
TODAY’S BULLETIN OF MARITIME NEWS
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- First View : ILEMBE
- Nozipho Mdawe is Transnet Ports Authority’s new Chief Operating Officer
- Former Durban Port Manager Motlohi appointed GM: Corporate Affairs Manager at TNPA
- Tanzania to build two passenger ships for Lake Victoria and repair five others
- Mombasa rail accident line re-opened
- Nigeria outlaws the use of security guards aboard vessels
- Anglers fish for under-privileged kids
- New CEO of the UK Chamber of Shipping
- Car Carrier Auto Banner catches fire at Port of Incheon
- Multinational NATO Exercise MINEX 18
- Expected Ship Arrivals and Ships in Port
- Cruise News and Naval Activities
- Pics of the Day : ANATOKI
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Transnet’s hopper dredger ILEMBE (IMO 9741891) is currently deployed on a contract to distribute sea sand collected at the sand trap on the south side of the port’s South breakwater directly onto the beaches of Durban that have been denuded by erosion caused by severe storms and climate change.
The sand trap is a large hole in the sea bed dredged on a regular basis to catch sand being moved northward on the counter current. Ordinarily this sand would be deposited onto the main Durban beaches – the Golden Mile (in effect it is five miles) but the harbour breakwaters, the South and North Piers, disrupt this flow, resulting in sand building up against the South Pier and if left it spills around into the port entrance channel.
By dredging the sand trap much of the sand in motion falls into this hole or trap from where the dredger in turn removes it either to be deposited in deep water out at sea or into the sand hopper station that is due to be commissioned shortly which will pump the sand along Durban’s beaches replacing that which is lost to storms and wave action.
The current project is an emergency response to the dramatic loss of beach sand on several of the beaches – North Beach lost almost all its wide expanse of golden sand after a series of storms and other beaches were affected to various degrees.
Ilembe is seen here pumping sand from its hopper into an underwater pipe and discharged directly onto North Beach via a floating under-sea pipeline. After several weeks of this concerted action the beach is again fully restored. The same process was applied to the adjacent Dairy Beach and the dredger is now in operation near Battery Beach opposite the Suncoast Casino. You can read more on this topic in yesterday’s edition of Africa PORTS & SHIPS by CLICKING HERE. This picture is courtesy TNPA
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NOZIPHO MDAWE IS TRANSNET PORTS AUTHORITY’S NEW CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER

As Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) settles into the new financial year 2018/19 its focus is on using its strengths to grow and diversify its business and to establish itself as a world class ports authority.
Ms Nozipho Mdawe has been appointed as Chief Operating Officer (COO), effective 21 May 2018. She takes over the role recently vacated by Ms Phyllis Difeto and briefly held in an acting capacity by former Durban Port Manager Mr Moshe Motlohi.
The role of TNPA COO has been expanded and will include: Marine Services, Aviation Services and Pilotage, Continuous Improvement, Port Planning, Lighthouses, SHE & Risk, Security, Emergency Management, Infrastructure, Dredging Services, Ship Repair, Port Control and Port Maintenance.
Ms Mdawe has most recently served as Secretary General of the Port Management Association for Eastern and Southern Africa (PMAESA) in Kenya between July 2015 and April 2018.
Her Transnet career spans 14 years. She began in the Transnet Corporate Office in 2001, where she drove organisational transformation and worked to align the company’s Human Resources development strategies with organisational objectives and strategies.
At Transnet Port Terminals (TPT) she served for three years as a Business Unit Executive before moving to Transnet Freight Rail (TFR), first as Area Production Manager for the Gauteng Cluster’s production and operations activities and then as Deputy General Manager for Inland Operations.
She was promoted and served as General Manager: Mineral Mining and Chrome at TFR between March 2012 and 2015, managing a complement of 1285 employees, turnover of R5.7 billion per annum with total volumes that grew from 18.6 million tons in 2013 to 24 million tons in 2014.
She holds a Masters degree in Business Administration from the Gordon Institute of Business Science and is currently in her third year of studies towards a Doctoral Degree through the Jomo Kenyatta University in Kenya.
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FORMER DURBAN PORT MANAGER MOTLOHI APPOINTED GM: CORPORATE AFFAIRS MANAGER AT TNPA

Former Durban Port Manager Mr Moshe Motlohi has been appointed permanently in the newly created role of General Manager: Corporate Affairs and External Relations, based in the Office of the Chief Executive.
The aim of the position is to manage, develop, facilitate and sustain effective stakeholder relations, and to create a single point of contact and engagement for all TNPA external stakeholders to ensure the achievement of TNPA objectives.
TNPA’s key stakeholders include, but are not limited…[restrict] to, the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA), Ports Regulator of South Africa (PRSA), South African Association of Ship Operators and Agents (SAASOA) and Government representatives. His responsibilities will include management of the Chief Executive’s office, as well as Corporate Affairs, Public Relations and Media, Port Stakeholder Relations, External Stakeholder Management and Corporate Social Investment (CSI).
Mr Motlohi has been in the field of logistics for nearly 20 years, 15 of which have been within Transnet. He served a long tenure at sister division Transnet Port Terminals in various leadership positions before joining the port authority. He most recently headed up management of Southern Africa’s busiest port, the Port of Durban, since 2014.
He holds a Management Advancement Programme (MAP) from Wits Business School and an Executive MBA from the Graduate School of Business, University of Cape Town.
Chief Executive of TNPA, Shulami Qalinge, said the appointments of Mdawe and Motlohi would aid TNPA in meeting the demands of customers in a dynamic global trading environment.[/restrict]
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TANZANIA TO BUILD TWO PASSENGER SHIPS FOR LAKE VICTORIA & REPAIR FIVE OTHERS

The Tanzanian government has allocated 24.5 billion Shillings (approximately US$10.7 million) for the purchase of two new passenger ferries to operate on Lake Victoria and for the repair of five others.
There is a new drive to improve passenger and cargo transport on the lake to coincide with new railway developments in the East African country. Minister of Works, Transport and Communications, Atashasta Nditiye made the announcement…[restrict] this week in the National Assembly, in response to a question posed during the debate.
Bukoba Urban MP Wilfred Lwakatare said he was concerned over the condition of the lake ferries, particularly after the capsizing of the BUKOBA and the withdrawal of VICTORIA and SERENGETI for repairs. He said these vessels have not been replaced which was proving a great inconvenience and expense to people affected.
He also asked about a replacement for the Bukoba.

In his reply the Minister said the money for two new ferries and repairs to the other five was available within the 2017/18 financial year budget. He acknowledged the pain that the loss of services was causing those affected by not having their regular transport on the lake, in particular those who travelled between Mwanza and Bukoba after the two ships on this service ceased operating for a variety of reasons.
The five vessels to be repaired, including Victoria and Serengeti, are owned by Marine Services Company Limited. The repair work to Victoria and BUTIAMA is to be carried out by the South Korean firm KTMI Company in partnership with Yuko Enterprises Company Limited.
The repairs would take ten months to be completed from the date of signing of the contract. The tender documents calling for repairs to the Serengeti will be opened this Friday (24 May) and a contract will hopefully be signed shortly afterward, the minister said. source: Tanzanian Daily News[/restrict]
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MOMBASA RAIL ACCIDENT LINE RE-OPENED
Kenyan authorities have laboured throughout yesterday to clear fuel from the wagons that came off the tracks and to re-rail the five wagons on the causeway connecting Mombasa with the mainland, which effectively blocked much of the road traffic to and from the island.
The derailment occurred on Saturday – see our report in yesterday’s Africa PORTS & SHIPS by CLICKING HERE
The accident left thousands of people stranded, including those who had booked to fly from the Moi International Airport and others who had intending to travel to Nairobi on the standard gauge railway train. Passengers have been offered refunds or the option of re-arranging their travel plans.
Meanwhile the port opened its road and gates to the public who were heading for the airport providing they had tickets to show they were passengers.
A spokesman for Kenya Railways said that no petrol had leaked into the sea even though a number of wagons derailed. Firefighters were quickly on hand following the accident and doused the wagons with foam before beginning the task of transferring the fuel to other containers. Once it was felt the danger of fire was over the road was reopened.
The train was part of the old metre gauge system and is not a part of the new standard gauge railway network.
[4:27]
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NIGERIAN OUTLAWS THE USE OF SECURITY GUARDS ABOARD VESSELS

In what appears to be an odd development given the number of acts of piracy in the Gulf of Guinea, Nigeria has reiterated that its laws completely forbid the use of security guards aboard ships sailing in its waters.
It has been amply demonstrated off the coast of Somalia and within the Gulf of Aden and the Red and Arabian Seas that having security guards on board vessels passing through sections of water prone to acts of piracy has been highly effective and can be credited with playing a significant role in reducing the level of piracy on the north-east coast of Africa to almost zero.
Nevertheless, the Nigerian Federal Government says that the Nigerian Constitution forbids the use of armed private guards on ships entering Nigerian territorial waters.
The Nigerian law states also that Nigerian-flagged ships may not make use of armed guards and that applies regardless of where they are operating.
The Nigerian stance is not that much different from that of a number of other countries in, for example, the UK and Europe, who have had to come to terms with the reality resulting in several European states changing the law applying to such rulings. This however only came about after a number of their citizens and ships became the victims of the then rampant piracy off Somalia.
The Nigerian Navy has stepped up its responses to acts of piracy that take place on a regular basis in the Gulf of Guinea, many of them within Nigeria’s territorial waters. The nature of piracy in the Gulf has also changed and the current practice appears to be that of attacking and boarding a ship either at sea or at anchor, stealing money and valuables as can be discovered on the ship and then departing but taking a number of seafarers away with them as hostages and to be ransomed.
The ransoming is now the major reason why the pirates attack ships off the West African coast, with the majority of attacks taking place off the coast of Nigeria. By the time the Nigerian Navy has responded via one of their patrol ships, the pirates have generally disappeared in their fast speedboats.
Until a few years ago many pirate attacks targeted product tankers which saw the ship and crew being taken captive and the tanker taken to another location where the oil or fuel on board would be transhipped to other vessels. The tanker and crew would then be released although on some occasions two or more hostages would be taken away and later ransomed.
The manner of the releasing of seafarers is never disclosed or discussed in public but it is clear that, as was the case with the Somali pirates, an efficient pipeline involving lawyers and bankers in Europe and elsewhere is at work. For as long as ship owners and operators remain prepared to pay the ransoms demanded this practice is likely to continue. This is not to say that the blame lies with the owners, who have the welfare of their crews to consider.
The evidence elsewhere shows that only with a concerted naval presence at sea at all times together with armed security on board ships will the curse of West African piracy go away.
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ANGLERS FISH FOR UNDER-PRIVILEGED KIDS
The Port of Port Elizabeth’s latest quarterly Fishing for Charity drive helped to raise 230 pairs of school shoes, thanks to the generosity of participating anglers from in and around Nelson Mandela Bay.
Each participant donated a brand new pair of school shoes as their admission fee for the event, hosted by Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA). The shoes were handed over to Mngcunube Primary School in Kwa Nobuhle, Uitenhage, on Friday, 18 May 2018, much to the delight of learners and staff.
The port’s #Fish4Shoes Fishing Day was held on Saturday, 14 April 2018 at the Charl Malan Quay. It followed on from the success of the #ToysForCharity Fishing Day held in December.
These community fishing days are part of TNPA’s People’s Port vision, which includes promoting greater public access and ensuring a vibrant port system, connecting local communities to port activities.
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Commodore Bob Sanguinetti (pictured) has been appointed Chief Executive of the UK Chamber of Shipping.
He was until recently CEO of the Gibraltar Port Authority, where he was credited with delivering significant growth in vessel traffic following a series of wide-reaching initiatives. Previously he had served in the Royal Navy.
Sanguinetti said: “I am delighted to be appointed to this prestigious role at a time when shipping is so central to the political agenda. The UK Chamber team deserve great credit for their work in recent years, and I am determined that we build on the solid foundation created under Guy Platten’s leadership.
“The UK Chamber has a long and proud heritage at…[restrict] the heart of the shipping community. The best way to honour its past is to build an exciting future, and I am hugely ambitious both for the organisation and the industry as a whole.
“I look forward to meeting all of our members in the weeks and months ahead to identify new opportunities to grow the UK Chamber’s offer.”
Sir Michael Bibby, President of the UK Chamber of Shipping added: “Bob comes with a distinguished track record of service to the industry, both in a civilian and military context. His excellent track record at the Gibraltar Port Authority speaks for itself, and his leading role in developing Gibraltar’s Brexit contingency plan will stand him in excellent stead as the UK Chamber seeks to strengthen its role as a leading voice of British industry.”
Commodore Sanguinetti will take up his role on 16 July 2018. He takes over from Guy Platten, who will become the Secretary General of the International Chamber of Shipping.
Biography
Bob Sanguinetti was born and raised in Gibraltar. After graduating from Oxford University, he served in the Royal Navy for almost three decades, rising to the rank of Commodore. The former mariner served at sea and commanded several warships and a multinational coalition Task Group before working at the Ministry of Defence in a number of strategic roles. His last post in the Royal Navy was as Head of Intelligence at the UK’s National Operations Headquarters in NW London.
He assumed the role of CEO of the Gibraltar Port Authority in May 2014. During his tenure, the Port of Gibraltar saw a reversal of a downward trend in vessel traffic and activity in most sectors ( -8% (2013/4) to +17% (2016/7)) through a series of initiatives aimed at improving efficiency, strengthening relationships with the local port community, and driving through a robust marketing and engagement plan with international ship owners and operators. Sanguinetti was elected to the board of the International Bunker Industry Association (IBIA) in 2016.
Most recently, and in recognition of his successful track record at the port, he was seconded to the Office of the Chief Minister to carry out a maritime strategic review, and to lead on wider, Brexit-related contingency planning.
He is a Younger Brother of Trinity House; a Yachtmaster Offshore and a recipient of the French OBE equivalent (Croix de la Valeur Militaire) and is married with three grown-up daughters.[/restrict]
Edited by Paul Ridgway
London
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CAR CARRIER AUTO BANNER CATCHES FIRE AT PORT OF INCHEON
A fire has broken out on the Ro-Ro car carrier AUTO BANNER (IMO 8608066) at South Korea’s Port of Incheon.
There are no reports of casualties or injuries and it appears the crew or 28 and…[restrict] any others on board have been able to leave the 52,422-gt ship in safety.
The fire broke out at 09h40 local time yesterday and it is thought i may have been within the engine compartment of one of the cars that had just been loaded.
Auto Banner was loading about 2,000 cars for Libya.
The only access to the ship is from its ramp on the stern, which was hampering fire-fighting efforts. Eye-witnesses saw a helicopter dropping water onto the top of the ship but what effect that was having was not clear.
Auto Banner arrived at Incheon from the Pacific and was scheduled to sail from Incheon today (22 May). The car carrier has called at South African ports on a number of occasions.[/restrict]
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During the multinational exercise Spanish MINEX 18, staff in the Turkish Mine Hunter TCG Anamur discovered historical unexploded ordnance while conducting routine mine countermeasures training.
Anamur is a member of Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group 2 (SNMCMG2) which took part in the Spanish exercise in waters off…[restrict] Palma and Mahon from 28 April to 11 May 2018.
This ordnance was discovered at 08h30 local time on 8 May by TCG Anamur under the command of Lieutenant-Commander Bülent Karagöz. The ship’s company was using the ship’s specialised sonar to scan the sea bed and the water below the ship for potential exercise mines, instead, the sonar operators detected an object which was thought to be actual live historical ordnance.
Anamur used her divers to identify the sonar contact and confirmed that the object was in fact historical ordnance from a previous conflict, lying on the seafloor in 38m of water. The Turkish warship has six divers on board. They are experienced in dealing with the unexploded ordnance and trained to work in close proximity to dangerous explosives. Following a quick response by Spanish mine hunter ESPS Timbre, Spanish divers destroyed the ordnance on the forenoon of 9 May.
This find is the second unexpected historical ordnance find for SNMCMG2 this year and is a confirmation of SNMCMG2’s capabilities. Earlier this year, TCG Akcay (another Turkish Mine Hunter) found a historical mine in the Black Sea while conducting an exercise with the Romanian Navy.
The commander of SNMCMG2, Commander Justin Hains, RN, noted that such effort is part of the skills delivered by the NATO Mine Countermeasures Groups. He said: “We work hard to ensure the sea remains safe for all of its users. Identification and disposal of historic ordnance is just part of the mission.”
The NATO group was working alongside units from a EUROMARFOR Mine Countermeasures Group and Spanish Minehunters during Spanish Minex 2018.
SNMCMG2 is currently conducting exercises and interoperability training in the Mediterranean Sea and the Black Sea. The task group consists of the Flagship HMS Enterprise (a Royal Navy survey vessel), and minehunters TCG Anamur (Turkey), ITS Alghero (Italy) and ESPS Segura from Spain.[/restrict]
Edited by Paul Ridgway
London.
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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.

The small ex Japanese owned coaster ANATOKI (IMO 8864153) seen at Lyttelton discharging urea from Whanganui. After Lyttelton she headed to Timaru to load grain for discharge at Whanganui. The 447-dwt coaster is almost a relic of the past in these days of super-sized ships, and a pleasure to see for that reason alone. She also serves as a reminder of the services that small ships are able to still provide – long may they continue.
Anatoki is just 47 metres long and 8.4 metres wide – that’s not much larger than many of the fishing vessels we see. Her length is in fact a matter of some dispute, amidst claims that she had a new bow built inside the other to ‘shorten’ the vessel. This made a difference as to the number of crew she has to carry, which competitors say is unfair practice, and that she is in fact 51 metres long. Read an article about this in the Nelson Mail of 22 May 2010 THE LONG AND THE SHORT OF IT. Now who said coastal shipping had lost all its mystery and sense of adventure?
Built in 1992 at the Furumoto Iron Works & Shipbuilding yard in Osakamijima in Japan, the little general cargo ship is owned by Coastal Bulk Shipping, a Christchurch-based company and she operates with a crew of just four. It was with this number of people on board when she ran aground on a sandbank about a kilometre offshore, east of Rangihaeata Head after sailing from the port of Nelson in May 2010 – Anatoki was reported to be well off course at the time of the grounding. Fortunately she was able to be refloated fairly easily and not much the worse for wear but one of her crew was stood down following an enquiry. That story is in the article above as well.
This picture is by Alan Calvert
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