes	Regional Role
Durban (South Africa)	Containers, automotive, petroleum, citrus, sugar, agricultural products, bulk, general cargo	~80–85m tonnes	Sub-Saharan Africa’s busiest container port; gateway for manufactured goods, citrus, dry & liquid bulk, breakbulk
Richards Bay (South Africa)	Coal, bulk minerals, heavy bulk commodities	~85-90m tonnes	One of the world’s largest coal export terminals; bulk export powerhouse
Maputo (Mozambique)	Coal, ferrochrome, magnetite, citrus, sugar, petroleum	32m tonnes (2025)	Strategic outlet for Gauteng, Limpopo, Mpumalanga exports; complementary hub to SA ports

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Mangrove loss is making the Niger Delta more vulnerable: we built a model that can track how the forests are doing

 

Chinomnso Onwubiko, University of Cape Coast

Added 14 January 2026

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DP World study: Logistics disruption now a permanent drag on Global South trade

Africa Ports & Ships

Global trade is no longer recovering from isolated shocks but operating under sustained strain, with companies across parts of the Global South losing months of productivity, millions of dollars and long-term customer trust as supply-chain disruption becomes a defining feature of the operating environment.

These are among the conclusions of DP World’s Without Logistics report, based on a global survey of 680 senior logistics and supply-chain decision-makers across eight industries and nine regions.

The study finds that while disruption is now commonplace worldwide, its impact is most severe and persistent in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states.

According to the research, disruption in these regions routinely wipes out more than a month of operational capacity each year. Some 83% of firms in Sub-Saharan Africa, 72% in MENA and 61% in the GCC reported losing more than a month of operational time in years affected by major logistics disruption.

This compares with 50% of companies in North America, 41% in Germany and 36% in the UK.

The financial impact is equally uneven. Nearly half of companies in the GCC (47%) and more than four in ten in MENA (43%) reported annual disruption costs of US$1 million or more.

These same regions also recorded some of the highest levels of customer complaints, lost business and brand damage, highlighting how logistics constraints are now directly eroding commercial performance and reputation.

Beat Simon, Chief Operating Officer – Logistics at DP World, said the data confirms that disruption is no longer a short-term phenomenon.

“Supply-chain disruption is no longer a temporary shock; it is a recurring drain on growth, profitability and customer trust,” Simon said. “In some regions, businesses are effectively planning around the loss of weeks or months of productive time each year.”

However, the report notes that the regions under the greatest pressure are also responding with urgency. More than 90% of businesses in Sub-Saharan Africa and the GCC expect to increase investment in logistics over the next year, while 86% of companies in MENA plan to do the same.

“That reflects a clear understanding that resilience is now a competitive necessity, not an optional upgrade,” Simon added.

The study also highlights sharp contrasts between industries. High-volume sectors such as retail, healthcare and perishables operate under near-constant turbulence, with retail and healthcare firms experiencing an estimated 18,000 disruption events annually.

Automotive companies, by contrast, face fewer incidents, but the consequences are far more severe when disruption occurs, with average costs approaching US$1 million per event and annual losses estimated at US$13 billion.

Importantly for ports, corridors and inland logistics networks, the research finds that resilience depends not on technology alone but on the breadth of investment across the supply chain.

Companies strengthening multiple logistics capabilities — from factory logistics and inbound flows to warehousing and digital coordination — report significantly lower disruption costs. In consumer goods, firms investing in four or more logistics areas recorded disruption costs around 76% lower than low-investment peers.

Customer impact is now close to universal, with between 80% and 95% of respondents reporting increased complaints linked to logistics failures.

Lasting reputational damage, however, is concentrated in specific markets, notably Sub-Saharan Africa and France, while firms in North America and the UK report higher complaint volumes but more resilient brand perceptions.

Despite the scale of the challenge, the report finds strong alignment between boardrooms and operations. More than 80% of respondents expect logistics to become a more strategic focus at board level, and almost 90% agree that companies with resilient supply chains will significantly outperform their peers in the years ahead.

DP World concludes that as disruption becomes a permanent feature of global trade, companies that fail to build end-to-end logistics resilience risk falling structurally behind, while those that invest decisively can protect growth, customer trust and long-term competitiveness.

DP World’s Without Logistics report can be found here

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WHARF TALK: multipurpose heavylift vessel – EEMSLIFT NELLI

Pictures by ‘Dockrat’
Story by Jay Gates

The casual maritime observer cannot have not noticed that, over the last few months, there has been a steady stream of general cargo type heavylifter vessels calling into South Africa ports, all for logistical reasons of uplifting bunkers, stores and fresh provisions whilst in transit between loading or discharge ports. Not once have these been for the purpose of loading or discharging any of their project freight in South Africa. All that appears to indicate is that great complex engineering projects, of all industrial types, are being carried out all around the world, but not a lot, if anything, is being undertaken on those scales inside South Africa.

On 21st December, at 08:00 in the morning, the multi-purpose heavylifter ‘Eemslift Nelli’ (IMO 9671462) arrived off Cape Town, from Tanjung Langsat in Malaysia. She entered Cape Town harbour, proceeding into the Duncan Dock and was berthed alongside the Landing Wall. Again, a near sure sign that her call was purely for logistical purposes, and her stay would be brief.

She was built in 2014 with her hull being built by the Partner Stocnia Sp.Z.O.O. shipyard at Szczecin in Poland, before being towed to the Central Industry Group (CIG) BV shipyard at Groningen in Holland for outfitting and completion. With a length of 112 metres in length, and with a 17 metre beam, ‘Eemslift Nelli’ has a gross registered tonnage of 5,460 tons.

She is powered by a single MaK 8M32C eight cylinder, four stroke, main engine producing 5,435 bhp (4,000 kW) which drives a controllable pitch propeller for a service speed of 16.5 knots. Her auxiliary machinery includes two Caterpillar C15 generators providing 400 kW each, and a single emergency generator providing 119 kW. For added manoeuvrability she has a bow transverse thruster providing 300 kW, and a stern transverse thruster also providing 300 kW.

She has a single hold measuring 66 metres by 12 metres, and with a deck strength of 15 tons/m2. Her cargo carrying capacity is 6,770 m3, and she has a container carrying capacity of 261 TEU. She has pontoon hatch covers, which are moved by a railed deck gantry crane, and her hold and open main deck are served by two NMF cranes, each with a lifting capacity of 150 tons, and which can lift 300 tons when utilised in tandem. For large project freight carrying requirements ‘Eemslift Nelli’ is classified for ‘Open Hatch’ sailings.

One of five sisterships, ‘Eemslift Nelli’ is identified as a HLV4400 design by the CIG shipyard, and she is known as an A300 class vessel by her owners. Nominally owned by Eemslift Nelli BV, of Delfzijl in Holland, a subsidiary company of Amasus Shipping BV, of Delfzijl in Holland, who also operate ‘Eemslift Nelli’, with management being provided by Amasus Support BV, also of Delfzijl. The Amasus company houseflag is displayed on the front of her accommodation block, with the company name appearing along the hull.

For a heavylift vessel, her deck cargo was clearly visible, and consisted of two large flexible cable reels marked with ‘TechnipFMC’ covers. TechnipFMC are a French/American/British company specialising in subsea pipelines, flowlines, umbilicals, and flexible cables for the offshore oil and gas industry, and who are currently operational in both West Africa, and offshore Mozambique. Her deck cargo also consisted of special containers from BSL Oilfield Services of Singapore. The containers are 20 foot (TEU), open top, containers designed for offshore use when loading, or offloading, equipment via a crane mounted on a rig, or vessel.

That the voyage of ‘Eemslift Nelli’ to Cape Town, from Tanjung Langsat, might be linked to TechnipFMC can be answered by looking at the port facilities at Tanjung Langsat. Located in Malaysia, at 01°26’ North 104°01’ East, and lying just to the north of Singapore, it is a major oil storage port with seven tanker berths for vessels up to VLCC in size. There is also a single breakbulk berth, which is connected to a small industrial estate adjacent to the berth. In this industrial estate is the Asiaflex Products factory, which is a subsidiary company of TechnipFMC, and which manufactures offshore flexible cables. The factory was the first one built in the Asia-Pacific region, and serves markets in Southeast Asia, Australia, the Middle East and Africa.

As expected, ‘Eemslift Nelli’ was not alongside in Cape Town for long. Shortly after her arrival, the Cape Town harbour bunker tanker ‘Southern Valour’ came alongside her to provide her with the uplift of bunkers she required, and local ship chandlers came alongside with their trucks on the Landing Wall to onload the stores and fresh provisions ordered by way of the stores cranes sited atop the gantry deck crane.

After just twelve hours alongside, ‘Eemslift Nelli’ was ready to depart to sea. At 20:00 in the evening of 21st December she sailed from Cape Town, with her AIS showing that her next destination was to be Pointe Noire, in the Republic of Congo, and a well-established support port for the West African oil and gas industry.

It is in Pointe Noire that her flexible cable reels will be discharged, as TechnipFMC have an operational office in Pointe Noire due to their major subsea activities offshore, on behalf of the French oil major, TotalEnergies, who operate many oil and gas fields offshore in the Congo Basin, including the Moho Nord field, where TechnipFMC was installing subsea infrastructure.

TechnipFMC also have contracts in Mozambique, one for TotalEnergies, linked to the recently restarted Afungi LNG plant in Northern Mozambique, with TechnipFMC are responsible for the subsea infrastructure from the offshore Rovuma Basin natural gas fields, back to the still to be completed, onshore LNG facility.

TechnipFMC have also been awarded contracts by the Italian oil major, Eni SpA, for the subsea infrastructure for the still to be built FLNG platform in the new Coral Norte (North) LNG project in the Rovuma Basin. TechnipFMC were previously responsible for the installation of the subsea infrastructure for the successful, and operational, FLNG platform in the Coral Sul (South) LNG project, which has been in service since 2022.

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Mozambique faces dual crisis: Fishing industry exit and climate disruptions

Terry Hutson
Africa Ports & Ships

Mozambique’s fishing sector is facing a severe setback as Spanish seafood giant Nueva Pescanova announced plans to sell its subsidiary Grupo Pescamar and its fleet of 26 vessels, effectively ending its operations in the country.

The move marks the withdrawal of the last major multinational operator from Mozambique’s shallow-water prawn industry, once a cornerstone of the nation’s export economy.

At its peak, shrimp exports generated USD 100 million annually, but decades of overfishing, disregard for closed seasons, and capture of juvenile shrimp have devastated stocks.

Environmental degradation has compounded the crisis, with sediment pollution from mineral sands mining in Nampula and Zambezia and widespread mangrove deforestation destroying key breeding grounds.

Analysts warn that without decisive government intervention, the sector’s recovery is unlikely, leaving only lower-quality deep-water shrimp (‘gambas’) as the main industrial catch.

The government itself has forecast stagnation in fisheries production for 2026, projecting only marginal growth of 0.3% in catches, with artisanal fishing expected to decline.

Climate change further threatens Mozambique’s marine ecosystems, with over 2.4 million people dependent on aquatic food systems along its vulnerable 2,414 km coastline.

Torrential rains halt maritime activity

Nueva Pescanova’s exit coincides with extreme weather events that have paralysed maritime activity. Since 9 January 2026, torrential rains forced the Maritime Transport Institute (ITRANSMAR) to suspend all navigation in the Mozambique Channel.

The ban covered coastal passenger transport, artisanal fishing, small vessels, and recreational boating, with vessels at sea ordered to seek shelter.

Authorities have issued flood warnings across southern and central river basins, while the National Institute for Disaster Risk Management (INGD) reported 85 deaths, 70 injuries, and over 105,000 people affected during the current rainy season.

Mozambique’s contingency plan for 2025–26 was budgeted at 14 billion meticais, but only 6 billion meticais is currently available, underscoring the country’s limited capacity to respond.

Mozambique is among the world’s most climate-vulnerable nations, cyclically battered by floods and cyclones. The 2024–25 rainy season alone saw cyclones Chido, Dikeledi, and Jude kill 313 people and affect 1.8 million, while extreme weather events between 2019 and 2023 caused over 1,000 deaths and impacted nearly 5 million people.

Outlook

The simultaneous challenges of industrial withdrawal and climate disruption highlight Mozambique’s precarious position. The loss of Nueva Pescanova threatens foreign revenue and jobs, while storms and flooding continue to undermine artisanal fishing and coastal livelihoods.

With fisheries stagnating and climate risks escalating, experts stress the urgent need for stronger regulation, ecosystem protection, and investment in aquaculture to safeguard Mozambique’s food security and economic stability.

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MSC speeds up the Western Cape Express Service to NW Continent

Africa Ports & Ships

MSC is introducing faster transit times from South Africa to the North West Continent (Europe) for January and February 2026 sailings. To achieve this the Port Elizabeth call is dropped in favour of a call at Cape Town, with the service renamed from Eastern Cape Express to Western Cape Express.

“This strategic change will deliver faster and more reliable access to London Gateway and Rotterdam, particularly benefitting the needs of the region’s fresh produce exporters,” MSC said in a statement.

The first vessel on the new rotation will be the MSC TANIA, voyage WM601R (week 02 sailing) with the following service rotation:

Walvis Bay – Cape Town – San Pedro – London Gateway – Rotterdam – Antwerp – Le Havre

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South African-hosted Will for Peace 2026 Naval Exercise proceeds amid diplomacy, withdrawal and geopolitical debate

Terry Hutson
Africa Ports & Ships

What was intended as a week-long demonstration of multilateral naval cooperation under the BRICS Plus banner has entered a complex phase of diplomatic signalling, partial withdrawal and international scrutiny.

The Will for Peace 2026 maritime drills — hosted by the South African Navy from 9 to 16 January — originally saw warships from China, Russia, Iran, South Africa and the United Arab Emirates assemble at Simon’s Town and in False Bay ahead of the at-sea phase.

However, Iran’s naval contingent has now been confirmed to have withdrawn from active participation in the exercises, following diplomatic discussions between Pretoria and Tehran.

Pretoria is reported to have urged Tehran to step back in order to avoid exacerbating tensions with the United States, particularly at a sensitive moment when South Africa is seeking extension of duty-free access under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA).

Official Statements from the Exercise

At the opening of the drills, Captain Ndwakhulu Thomas Thamaha, Joint Task Force Commander of the exercise, framed the operation in professional and cooperative terms: “It is a demonstration of our ability to resolve to work together. In an increasingly complex environment, an operation such as this is not optional; it is essential,” he was quoted in DefenceWeb.

South African defence sources reiterated that the purpose of Will for Peace 2026 is to enhance interoperability and maritime security cooperation. A defence statement noted that the drill is designed to “advance strategic objectives, including strengthening of multilateral naval partnerships, enhancement of collective maritime security capabilities and promotion of mutual understanding among participating states.”

Iran’s Withdrawal and Context

Iranian warships originally arrived in Simon’s Town last week and were expected to partake in the joint operations. But after diplomatic engagements in Pretoria, a government source confirmed that Tehran’s vessels “are not expected to participate” in the sea phase of the exercise, with the move linked to efforts to manage diplomatic pressures, particularly from Washington.

It remains unclear whether Iranian ships will remain berthed in False Bay while others conduct operations, or if they will depart South African waters entirely.

Government Defence of the Exercise

South Africa’s Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ronald Lamola, has defended the decision to host the joint drills, stressing that cooperation with the participating navies should not be viewed as hostile to Western partners.

Though his full remarks were not widely published, Lamola emphasised that South Africa conducts exercises with a range of partners and that this drill “is not a declaration of war.”

Criticism from Opposition and Domestic Politics

The South African opposition has been vocally critical of the exercise. Chris Hattingh, a Member of Parliament for the Democratic Alliance (DA), condemned the use of the BRICS label for what he described as a politically charged military engagement.

“BRICS is not a military alliance… Calling these drills ‘BRICS cooperation’ is political theatre… It misleads the public… and damages South Africa’s claim to be non-aligned,” he said.

Another DA representative, Ryan Smith, the party’s international relations spokesperson, was sharply critical of Minister Lamola’s defence of hosting sanctioned Iranian and Russian warships, describing it as evidence of “deep ineptitude for foreign affairs” and prioritising ideology over national interest.

India’s Absence and Strategic Calculation

Two founding members of the original BRICS bloc — India and Brazil — are not participating at sea in Will for Peace 2026. While Brazil is represented by observers, India has opted out entirely, choosing not to send either operational vessels or official observers.

The Indian non-participation has been interpreted by analysts as a deliberate strategic choice reflecting New Delhi’s foreign policy priorities.

India has historically positioned BRICS as an economic and development partnership, not a military alliance. Opting out of the naval drills aligns with its emphasis on balancing relations with the United States amid ongoing trade negotiations and broader strategic ties.

Observers note that India’s absence underscores internal divergences within BRICS about the bloc’s purpose. A geopolitical analyst said that while some member countries see combined military drills as part of broader cooperation, “India would prefer not to be tagged in the BRICS wargames,” underlining that such exercises “are not really something that India can take forward, both pragmatically and normatively.”

International and Public Reaction

Beyond domestic politics, the drills have drawn attention internationally. Critics, including regional civil society voices, have argued that hosting drills involving Russia and Iran may send mixed signals about South Africa’s non-aligned posture.

One protester outside Simon’s Town recently denounced the presence of foreign warships, urging the government to “not cooperate militarily with Russia because Russia is an aggressive state.”

Nevertheless, SANDF officials maintain that such exercises are part of routine defence cooperation and engagement with a broad spectrum of navies, noting that South Africa also conducts maritime drills with Western partners.

Added 13 January 2026

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