Africa PORTS & SHIPS Maritime News

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

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FIRST VIEW: CLIPPER BLISS

Clipper Bliss at Durban, October 2017. Picture: Ken Malcolm, appearing in Africa PORTS & SHIPS maritime news
Clipper Bliss. Picture: Ken Malcolm

The bulk carrier vessel CLIPPER BLISS (38,147-dwt) seen at Maydon Wharf discharging cargo earlier in October, seemingly hemmed in by the channel markers. Built in 2014 at the Imabari Shipbuilding yard in Imabari, Japan, Clipper Bliss is owned by Shoei Kisen of Japan, a vessel owner and operator based in Imabari with a fleet of 68 ships, of which more than a few have called at South African ports. Among recent visitors was the RoRo car carrier VAN IRIS which we featured on 2 November. Clipper Bliss is managed by BSM Hong Kong and is flagged in Panama. This picture is taken by Ken Malcolm

 

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SA PORT STATISTICS FOR OCTOBER 2017 ARE NOW AVAILABLE HERE

Undated picture of East London Harbour showing the East Bank or city side of the river port and the recently opened East London dry dock, which suggest this photo was taken in or soon after 1947. Note the dredger at work as well as the historic Buffalo Bridge, at that time the only means of crossing the Buffalo River without taking a long detour, appearing in Africa PORTS & SHIPS maritime news
Undated picture of East London Harbour showing the East Bank or city side of the river port and the recently opened East London dry dock, which suggest this photo was taken during or soon after 1947. Note the bucket dredger at work as well as the historic Buffalo Bridge, at that time the only means of crossing the Buffalo River without taking a long detour.

Port statistics for the month of October 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 a high 26.562 million tons, compared with September 2017 when 26.036 million tons of cargo was handled, reflecting a small increase in throughput of 526,000 tonnes month on month.

The Port of Richards Bay once again led the way with…[restrict] bulk commodity exports (mainly coal) totalling 9.353 million tonnes of cargo handled, slightly down on the previous month. Saldanha showed a resurgence in iron ore exports, reaching 7.326 million tonnes of cargo handled while Durban dropped back sharply from the 8 million tonnes plus of the previous month to realise cargo throughput of 6.176mt. Ngqura at 1.173mt was down on the 1.6 million tonnes of cargo handled in September, this being entirely made up of containers.

Neighbouring Port Elizabeth handed exactly one million tonnes of cargo – down on the 1.2 million tonnes of cargo handled in September.

Cape Town achieved 1.264mt of cargo all products compared with 1.629mt in September.

Container volumes nationally were 358,336 TEUs compared with 437,955 TEU in September and 461,361 TEU in August, 409,914 TEU in July and 392,904 TEU in June. This indicates a drop back from the peak months for the year with similar figures expected in November.

The above statements reflect comparisons with the previous month. For detailed comparison with the previous year – October 2016 – please go HERE; afterwards 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, Africa PORTS & SHIPS uses an average of 13.5 tonnes per TEU, which probably does involve some under-reporting. Africa PORTS & SHIPS will continue to emphasise this distinction, without which South African ports would be seriously under-reported internationally and locally.

Figures for the respective ports during October 2017 are:

 

Cargo handled by tonnes during October 2017, including containers by weight

PORT October 2017 million tonnes
Richards Bay 9.353
Durban 6.176
Saldanha Bay 7.326
Cape Town 1.264
Port Elizabeth 1.000
Ngqura 1.173
Mossel Bay 0.079
East London 0.191
Total all ports 26.562 million tonnes

CONTAINERS (measured by TEUs) during October 2017
(TEUs include Deepsea, Coastal, Transship and empty containers all subject to being invoiced by NPA

PORT October 2017 TEUs
Durban 191,917
Cape Town 71,710
Port Elizabeth 9,434
Ngqura 78,000
East London 5,527
Richards Bay 1,748
Total all ports 358,336 TEU

SHIP CALLS for October 2017

PORT October 2017 vessels gross tons
Durban 240 8,606,598
Cape Town 118 4,013,356/td>
Richards Bay 135 5,4142,059
Port Elizabeth 73 2,362,875
Saldanha Bay 28 2,298,966
Ngqura 37 2,318,320
East London 24 885,110
Mossel Bay 29 116,684
Total ship calls 684 26,015,961

— source TNPA, with adjustments made by Africa PORTS & SHIPS to include container tonnages [/restrict]

 

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NSRI AND AIR FORCE TO THE RESCUE OF ILL SEAFARER AT DEEP SEA

As a SAAF 22 Squadron Flight Engineer looks on from the open door of the Oryx helicopter, the aircraft approaches the SKS Spey. The map shows the ship's position during the operation. Photo and map courtesy NSRI ASR.

As a SAAF 22 Squadron Flight Engineer looks on from the open door of the Oryx helicopter, the aircraft approaches the SKS Spey. The map shows the ship's position during the operation. Photo and map courtesy NSRI ASR, appearing in Africa PORTS & SHIPS maritime news
As a SAAF 22 Squadron Flight Engineer looks on from the open door of the Oryx helicopter, the aircraft approaches the SKS Spey. The map shows the ship’s position during the operation. Photo and map courtesy NSRI ASR.

Marius Hayes, NSRI ASR (Airborne Sea Rescue) station commander, reports that at midday on Saturday, 11 November 2017 the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) Airborne Sea Rescue (ASR) duty crew, the South African Air Force (SAAF) 22 Squadron and Western Cape Health EMS were placed on alert following reports from MRCC (Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre) of a 32 year old Filipino crewman suffering a suspected Stroke (CVA – Cerebrovascular Accident) aboard the 275 metre crude oil tanker SKS SPEY.

The tanker was sailing from New Orleans to Singapore and was then 200 nautical miles from the nearest port, Port of Table Bay (Cape Town).

Two SAAF 22 Squadron Oryx helicopters were prepared and two ASR teams, two pilot crews, two EMS rescue paramedic crews and two SAAF 22 Squadron flight engineer crews were briefed on the operation and at 16h00 the pair of SAAF 22 Squadron Oryx helicopters lifted off from Air Force Base Ysterplaat and rendezvoused with the ship 175 nautical miles from Cape Town.

NSRI ASR rescue swimmers and EMS rescue paramedic were hoisted onto the tanker by one of the helicopters and the patient, in a stable condition, was hoisted into the helicopter and, in the care of the EMS rescue paramedic, was brought directly to Groote Schuur Hospital where hospital staff has taken over care of the patient.

The operation was completed at 18h30.

 

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FIRST VISIT TO MAURITIUS BY EU NAVFOR WARSHIP

Ambassador Marjaana Sall and EU NAVFOR personnel in Mauritius, appearing in Africa PORTS & SHIPS maritime news

The Spanish Navy warship ESPS RAYO, currently part of the EU mission in Africa, recently became the first EU NAVFOR ship to visit the Republic of Mauritius as she arrived at Port Louis on 4 November.

During her time in the Mauritius capital, the offshore patrol vessel hosted…[restrict] Ambassador Marjaana Sall, head of delegation of the European Union to the Republic of Mauritius.

This was the first time that an EU NAVFOR warship had visited Port Louis, and the ESPS Rayo crew took the opportunity to demonstrate their ship’s counter-piracy capability to the authorities and Coast Guard of Mauritius. In fact, it was the first time in 30 years that a Spanish warship had visited Mauritius.

During the visit, the crew of ESPS Rayo took the opportunity to train the Mauritian Coast Guard in sessions which included friendly approaches to vessels, coupled with basic search and rescue techniques aimed at safer seas for all. The eleven Mauritian trainees remained on board ESPS Rayo for two hours, taking in the capabilities of the Spanish warship.

“I am very happy to show to the Mauritians the extent of the European Union’s broad engagement in this region, in terms of Maritime Security in the Indian Ocean,” ambassador Sall said of the event. “The EU is the biggest contributor to the development of Somalia. Over one billion Euros have been contributed to aid the country’s development and Operation Atalanta is essential in building the maritime component of that.”[/restrict]

 

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VENICE REINTRODUCES BAN ON LARGE CRUISE SHIPS FROM ITS CANAL

Venice reintroduces ban on large cruise ships from its canal, appearing in Africa PORTS & SHIPS maritime news
Venice reintroduces ban on large cruise ships from its canal. MSC Opera, shown here, will, because of her size, be among those still permitted in the main canal, but anything larger is forbidden. Picture: MSC Cruises

Authorities in Venice, Italy have, after many years of protest and argument, have again decided to no longer allow large cruise ships into Venice’s large canal.

The debate over the flood of cruise ships, which have become bigger each year with greater number of passengers disembarking into the crowded tourist venues in the famous city, has intensified over issues including overcrowding as well as…[restrict] damage to the city’s delicate foundations. At times there would be tens of thousands of tourists from the ships joining with throngs of land-based visitors to the city, while the wakes of the massive ships are bringing their own set of problems including eroding the underwater foundations of the city.

In recent years as the debate intensified, residents and environmentalists took to blockading the ships from berthing in the large canal while the debate raged between those who welcomed the increasing numbers of tourists and their money, as opposed to those who said that some form of urgent control of numbers was necessary.

Cruise ship in Venice, appearing in Africa PORTS & SHIPS maritime news

The latter group appear to have won the latest argument after the city authorities decreed that in future all ships or 100,000 tons or more and with 3,000 or more passengers would have to berth at a new terminal facility that is to be built in the nearby mainland industrial town of Marghera, ironically the place where many of the cruise ships will have been built.

The earlier decree banning the big ships was brought into being in 2012 following the Costa Concordia disaster when that ship capsized on an island off the Italian coast. However, pressure from commercial and tourist organisations resulted in the ban being lifted in 2015. In future, however, under the latest plan only small cruise ships, commercial ferries, private yachts and the city’s famous gondolas will be allowed in the Giudecca Canal.

Larger ships will still be able to sail in the lagoon which itself is a sensitive and delicate ecosystem.

New facilities at Marghera will take about four years before they are ready to accept the giant cruise ships, many of which make use of Venice as a terminus on their cruise schedules. Sceptics of the new plan say they doubt that anything will come of it and that any moves to restrict the big ships and numbers of tourists they bring to Venice will simply be ignored or overruled.

Venice is a UNESCO Heritage City.[/restrict]

 

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CARNIVAL HORIZON CONCLUDES FINAL SEA TRIALS

Carnival Horizon at sea on trials, November 2017, appearing in Africa PORTS & SHIPS maritime news
Carnival Horizon at sea

Carnival Cruise Line’s newest ship, the 133,500-ton CARNIVAL HORIZON, successfully completed its final sea trials in the Adriatic Sea last week in anticipation of its inaugural cruise from Barcelona on 2 April 2018.

Currently in the final stages of construction at the Fincantieri shipyard in Marghera, Italy, the 3,974-passenger vessel had a full contingent of officers, technicians and engineers on board who thoroughly tested Carnival Horizon’s sophisticated technical, mechanical and navigation systems.

As the newest ship in the fleet, Carnival Horizon will offer…[restrict] a number of unique innovations, including the first-ever Dr Seuss WaterWorks aqua park, a new teppanyaki dining venue, and Guy’s Pig & Anchor Bar-B-Que Smokehouse Brewhouse, a new BBQ restaurant as well as such popular Vista-class features as an IMAX Theatre, a ground-breaking bike-ride-in-the-sky attraction called SkyRide, the tropics-inspired Havana section with colourful staterooms and its own Cuban-themed bar and pool, and Family Harbor with extra-roomy accommodations and the Family Harbor Lounge.

Carnival Horizon is set to debut on 2 April 2018, with a 13-day Mediterranean cruise from Barcelona – the first of four round-trip departures from that port.  Carnival Horizon will reposition to the U.S. with a 14-day trans-Atlantic crossing from Barcelona to New York between 9 and 23 May 2018.

Following its summer schedule of four-day Bermuda and eight-day Caribbean departures from the Big Apple, Carnival Horizon will shift to Miami and kick off a year-round schedule of six- and eight-day Caribbean cruises beginning 22 September 2018.[/restrict]

 

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LEST WE FORGET

TOP: Admiral Sir Philip Jones, First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff with the other Service Chiefs laid his wreath at the Cenotaph in Whitehall, 12 November. Photo: MOD © Crown copyright 2017, appearing in Africa PORTS & SHIPS maritime news

A Remembrance Service was held in HMS Ocean on 12 November to pay respects to all servicemen and women who have lost their lives during military conflict. HMS Ocean is currently conducting NATO tasking group activities around the Mediterranean. Embarked in Ocean are Royal Marines from B Company, 40 Commando and elements of Naval Air Squadrons 820, 845 and 847. Photo: MOD © Crown copyright 2017, appearing in Africa PORTS & SHIPS maritime news
TOP: Admiral Sir Philip Jones, First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff with the other Service Chiefs laid his wreath at the Cenotaph in Whitehall, 12 November. Photo: MOD © Crown copyright 2017
LOWER: A Remembrance Service was held in HMS Ocean on 12 November to pay respects to all servicemen and women who have lost their lives during military conflict. HMS Ocean is currently conducting NATO tasking group activities around the Mediterranean. Embarked in Ocean are Royal Marines from B Company, 40 Commando and elements of Naval Air Squadrons 820, 845 and 847. Photo: MOD © Crown copyright 2017

In Whitehall at the centre of the UK Government the nationally observed two-minute silence, and the laying of wreaths at the Cenotaph, commemorates those Servicemen and women killed in all conflicts since 1914.

This year, The Queen viewed the ceremony from a balcony of the nearby Foreign & Commonwealth Office, alongside The Duke of Edinburgh. Her Majesty’s wreath was laid on her behalf by The Prince of Wales.

The Prime Minister also attended the service along with Defence Secretary, Gavin Williamson, and other members of the Cabinet, former Prime Ministers, representatives of the Commonwealth, the Chiefs of Staff and over 700 regular and reserve personnel.

For the Royal Family, wreaths were also laid by The Duke of Cambridge, Prince Henry of Wales, The Duke of York, The Earl of Wessex, The Princess Royal and The Duke of Kent.

Following the ceremony thousands of veterans from the Second World War and more recent conflicts such as Iraq and Afghanistan, marched past the Cenotaph.

After the service at the Cenotaph, The Earl of Wessex, Royal Commodore of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary, took the Salute at the March Past of Veteran and Civilian Organisations, at Horse Guards Parade.

The Naval Service commemorates

Royal Navy and Royal Marines personnel from across the Naval Service have taken part in Remembrance Services around the world. Both at home and abroad personnel paraded to remember those that had paid the ultimate sacrifice so that we can enjoy the freedom and liberty that we have today. They came together wherever in the world the Royal Navy, Royal Marines and Royal Fleet Auxiliary are serving– to honour the Nation’s war dead.

Reported by Paul Ridgway
London

 

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GENERAL NEWS REPORTS – UPDATED THROUGH THE DAY

in partnership with – APO

 

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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 : ALBATROS

cruise ship Albatros arrives in Cape Town, November 2017, appearing in Africa PORTS & SHIPS maritime news

Albatros. Pictures: Ian Shiffman
Albatros at Cape Town, Nov 2017. Pictures: Ian Shiffman, appearing in Africa PORTS & SHIPS maritime news

The cruise ship ALBATROS (28,518-gt) arrived in Cape Town last week at the start of her journey along the South African coast, during which she will call at most of the ports. Operated by German travel company Phoenix Reisen, Albatros was built in 1973 in Finland at the Wärtsilä Helsinki New Shipyard and first sailed as ROYAL VIKING SEA. As with most ships of her age she has also operated in several other guises and for several operators – Royal Odyssey, Norwegian Star, and Crown. Albatros has been calling in South Africa for many years, although not always this particular vessel as Phoenix Reisen previously operated another ship with the same name, [prefixed SS Albatros) to denote her form of motive power. The current ship is a most handsome looking vessel and if her interior matches her external looks she will be a most comfortable ship as well. Albatros has also been lengthened at an earlier point in her career, from 177.7 metres to her present 205.5 metres length. Her beam is given as 27 metres compared to her original 25 metres – we’re not sure how that was achieved. The ship now carries up to 812 passengers. She is powered by four Wärtsilä 6L38A engines driving two shafts and controllable pitch propellers at a speed of 21 knots. Albatros will return to the South African coast in January 2018. These pictures of the ship arriving in Cape Town last week are by Ian Shiffman

 

THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK

“Love is holy because it is like grace–the worthiness of its object is never really what matters.”
― Marilynne Robinson, Gilead

 

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