
TODAY’S BULLETIN OF MARITIME NEWS
Click on headline to go direct to story : use the BACK key to return
- First View : SM NEW YORK
- Sappi’s R7 billion investment to influence KZN economy
- Nigerian Ports Authority conditionally lifts suspension at Lagos on Maersk, Cosco, APS and Lansal
- Ghana faces new legal dispute over maritime boundary
- TNPA employees commemorate Mandela Centenary
- Maputo-Ka Tembe is the name chosen for the new suspension bridge over Maputo Bay
- AfDB calls for feasibility study for Madagascan port in Manakara
- Princess Cruises orders two LNG cruise ships from Fincantieri
- Multi-national naval exercise, RIMPAC 2018 continues
- GAC Angola renews ship agency contract with POSH Semco
- Expected Ship Arrivals and Ships in Port
- Cruise News and Naval Activities
- Pics of the Day : AKTORAS
- The masthead today (Tuesday) is of the Durban Island View complex (Bluff)
SUBSCRIBE FOR FREE
– Have a one month’s trial to a Premium Suscription for
Africa PORTS & SHIPS
at our expense.
After a trial of 30 days with no obligation and provided you are satisfied, take out a subscription for 6 or 12 months to the maritime portal offering news and information of sub-Saharan Africa’s maritime, shipping and port related activities. Stay informed by reading Africa PORTS & SHIPS
A subscription costs as little as R41 per month (approx. US$3.10*, based on a six or 12 month subscription. email terry.africaports.co.za and write FREE TRIAL in the subject line.
- subject to exchange rate fluctuations
SEND NEWS REPORTS AND PRESS RELEASES TO
info@africaports.co.za
News continues below

We last featured the container ship SM NEW YORK (IMO 9461465) was on 12 October 2017, two days after the 102,518-dwt ship went aground on a sandbank in Durban harbour after being blown off her mooring at the Durban Container Terminal during the height of the big cyclone-force storm that struck parts of Durban including the harbour. Fortunately she suffered no damage. SM New York is a former Hanjin Line vessel – at that time she was named Hanjin Long Beach. Built in 2010 the ship is 336 metres in length and 43m wide and has a capacity of 8,586 TEU. This picture is by Keith Betts
News continues below
SAPPI’S R7 BILLION INVESTMENT TO INFLUENCE KZN ECONOMY
KwaZulu-Natal Acting Premier Sihle Zikalala has welcomed Sappi Limited’s enormous R7 billion planned investments that are expected to have a massive positive impact on the provincial economy.
Sappi Limited — a leading global producer of dissolving wood pulp, specialities and packaging papers, printing and writing papers and biomaterials — and a large exporter of paper products through Durban harbour, announced yesterday (Monday) major planned upgrades at its Saiccor Mill in Umkomaas, south of Durban.
The investments include a R2.7 billion capacity expansion project and a planned R5 billion over five years in various continuous improvement initiatives and upgrade projects.
Zikalala said it was heartening that more and more business organisations such as Sappi continue to express, through actions, their commitment and loyalty to the provincial economy.
Zikalala said the massive investments currently being poured into different parts of KwaZulu-Natal by big conglomerates are a major vote of confidence in the province’s resolve to grow its economy for the benefit of all its citizens.

According to Zikalala, the increased and expanded investment reaffirms Sappi’s commitment to KwaZulu-Natal.
“Major investments have also taken place in our special economic zones in the recent past. We will continue to sell our province as a destination for quality investments. Working with the central government, we will also continue to create an environment which is conducive for businesses to thrive,” Zikalala said.
The provincial government also commended Sappi for its recently launched Skills Centre near Saiccor Mill, which has created training and up skilling opportunities for the workforce and for local youth.
Zikalala said that KwaZulu-Natal would engage other conglomerates to invest more on skills development to assist in reducing unemployment.
The provincial government has been assured that Sappi would work swiftly and seamlessly to obtain necessary authorisations to make the company’s planned investment a reality.
Zikalala also said that the province is supportive of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s efforts to spur the country towards the growth trajectory under the banner of Operation Thuma Mina which encourages corporate South Africa to begin to invest in the economy. – SAnews.gov.za
News continues below
NIGERIA PORTS AUTHORITY CONDITIONALLY LIFTS SUSPENSION AT LAGOS ON MAERSK, COSCO, APS & LANSAL

Maersk Line reported yesterday (Monday) that the suspension imposed upon the Danish company by way of a 10-day ban has been lifted.*
It has subsequently been learned that the suspension on COSCO, African Port Services (APS) and Lagos and Nigeria Shipping Agencies Limited (LANSAL) has also been lifted but that conditions apply to…[restrict] all four companies.
The suspension came into effect on 14 July and was said to be on account of the companies not having provided sufficient holding bays to handle containers which thus contributed to the chronic congestion at Apapa and Tin Can Island.
Both Maersk and COSCO refuted these claims, with Maersk issuing a statement that called the Nigerian Port Authority claims ‘misguided’ in that Maersk has storage facilities available for up to 8,150 containers in four separate holding bays. This, it said, was more than 50% of the discharge average.
Maersk said it was having discussions with the relevant authorities and expected that it would be able to reassure the NPA of its storage capacity.
“As an active and abiding corporate organisation, Maersk Nigeria Limited will continue to work in full cooperation with all relevant authorities in Nigeria and to offer sustainable services and operations to its valued customers.”
COSCO also hit back at the NPA, insisting that it complied with all local and regional regulations in Nigeria.
“We herewith declare that COSCO SHIPPING Lines and its Nigerian office strictly complies with local laws and regulations, and keep in close communication with local authorities, all vessel operation as scheduled, without any negatively impact in the past and the future.
“Regarding our previous official notification, COSOCO SHIPPING Lines has informed that low terminal operation efficiency is due to the strike of truck drivers.”
Yesterday the NPA announced the lifting of the suspension.
“The management ordered the restoration of services to the four shipping Companies whose operations were suspended for their failure to comply with the directive of acquiring and operating holding bays for their containers,” said NPA Assistant GM Corporate & Strategic Communications, Issah Suwaid.
New conditions
“However the affected shipping companies have now been given two weeks, beginning from Friday July 20th 2018 to comply with four conditions to ensure sustainable relationship.
“Among the conditions are that the affected companies must increase the capacity of their Holding Bays ranging from 1,800 TEUs to 7,500 TEUS; that the affected companies will sign-off on the volume capacity of the Holding Bays verified at the end of the grace period and that at the expiration of the two weeks an inspection will be conducted to ascertain compliance and that the Authority warned, thereafter further sanctions will be applied on failure to meet the said conditions.
The GM said the two week period of grace is a sequel to a meeting between the NPA and the four affected companies over the weekend, which included an inspection of their existing facilities.
* See our report of Thursday last week MAERSK CRIES FOUL OVER LAGOS PORT SUSPENSION[/restrict]
News continues below
GHANA FACES NEW LEGAL DISPUTE OVER MARITIME BOUNDARY

Ghana’s Public Interest and Accountability Committee (PIAC) has cautioned the Ghanaian government of an impending maritime boundary dispute with Togo over oil exploration in the East Keta Ultra Deep Block.
According to the committee – which has oversight responsibility over…[restrict] the prudent management of oil revenues – the Togolese authorities are disputing the existing maritime boundary on which basis a block was jointly awarded to companies to begin exploration.
It has thus urged government to take urgent steps to delineate the border and to initiate steps to start a discussion to help resolve the dispute at an early stage.
Making the recommendation in its 2017 Annual Report, the committee explained that the companies awarded the block are being intimidated by the Togolese Naval Forces (Coast Guard) anytime they attempt to explore close to the border and this meant that there was some lack of shared understanding of the limitations of the boundary.
“PIAC has noted adverse claims being made by the Togolese authorities concerning its maritime boundary with Ghana in respect of the East Keta Ultra Deep Block and urges government to initiate urgent steps to delineate Ghana’s maritime border with Togo,” the report explained.
Parliament ratified a Petroleum Agreement for the Ultra Deepwater East Keta Block (“EK”), by and among Blue Star Exploration Ghana Limited (“Blue Star”), the Government of the Republic of Ghana, Ghana National Petroleum Corporation, GNPC Exploration and Production Company Limited and Heritage Exploration and Production Ghana Limited giving the partners the licence to conduct exploration in the block.
The basin is the western extension of the Dahomeyan embayment that stretches east covering Togo, Benin and Western Nigeria and ending just before the Niger Delta in Nigeria.
Ghana was embroiled in a boundary dispute last year with Côte d’Ivoire over a vast oil perimeter located at the maritime border that straddles the two countries. Finally, the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea has delivered a favourable verdict to Ghana. Drilling is planned to start before the end of this year. source: PIAC[/restrict]
News continues below
TNPA EMPLOYEES COMMEMORATE MANDELA CENTENARY

Employees from Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) heeded the global call to mark Nelson Mandela International Day and the centenary of his birth by being of service to others.
This year TNPA once again encouraged employees who volunteer for causes in their personal time, to nominate organisations they wished to support through the company’s Mandela Day activities. TNPA’s activities impacted 17 charitable causes ranging from youth centres, schools, children’s and old age homes, palliative care organisations, informal settlements and more.

Staff from TNPA’s Johannesburg head office – including some of the national executive committee…[restrict] – spent the day at Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital’s Burns Unit Paediatric Ward. Thirty-one volunteers cleaned, landscaped the premises, fed the children, donated pyjamas and distributed blankets. They also treated the children to storytelling, a special Mandela Day cake and a visit from one of their favourite cartoon characters, Mickey Mouse.
A team of 70 volunteers from the Port of Durban chose to be of service to the Sparks Estate Cheshire Home in Sydenham. The home provides residential care for 48 differently abled children and adults including those with intellectual disabilities. The activities for the day included refurbishments of the boys’ bathroom facility, spring cleaning inside the facility, gardening, re-painting and organising the Edu-Centre, re-painting of the gutters and down pipes and replacement of the jungle gym structure.
Vukani Primary School in Cross Roads is where the Port of Cape Town employees chose to volunteer their time in partnership with Beautiful Gate South Africa. Over 70 volunteers participated in a gardening project, repairs and painting of the school library and clean-up, paving and landscaping of the yard. The Leap School and Waumbe Youth Development Centre also received donations from the port that included desk top computers and tuition assistance for Maths and Science.

In Port Elizabeth the team of volunteers observed the day at three facilities close to employees’ hearts. They visited the Licebo School in Ikamvelihle, a learning centre for children with special needs, Khanyisa Isibane Edu-care Centre in Missionvale, a centre for children whose parents cannot afford pre-school, and Yokhuselo Haven, a centre that provides care and support for abused women and children. The teams provided donations such as tables, chairs, teaching aids, containers to be used as classrooms, groceries, toiletries, sanitary pads, blankets and they also cleaned the premises and cooked meals.
In Mossel Bay a team from the port volunteered time at eViwe Community Centre, an after-care centre that caters for kids after school in KwaNonqaba, where TNPA painted and donated chairs for the computer lab, as well as heaters and floor mats to get the youngsters through the colder season.

Port of East London volunteers stepped in at various local institutions. At Daily Bread Mission Mount Coke in King Williams Town, which caters for 60 children, TNPA donated 20 mattresses and cleaned up the mission grounds. At Pefferville Primary School in Duncan Village, 100 pairs of school shoes were donated and ablution facilities were cleaned to better serve the school’s 1385 learners. East London port employees also visited Mpundu Old Age Centre in Alice, where they donated mattresses, blankets and a food hamper.
At Good Samaritan Child and Youth Care Centre in Mdantsane, the Port of East London donated school shoes, food hampers and sports equipment, while at Funukwazi Training Centre in Mdantsane the TNPA East London team built a wheelchair ramp and repaired and painted ablution facilities, doors and classroom floors.
Port of East London employees also helped out alongside representatives of Transnet Group at Qunu Junior Primary School in Mthatha’s OR Tambo Inland District, which was turned into a modern school with state-of-the-art computer and biology laboratories after Mandela’s visit there in 1996. The school, on the other side of a hill from Qunu, also happens to be the first primary school Mandela himself attended at the age of seven. During his schooldays, it consisted of a single room. The Transnet volunteers painted doors, ablution facilities and classrooms, and helped to clear and recycle as well as repair fencing.

The team from TNPA’s Lighthouse and Navigational Systems (LNS) division spent the day at Friends Day Centre – a care, activity and therapy centre in Maitland for children and adults with severe to profound intellectual and physical disabilities, including Cerebral Palsy, Spina Bifida and Epilepsy. Employees painted a classroom and spent time with learners and staff. LNS also donated t-shirts to two homeless shelters in Cape Town, The Haven Napier Street and The Haven District Six.
Port of Richards Bay employees observed Mandela Day on Thursday, 19 July, by spending time with the children at Bit by Bit Creche in Ndondwane, which caters for kids of one to four years old.
Port of Saldanha employees volunteered their time and resources in Langebaan on Friday, 20 July, cleaning, painting and repairing damaged equipment at the children’s park in the area. TNPA will also donate concrete picnic benches to be used at the facility.
Volunteers from the Port of Ngqura will also support their chosen initiative on Friday, 20 July. Pictures courtesy TNPA[/restrict]
News continues below
MAPUTO-KA TEMBE IS THE NAME CHOSEN FOR THE NEW SUSPENSION BRIDGE OVER MAPUTO BAY
A name has been chosen for the new suspension bridge over Maputo Bay that will connect the city of Maputo with the district of Catembe.
This follows a proposal put to the Maputo Municipal Assembly of the Municipal Council of Maputo City last week, which met with approval, according to the Mozambique newspaper A Verdade.
“Following several public consultations, the name…[restrict] Maputo–Ka Tembe prevailed,” said the councillor for Urban Planning and the Environment, Luís Nhaca.
After approval by the Municipal Assembly, the new name must be submitted to the Council of Ministers for consideration.
Construction of the Maputo-Catembe Bridge, with an initial cost estimated at US$315 million has already exceeded US$756 million, which was granted in the form of loans by the Export-Import Bank of China.
The bridge, which will be the longest of its kind in Africa, was due to be inaugurated in late 2017 by President Filipe Nyusi, but has been subjected to several delays from 25 June until the current planned opening on 31 July. Some lanes on the bridge have already been opened to traffic.
Construction of the bridge was awarded to the China Road and Bridge Corporation group, which commenced work in September 2012. The Chinese company is also the contractor of the Maputo Circular Road. source: macauhub[/restrict]
News continues below
AfDB CALLS FOR FEASIBILITY STUDY FOR MADAGASCAN PORT IN MANAKARA

The African Development Bank Group (AfDB) has issued a call for expressions of interest for a consultant to carry out a feasibility study for a PPP refurbishment of the port at Manakara in Madagascar.
The AfDB has provided funding to the Republic of Madagascar to cover the cost of the Investment Promotion Support Project and intends to…[restrict] use part of the funding under this loan to finance the recruitment of a consultant to carry out the feasibility study for a port in Manakara.
The town of Manakara and its small port is on the east coast of Madagascar near the mouth of the Manakara River and is the terminus of the Fianarantsoa-Côte Est railway (FCE), which connects the city of Fianarantsoa with the sea. The port is served by the railway from Fianarantsoa about 120km to the northwest and handled exports of cloves and coffee.
According to the Bank, “The purpose of this mission is to provide the public entity with all the necessary elements for design and sizing of the project, as well as the assessment of the feasibility of the investment defined as follows: rehabilitation of the infrastructures of the port of Manakara with a view to estimated traffic.”
The notice said that opportunities existed for national and international companies but time is short – the application period closes on 31 July 2018. The call for interest follows the General Procurement Notice published in Development Business and on the Bank’s website dated 23 May 2016.[/restrict]
News continues below

Princess Cruises, a brand of parent company Carnival Corporation, has signed a memorandum of agreement with Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri to build two ‘Next Generation’ LNG cruise ships.
The new ships are for delivery from Monfalcone in late 2023 and early 2025 respectively.
They will be the largest and…[restrict] most environmentally friendly advanced fuel technology ships for Princess.
Each ship will be 175,000 gross tons and will accommodate approximately 4,300 passengers. They will be the first Princess ships to be dual-fuelled, primarily by LNG.
Interestingly, the first ship in 2023 will also be the first LNG-powered ship to be built at an Italian yard. A subsidiary company, Vard, is building a hybrid ship for Ponant for delivery in 2021 but that is at the Romanian shipyard. TUI Cruises has two LNG-powered ships on order from Fincantieri but the first is due to be delivered in 2024.
Details of the design and leisure sections of the new Princess ships have yet to be revealed. “This revolutionary platform for next-generation, LNG-powered cruise ships will introduce innovative design and leisure experiences driven by the future vacation and lifestyle trends of our guests – further evolving the already best-in-class Princess Cruises experience we deliver today,” said Jan Swartz, President of Princess Cruises.
“We look forward to collaborating with Fincantieri to bring our vision for this next- generation premium cruise ship into service,” he said.[/restrict]
News continues below

Seen here on 21 July F/A-18F Super Hornets assigned to the “Bounty Hunters” of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 2 fly in formation near the aircraft carrier USS CARL VINSON (CVN 70) during the 2018 Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercise.
Twenty-five nations, 46 ships, five…[restrict] submarines, and about 200 aircraft and 25,000 personnel are participating in RIMPAC currently underway to 2 August in and around the Hawaiian Islands and Southern California.
Commenced on 27 June this is reported as the world’s largest international maritime exercise in which RIMPAC provides a unique training opportunity while fostering and sustaining cooperative relationships among participants critical to ensuring the safety of sea lanes and security of the world’s oceans.
RIMPAC 2018 is the 26th exercise in the series that began in 1971.[/restrict]
Edited by Paul Ridgway
London
News continues below
GAC ANGOLA RENEWS SHIP AGENCY CONTRACT WITH POSH SEMCO
Leading offshore marine services provider PACC Offshore Services Holdings Ltd (POSH) has reaffirmed its close working relationship with GAC Angola by renewing its ship agency contract for Soyo and Luanda and extending the agreement to include Cabinda.
Under the deal, GAC now provides an integrated range of services for…[restrict] the POSH fleet at all Angolan ports, including crew handling, spares clearance and delivery, bunker fuels and inward/outward clearance of vessels.
Kelvin Teo, POSH Director Offshore Supply Vessels, says that having a strong ship agency partner is critical to ensure timely operations and service quality for their clients: “The GAC team impresses with their professionalism, expertise and knowledge. We are thankful for their support over the years, especially in the region of Africa, which is a key growth market for POSH.”
Kumar Ganesan, GAC Angola’s General Manager, says: “We are delighted to announce the renewal of our contract with leading global offshore vessel operator POSH, who operates a large fleet of modern and young vessels in West Africa. This bears witness to our compliance with their stringent operational standards and requirements. We have recently celebrated 20 years of operational growth and service delivery in Angola, and remain committed to helping our clients meet their challenges and ensure smooth port calls and swift turnaround.”
GAC Angola delivers a full range of ship agency services to all major Angolan ports from its head office in Luanda and branches in Soyo and Cabinda.[/restrict]
News continues below
GENERAL NEWS REPORTS – UPDATED THROUGH THE DAY
in partnership with – APO
News continues below
TO ADVERTISE HERE
Request a Rate Card from info@africaports.co.za
EXPECTED SHIP ARRIVALS and SHIPS IN PORT
Port Louis – Indian Ocean gateway port
Ports & Ships publishes regularly updated SHIP MOVEMENT reports including ETAs for ports extending from West Africa to South Africa to East Africa and including Port Louis in Mauritius.
In the case of South Africa’s container ports of Durban, Ngqura, Ports Elizabeth and Cape Town links to container Stack Dates are also available.
You can access this information, including the list of ports covered, by going HERE remember to use your BACKSPACE to return to this page.
News continues below
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 chemical and oil products tanker AKTORAS (IMO 9312925) enters port at Durban bound for the Island View oil storage terminals. Built in 2006 the 37,582-dwt tanker is owned by Greek interests and managed by Capital Ship Management Corp. Until last year the tanker operated with the BRITISH ENVOY as one of the BP Shipping fleet when she flew under the flag of the Isle of Man (UK). The 185-metre long, 27m wide tanker was built at the Hyundai Mipo Shipyard in Ulsan, South Korea. These pictures are by Trevor Jones
THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK
“Reason and faith are both banks of the same river.”
― Doménico Cieri Estrada
ADVERTISING
For a Rate Card please contact us at info@africaports.co.za
Don’t forget to send us your news and press releases for inclusion in the News Bulletins. Shipping related pictures submitted by readers are always welcome. Email to info@africaports.co.za
SHIP PHOTOGRAPHERS Colour photographs and slides for sale of a variety of ships.Thousands of items listed featuring famous passenger liners of the past to cruise ships of today, freighters, container vessels, tankers, bulkers, naval and research vessels.P O BOX 809, CAPE TOWN, 8000, SOUTH AFRICA snai@worldonline.co.za http://home.worldonline.co.za/~snai
|
South Africa’s most comprehensive Directory of Maritime Services will shortly be listed on this site. Please advise if you’d like your company to be included. To sign up for a free listing contact info@africaports.co.za or register online |
