TODAY’S BULLETIN OF MARITIME NEWS
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- First View : MAYDON WHARF SCENE
- SA port statistics for July are now available
- Sea Harvest invests in another Icelandic trawler
- East African road transporters avoid Mombasa port during election disputes
- NSRI Mossel Bay medivac of crewman from passing ship
- Giant ship aground – Port of Antwerp blocked
- Sweltering southern Europe; The ESA Sentinel mission; Earthquakes in China
- Expected Ship Arrivals and Ships in Port
- Cruise News and Naval Activities
- Pics of the Day : ASIAN MAJESTY
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FIRST VIEW: BUSY PORT – MAYDON WHARF SCENE, DURBAN
Maydon Wharf scene at the port of Durban, showing berths 6 through to 11. Picture is by Chris Hoare / www.aerialphotosetc.co.za
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SA PORT STATISTICS FOR JULY ARE NOW AVAILABLE
Port statistics for the month of July 2017, covering the eight commercial ports under the administration of Transnet National Ports Authority, are now available.
Total cargo handled at all eight ports during the past month amounted to 25.274 million tons, compared with the previous month (June 2017) when 24.264 million tons of cargo was handled, reflecting an increase in throughput of about one million tonnes month on month – an impressive result. By comparison, the port of Richards Bay recorded…[restrict] reduced volumes of cargo for the month, mostly coal for export, achieving 8.999 million tons of cargo in July, all products, compared with 9.392 in June. The Port of Durban handled 6.821 million tons, a small improvement on the 6.485mt achieved in June. The Port of Saldanha also had a good month reaching 5.833mt in July compared to June when the port experienced volumes of 4.996mt. Saldanha continues having fluctuating fortunes in terms of volumes handled.
Container volumes nationally were 409,914 TEU handled compared with 392,904 TEU in June – an increase for this sector just as the peak season approaches.
For detailed comparison with the previous July (2016) figures please go HERE; use your BACKSPACE button to return to this page.
These statistical reports on africa PORTS & SHIPS are arrived at using an adjustment on the overall tonnage compared to those kindly provided by Transnet. This is to include containers by weight; an adjustment necessary because Transnet NPA measures containers by the number of TEUs and does not reflect the weight which unfortunately undervalues the ports.
To arrive at such a calculation, PORTS & SHIPS uses an average of 13.5 tonnes per TEU, which probably does involve some under-reporting. PORTS & SHIPS will continue to emphasise this distinction, without which South African ports would be seriously under-reported internationally and locally.
Port Statistics continue below
Figures for the respective ports during July 2017 are:
Cargo handled by tonnes during July 2017, including containers by weight
| PORT | July 2017 million tonnes |
| Richards Bay | 8.999 |
| Durban | 6.821 |
| Saldanha Bay | 5.833 |
| Cape Town | 1.253 |
| Port Elizabeth | 1.133 |
| Ngqura | 0.911 |
| Mossel Bay | 0.157 |
| East London | 0.167 |
| Total all ports | 25.274 million tonnes |
CONTAINERS (measured by TEUs) during July 2017
(TEUs include Deepsea, Coastal, Transship and empty containers all subject to being invoiced by NPA
| PORT | July 2017 TEUs |
| Durban | 241,978 |
| Cape Town | 76,534 |
| Port Elizabeth | 17,253 |
| Ngqura | 67,406 |
| East London | 5,822 |
| Richards Bay | 921 |
| Total all ports | 409,914 TEU |
SHIP CALLS for July 2017
| PORT | July 2017 vessels | gross tons |
| Durban | 318 | 11,283,234 |
| Cape Town | 164 | 4,160,513/td> |
| Richards Bay | 159 | 6,285,626 |
| Port Elizabeth | 78 | 2,534,805 |
| Saldanha Bay | 50 | 3,351,054 |
| Ngqura | 41 | 2,436,122 |
| East London | 28 | 962,108 |
| Mossel Bay | 22 | 244,706 |
| Total ship calls | 860 | 31,258,168 |
— source TNPA, with adjustments made by africa Ports & Ships to include container tonnages [/restrict]
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SEA HARVEST INVESTS IN ANOTHER ICELANDIC TRAWLER
One of South Africa’s biggest fishing and processing companies, Sea Harvest has bought a vessel from Iceland’s HB Grandi, for $13.5 million (R181.85 million).
The fillet freezer trawler, which is named THERNEY RE1, was built in 1992 and delivered in 1993 since when it has been operated by the Icelandic firm.
The trawler will be delivered to Sea Harvest on 15 November 2017.
Therney RE1 becomes the fourth Sterkoder class trawler to enter service in South Africa. Two are owned and operated by Irvin & Johnson and the other by Sea Harvest which acquired it in 2014.
The Sterkoder fillet freezer trawlers were built in Norway at the Umoe Sterkoder shipyard in Kristiansund.
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EAST AFRICAN ROAD TRANSPORTERS AVOID MOMBASA PORT DURING ELECTION DISPUTES
Road hauliers have taken to avoiding the port of Mombasa during post-election uncertainties in Kenya.
This has become obvious with the low turnout of road trucks calling at the port, which serves not only Kenya but several neighbouring countries as well – Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Eastern DRC and South Sudan.
Cargo handling involving ships in port is…[restrict] proceeding normally and most of the 21 berths in port have been occupied with offloading taking place. It is in cargo moving out of the port that things have slowed, as truck operators adopt a wait and see policy amidst uncertainty over the election results.
Nevertheless, a small number of trucks have been reported as “trickling in” to load cargo from the port, but nowhere near the usual volume.
Clearing & Forwarding agents in Mombasa reported the same thing to the East African, with one firm reporting that it hadn’t processed a single container in three days.
The response to the general election has been an echo of what it had been in the 2007-2008 post-election violence that rocked the country. On that occasion the region suffered massive losses after cargo was either delayed or stolen along the Northern Corridor route.
With this perhaps in mind truckers and cargo owners have played it safe by staying away until the current election matters have settled.
Meanwhile, it is reported by Kenya Ports Authority that it has handled 15 million tons of cargo for the six months January to June 2017. This is a 12 percent increase over the 13.4 million tons handled in the same period of 2016. The East African newspaper reports that this included an increase in volume during the month of June from 2 mt to 2.7 million tons, a 30.5 percent increase that suggests some stocking up in advance of the elections may have taken place.
Uganda is thought to have diverted some of its normal traffic through the port of Dar es Salaam to avoid any possibility of election-related problems at Mombasa. source: East African[/restrict]
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NSRI MOSSEL BAY MEDIVAC OF CREWMAN FROM PASSING SHIP
In the early hours of yesterday morning (Monday 14 August), at 01h52, the duty crew at the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) at Mossel Bay was activated following a request for medical assistance from the cargo carrier MV LITTLE PRINCE, sailing from Port Elizabeth to West Africa and reporting a 65 year old Greek crewman onboard suspected to be suffering a heart attack.
The Little Prince had reportedly been off-shore of Witsand and following a request for medical assistance MRCC (Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre) had arranged a…[restrict] Western Cape Government Health EMS duty doctor to evaluate the patient’s condition by radio phone (assisted by Telkom Maritime Radio Services) and the EMS duty doctor confirmed an urgent patient evacuation was necessary.
MRCC diverted the ship to sail back towards Mossel Bay and NSRI Mossel Bay launched the sea rescue craft Rescue 15 accompanied by a rescue paramedic.
On arrival on the scene, one nautical mile off-shore of Mossel Bay harbour, the rescue paramedic and two NSRI medics were put aboard the ship and the patient was found to be in a serious condition.
Following medical treatment the patient was secured into a hoisting stretcher and lowered onto the sea rescue craft and brought to shore from where he was transported to hospital in a serious but stable condition.
Andre Fraser, NSRI Mossel Bay station commander reports that barely 12 hours previous to this, the NSRI duty crew at Mossel Bay went to the assistance pf Police Border Control officers at the harbour where the 38 foot ski-boat La Belle was taking water at her moorings with no one onboard.
Water extrication pumps were delivered and the craft was kept from sinking using the NSRI water extrication pump and the boats bilge pumps and she was secured. Her owner will investigate the cause of the water ingress and make repairs.[/restrict]
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GIANT SHIP AGROUND – PORT OF ANTWERP BLOCKED
Europe’s second largest port, Antwerp, almost came to a virtual as far as entries and departures are concerned when the giant 366-metre Chinese container ship CSCL JUPITER went aground yesterday on the banks of the river Scheldt which connects the port with the North Sea.
CSCL Jupiter was sailing from Antwerp bound for Hamburg.
Up to eight tugs were sent to the assistance of the stricken container 14,300-TEU vessel and were later seen to be attempting to tow her back into deeper water. At the time the tide was…[restrict] still falling which made the task even more difficult and it would appear that rescue efforts would have to wait some hours for the returning tide.
The next high tide was expected at 8pm last night (Monday), local time.
According to unconfirmed reports CSCL Jupiter suffered rudder failure as she entered the river and became grounded.
Some reports indicated that a few shipping movements past the grounded container ships had been possible but large vessels were unable to access or leave the port.
CSCL operates on a service between Asia and northern Europe known as French Asia Line 7 (FAL 7).
YouTube Video Link [9:19] Video credit: Biggy
[/restrict]
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SWELTERING SOUTHERN EUROPE; THE ESA SENTINEL MISSION; EARTHQUAKES IN CHINA
Southern Europe has been in the grip of a relentless heatwave, fuelling wildfires and water shortages. Information from the Copernicus Sentinel-3A satellite has been used to map the sweltering heat across the region.
The map here shows that on 7 August 2017, temperatures of the land surface rose above 40°C – not an unusual occurrence over recent weeks.
Much of Italy, including Rome, Naples, Florence, Sardinia and Sicily has been suffering these highs. With numerous towns and cities on the ministry of health’s maximum heat alert, the Italians have aptly dubbed the heatwave ‘Lucifer’.
Extreme temperatures have also been recorded in Spain and Portugal, the Balkans and Greece.
As well as wildfires and water shortages, the heat has also led to some tourist attractions being closed, ill health and even some fatalities, and the drought is also threatening crops.
The map (illustrated) uses data from the satellite’s Sea and Land Surface Temperature Radiometer, which measures energy radiating from the Earth’s surface in nine spectral bands – the map therefore represents temperature of the land surface, not air temperature which is normally used in forecasts.
About the Sentinel series of missions
©ESA
The main objective of the Sentinel-3 mission is to measure sea surface topography, sea and land surface temperature, and ocean and land surface colour with high accuracy and reliability to support ocean forecasting systems, environmental monitoring and climate monitoring. The mission is jointly operated by ESA and EUMETSAT to deliver operational ocean and land observation services.
People’s Republic of China
Specific Sentinel-1B observations have been planned to support the analysis of two earthquakes that occurred on 8 August in central China at 1319 UTC, and in north-western China close to the border with Kazakhstan the same day at 2347 UTC), and possible aftershocks.
With the Sentinel-1A acquisitions already planned, these additional Sentinel-1B acquisitions will allow generation of interferograms* at six days for the month of August, in both ascending and descending geometry.
* a photographic record created of light interference patterns produced with an interferometer for recording shock waves and patterns of fluid flow.
Edited by Paul Ridgway
London
GENERAL NEWS REPORTS – UPDATED THROUGH THE DAY
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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.
PIC OF THE DAY : ASIAN MAJESTY
EUKOR’s car carrier ASIAN MAJESTY (71,383-gt) makes her entry into Durban earlier this month. Built in 1999 at the Hyundai Heavy Industries, Ulsan shipyard in South Korea, the ship is homeported in Jeju Cheju and sails under the South Korean flag. She is owned and managed by Eukor Car Carriers of Seoul, South Korea. At 229 metres and 32m wide she is one of the more lengthy car carriers and is capable of a full load of 7,645 motor cars. The ship was originally built at 200 metres but was lengthened in 2006 by an additional 28 metres to give her current size. EUKOR is represented in South Africa by Diamond Shipping. This picture is by Keith Betts
THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK
“ I am a minimalist. I like saying the most with the least.”
– Bob Newhart
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