TODAY’S BULLETIN OF MARITIME NEWS
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- First View : BAHAMAS
- MSC Chloe loses containers off KZN South Coast, SAMSA launches investigation
- China wants to build new railway linking Zimbabwe & Zambia with Port of Nacala
- Rand’s plummet “due to external factors”
- Act of piracy / robbery in Port of Nacala
- EU NAVFOR reaches out to Somali fishermen
- Kenya railway and business officials charged with fraud over land compensation
- $100 million revamp announced for Oceania fleet of Insignia, Nautica, Regatta and Sirena
- HMS Sutherland returns to homeport after seven-month deployment
- Big Barrels-The New Narrative on Africa’s Oil & Gas
- Expected Ship Arrivals and Ships in Port
- Cruise News and Naval Activities
- Pic of the Day : UACC STRAIT
- The masthead image today (Wednesday) is of Port of Ngqura
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No, not the island, the ship. The container ship to be more specific, BAHAMAS (IMO 9395941), built in 2010 and recently on the South African coast. The picture above shows her arriving in Durban at the end of July, with her heading to Port Elizabeth after completing cargo working at the Durban Container Terminal, having arrived from Singapore and Port Klang. The 52,173-dwt Bahamas is 259 metres long and 32m wide (just about the size of Safmarine’s Big Whites – remember them?) and has a container capacity of 4,000 TEU. She was built at the Hanjin Heavy Industries Co Ltd Subic Bay, Philippines as hull number 009 and entered service named APL DOHA. The ship is owned by German interests and managed by NSC Shipping GMBH & Cie KG or Hamburg. This picture is by Keith Betts
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MSC CHLOE LOSES CONTAINERS OVERBOARD OFF KZN SOUTH COAST, SAMSA LAUNCHES INVESTIGATION
Alert warning issued to vessels in the vicinity
An urgent alert warning has been issued to vessels sailing on the Indian Ocean east of South Africa to be on the lookout for cargo containers that are reported to have fallen off a MSC container ship, MSC CHLOE, some 22 nautical miles off the coast of Durban a week ago.
According to the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) which has launched an investigation into the matter, the loss of more than a dozen cargo containers by an MSC vessel occurred on Tuesday, 7 August 2018, while sailing between Port Elizabeth and Durban.
SAMSA said yesterday (Monday) that a total 13 containers were reportedly lost overboard by the MSC CHLOE at about 23h30pm on Tuesday night a week ago while it was off the KZN South Coast in position Latitude 30 degrees 02.65 ‘ South, Longitude 031 degrees 25.9 ‘ East – corresponding to about 21.6 nautical miles ESE of Durban harbour in 550 metres of water depth.
“The vessel was on a voyage from Coega (sic – Ngqura port) to Durban. Reportedly the vessel was drifting and awaiting berthing instructions when a huge swell struck and caused the vessel to roll about +/- 30 degrees on either side, thereby leading to the containers falling off their stacked position,” SAMSA said in a statement issued yesterday.
“A navigational warning is being broadcasted by the Maritime Rescue Coordinating Centre (MRCC) Cape Town and transiting vessels in and around the area are requested to keep a sharp lookout and to report to MRCC Cape Town and Durban Port Control of any sighting,” SAMSA said.
Giving more detail on the type of containers and nature of cargo they contained during the incident, SAMSA said: “The containers lost overboard have been identified as 11 x 40 ft (HC), 1 x 40 ft (Open Top) and 1x 40 ft ( with citrus fruit) and another 25 CTU on board have sustained damage.
“The vessel’s owners, MSC has confirmed the contents of the containers as general cargo ranging from cardboard boxes, plastic bottles, machinery shafts and agricultural supplies. No lost container contained any IMDG (dangerous) cargo or Marine Pollutants.”
SAMSA said it also verified that “…declared IMDG containers (dangerous goods containers) as per vessel’s stowage plan were on board in their respective positions.”
SAMSA says it has launched an investigation into the incident following the vessel berthing at the port of Durban on Thursday (9 August 2018).
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CHINA WANTS TO BUILD NEW RAILWAY LINKING ZIMBABWE & ZAMBIA WITH PORT OF NACALA
Chinese interests, always ready to invest in infrastructure development in Africa, says it wants to build a new rail link that will connect Zimbabwe and Zambia with the Mozambican Port of Nacala.
The proposed railway, costing an estimated US$2.5 billion, will provide mining companies and other interests with an alternative access to the Mozambique port.
Both landlocked countries are currently linked by rail with Tanzania (through Zambia via the TAZARA railway) and…[restrict] Mozambique via the Limpopo railway to Maputo. There is also a rail link from Zimbabwe to the central Mozambican Port of Beira, plus both countries have access through the longer route to South African ports.
The only obvious advantage a new railway connecting the two countries with Nacala via Moatize in Mozambique’s Tete province and routed through Malawi using the same route as the Vale-operated Moatize-Nacala railway would be in the creation of a direct connection to Nacala and its deep port for the first time.
Nacala’s general cargo port however requires considerable development in order to compete with either Beira or Maputo. The coal export facility at Nacala-a-Velha however is modern and able to handle Capesize vessels with ease, but for bulk commodities only.
According to Harare reports the Trans-Zambezi line project recently saw a delegation from China Railways, headed by Vice President Shao Gang, which visited local government offices along with local partner Global Power Bridge International.
If the project goes ahead the first phase will consist of a 400-kilometre rail link between Shamva in Zimbabwe and Moatize in Mozambique. From the coal mining town in Tete province the existing 900-kilometre line extends through neighbouring Malawi to the port at Nacala.
The China Railways project also involves the construction of a 1,700-kilometre line directly connecting Binga, on the Zimbabwean border with Zambia, to the port of Nacala.
Newspaper reports say that China Railways interest in this project was conveyed to the Zimbabwean Government in March this year and signed by Shao Gang.
“We have been working closely with Global Power Bridge International to establish the foundations of the rail project and we are ready to start it,” said Shao.
The project also involves China’s New Century Energy International, which has a US$500 million large-scale soybean production project in Zimbabwe. sources: Financial Gazette, Macauhub, AP&S[/restrict]
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RAND’S PLUMMET “DUE TO EXTERNAL FACTORS”
The dramatic plummet of the Rand to the US Dollar is due to external factors and has nothing to do with the country’s domestic economic indicators, economists say.
Professors Bonke Dumisa from the University of KwaZulu-Natal and Raymond Parsons from the North West University School of Business and Governance both agreed on Monday that external factors were behind Monday morning’s Rand mettle-down, which saw the currency reach over R15 to the dollar – for the first time in two years.
Dumisa said the market manipulators were…[restrict] behind the fall of the Rand and other emerging markets across the globe.
“It started with the US imposing 20% tariffs on the Turkish Lira, dropping immediately and a run on the Turkish Lira, which is threatening the banking system in the country,” he said.
The situation was exacerbated by currency manipulators who decided to make a kill on the emerging markets currencies.
“It has very little to do with the South African domestic economic indicators.
“Many of us would have loved to see the petrol price go down in September because the rand was showing signs of significantly improving. The oil price today is at $72, as opposed to $80 in July. But as it is now, if the situation with the Rand does not improve and goes back to what it was over the past two weeks (R13.20), then I’m afraid we might see petrol prices going up again in September.
“But I don’t want to call it just yet because this thing might just fade.”
The manipulators, Dumisa said, wanted to “make a killing as quickly as possible.”
“So it’s all a matter of being opportunistic.”
Despite being optimistic, Dumisa warned that if the situation persisted at these levels, it would spell doom for the country’s inflationary outlook.
“I don’t think it will be a long-term thing, otherwise the consequences will be very dire for the South African economy.
Parsons concurred, pointing out that global markets were currently going through a bad risk-aversion phase, mainly as a result of the economic crisis in Turkey.
“Investors are nervous chiefly because of concerns about Turkey, which are dragging down other emerging market currencies like the Rand,” he said.
As Dumisa pointed out, another factor was that of the rising US interest rates.
Parsons said this makes investment in the US seem more attractive and drains funds from emerging markets.
He said the prospect of trade wars between the US and China is also presently not good news for emerging markets.
“Even if the Rand recovers in the short-term, the international economic environment at the moment still presents a worrying outlook.
“Of course, exporters gain from a cheaper Rand but imports will cost more. The most important domestic risk would be further rises in fuel costs and the petrol price. We have already seen what earlier trends in the global oil price, a weak rand and fuel levies have done to motoring costs.”
To avoid vulnerability to external shocks and Rand volatility, South Africa needs to make its economy less dependent on short-term capital inflows, Parsons said.
“Global capital flows of this kind often reflect sudden shifts in global sentiment and are easily reversed, as we now are again experiencing. Not for nothing are such capital flows often described as ‘hot money’. As a highly liquid currency, the Rand then responds, depending whether such investors want to increase or decrease their exposure to emerging markets like SA. Domestic factors then also come into play in their decision-making,” said Parsons.
The country, he said, needed to do more to attract long-term capital investment in physical or commercial development and business needed to be encouraged to take a long-term view of South Africa’s economic potential. – SAnews.gov.za[/restrict]
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ACT OF PIRACY/ROBBERY IN PORT OF NACALA
Three robbers (pirates had the ship been at sea) approached a tanker on her berth at the Port of Nacala during cargo discharging operations.
In scenes reminiscent of a port on the West African coast, the men used a bamboo pole attached with a hook and a portable ladder for…[restrict] one of the men to board the tanker.
Fortunately the duty deck watch crew were alert and noticed the robber and immediately informed the Officer of the Watch who raised the alarm.
Upon hearing the alarm the robber made his escape over the side, joining his companions and made off in their boat.
A search was made throughout the tanker and it was subsequently reported that ship’s properties were stolen.
The incident was reported to the port authorities through the local agents.
Reports such as this from the Port of Nacala are unusual and should serve as a reminder to visiting ships of the risks that exist at any port on the coast. Source: IMB/ICC[/restrict]
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EU NAVFOR REACHES OUT TO SOMALI FISHERMEN
It’s a sensible thing to keep reminding ourselves that piracy in the waters off Somalia, which reached alarming heights in the early 2000s with dozens and then hundreds of seafarers and numerous ships highjacked before being ransomed for abnormally high amounts of money, is said to have begun as a result of local Somali fishermen feeling themselves deprived of their own fishing grounds by foreign fishing vessels that also polluted the coast.
While there were other factors at play in the rise of piracy, many on the…[restrict] fishing community felt compelled to turn to piracy where they soon became notorious and the Somali coast a place of danger no matter how large or small the ship. The pirates ranged hundreds then thousands of miles out into the ocean reaching close to the coast of India at one stage. Ships that were captured and highjacked were sent back to the Somali coast with their crews remaining on board as hostages and deterring any attempts at rescue.
Some of those seafarers taken hostage with their ships remained prisoners of the pirates for up to three years before being ransomed and released. At the height of Somali piracy in January 2011, no less than 736 hostages and 32 ships were being held by pirates.
As a result of this mounting scourge the European nations undertook to provide naval assets to patrol the waters of the Western Indian Ocean and escort ships to safety while security companies similarly organised to provide armed guards on board ships sailing through the troubled seas.
One of two main naval groupings formed in December 2008 is the European Union Naval Force ATALANTA (EU NAVFOR).
The European Union has continued to renew the charter under which the naval vessels of the European nations operate, despite the apparent success of counter piracy activity. The lessons of the past have been learned and one of the activities undertaken by Operation Atalanta is to maintain good relations with the local Somali people and that includes their fishing communities.
EU NAVFOR’s new flagship, the Spanish ship ESPS CASTILLA (above) recently carried out her first friendly approach with local Somali fishermen since joining Operation Atalanta.
On 8 August 2018, ESPS Castilla began conducting counter-piracy patrols along the Somali coast as part of the European Union’s efforts to help make the waters in the Indian Ocean and Gulf of Aden safer from pirate attack.
After seeing the local seafaring fishermen the Spanish sailors took the opportunity to meet and talk to them about concerns that they have and the role of the EU Naval Force in the area, as well as supplying them with water, a first aid kit, and some EU NAVFOR t-shirts.
Friendly approaches to Somali fishermen are important in helping to build mutual trust and understanding between counter-piracy naval forces and the local Somali fishing community. Thus the work of the naval forces is not just patrolling and interceptions, but winning the trust and support of the local populations.[/restrict]
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KENYA RAILWAY AND BUSINESS OFFICIALS CHARGED WITH FRAUD OVER LAND COMPENSATION
A number of officials have appeared in a Kenya court on charges of fraud involving land allocation relating to the construction of the standard gauge railway (SGR) connecting the port of Mombasa with the Kenya capital of Nairobi.
The SGR is being extended even further to Kisumu on the shores of Lake Victoria and to the border with Uganda, where it…[restrict] will connect with a similar new standard gauge railway under construction in that country.
The people charged with fraud include the chairman of the National Land Commission, Mr Mohammed Abdalla Swazuri, the managing director of the Kenya Railways Corporation Mr Atanas Kariuki Maina, and 16 other businessmen and representatives of companies. All pleaded not guilty to the charges which stated that fraud had occurred leading to the loss of public money amounting to KSh 221.4 million (US$2.2 million).
Investigations revealed that officials had siphoned public money by means of phoney compensation claims for land over which the railway was developed.
Although a Chinese company was the main contractor involved with building the railway, neither the company nor any Chinese individuals are among those charged.
The case is proceeding.[/restrict]
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Oceania Cruises has announced a US$100 million revamp for its fleet of four sister ships, INSIGNIA, NAUTICA, REGATTA and SIRENA. Several of these ships have become familiar to South African port watchers with their multiple calls during recent summer seasons.
Here is the announcement:
Beginning this December, Regatta, Insignia, Nautica and Sirena will begin the transformative process of becoming four new ships in a dramatic re-inspiration without peer.
Each ship will glow with a new sheen as crisp and polished as a flawless diamond. Tuscan marble, engaging works of art and designer residential furniture will adorn the re-inspired spaces. The iconic Library will be just as plush and hushed as you remember it, and magnificent views will fill Horizons as never before.
The Next Chapter for the Iconic Regatta-Class Ships
Unveiling a sweeping array of dramatic enhancements so transformational they are inspirational, our Re-Inspiration will elevate virtually every facet of the Oceania Cruises experience. Every surface of every suite and stateroom will be entirely new, while in the public spaces, a refreshed colour palette of soft sea and sky tones will surround a tasteful renewal of fabrics, furnishings and lighting fixtures that exquisitely encompasses our inimitable style and comfort.
From the bejewelled new chandeliers in the gracious Grand Dining Room and beckoning Reception Hall to the sleek and calming Canyon Ranch Spa, each ship will celebrate a rejuvenation so sweeping, you will find it positively unimaginable to resist their welcoming embrace.
The Design Team Behind the Re-Inspiration
The design team at Miami-based Studio DADO is a set of innately curious world travellers that have a passion for blending cultural, historical and natural elements into their designs. They believe that artful and thoughtful design results in comfort, celebration and unexpected delight. As our guests, you are at the epicentre of their thought process and they are just as obsessed with the small details as they are with creating memorable and timeless spaces, which you’ll see brought to life in every corner of our ships.
Better Than New
A twinkle of elegance and comfortable sophistication will refine our dining venues, creating worthy stages for The Finest Cuisine at Sea. Imagine sipping an aperitif in the restyled Grand Bar and then sinking into buttery-soft dining chairs in The Grand Dining Room, where a renewed sense of grandeur radiates from the glistening chandelier and plush carpets.
Suites & Staterooms Renewed
Lighter, brighter and even more spacious, every suite and stateroom on board will positively glow from a wall-to-wall, floor-to-ceiling re-inspiration. Custom-crafted furnishings, exotic stone and polished wood finishes, designer accessories and an air of elegance and sophistication will be the hallmarks of our completely transformed guest accommodations. Every square inch will be new, enhanced by nuanced shades of the sea and sky, creating a harmonious celebration of style and comfort.
In a new world of luminous and luxurious design, rest assured that one aspect will remain constant and unchanged: our trademark warm and personalized service. Whether you are sailing for the first time or the fiftieth, you’ll note the ease with which the staff remembers your name and your preferences along with the genuine smiles and enthusiasm that can only come from the heart. source: Oceania
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Ship’s company of Type 23 frigate HMS Sutherland made an emotional return to her home port of Devonport on 10 August following a seven-month deployment to the other side of the world.
Sutherland set sail from Plymouth in January visiting Australia and the Asia Pacific, demonstrating the UK’s commitment to peace and security in the region, as well as wider support to British industry. The warship carried out exercises with…[restrict] the Royal Australian and Royal New Zealand Navies.
The warship also conducted exercises with ships from the US Navy Seventh Fleet and the Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force, before a two-week maintenance period at Yokosuka Naval Base.
Sutherland strengthened international relations in the Asia Pacific region with visits to the Republic of Korea, Singapore and Malaysia before operating as part of a multi-national coalition in the Arabian Gulf and Gulf of Aden region, conducting counter-piracy and counter-trafficking activity. The warship also provided escort duties to HMSs Bangor and Middleton.
Over the course of the deployment Sutherland used her Wildcat helicopter as the eyes and ears of the ship, using sensors to build the ship’s maritime picture.
The CO of 815 Naval Air Squadron, Commander Jamieson Stride commented: “I am delighted to welcome home 211 Flight and their mighty Wildcat after a hugely successful deployment. Having operated as far afield as Australia and almost everywhere in between there and the UK, they have been blazing a trail for the Wildcat, operating in new areas for the aircraft and impressing operational commanders everywhere they went. I would like to thank their families for their unstinting support during this deployment. Being apart from your loved ones for seven months is incredibly tough and their loyalty and devotion has been much needed.”
Commander Andrew Canale, CO of Sutherland, added: “We’ve had an incredibly varied deployment and as the first ship to deploy to the Asia Pacific region for some years we have gained a lot of experience about operating in the area. As we head for home we are now very much looking forward to being reunited with our families and friends who have given us unstinting support during our deployment.”
After handing over to sister ship Argyll, Sutherland then transited through the Mediterranean, paying a visit to Gibraltar on passage back to the UK.[/restrict]
Edited by Paul Ridgway
London
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BIG BARRELS – NEW NARRATIVE ON AFRICA’S OIL & GAS
Big Barrels: The New Narrative on Africa’s Oil & Gas that is Captivating Global Markets
The English version of the book was launched in English in June 2017 at Africa Oil & Power 2017 in Cape Town, and has since become a huge hit in Africa and abroad
A year after its release, the global momentum created by the bestseller on Africa’s oil and gas industry, ‘Big Barrels: African Oil and Gas and the Quest for Prosperity‘, has led to its re-launching in French, Spanish and German.
“The narrative of the book makes its success,” explains author NJ Ayuk, a prominent African energy lawyer. “Big Barrels tells a hidden story of Africa’s oil & gas industry, one that speaks of positive achievements and lays out the capabilities such an industry has to transform the future of African economies and people.”
The English version of the book was launched in June 2017 at Africa Oil & Power 2017 in Cape Town, and has since become a huge hit in Africa and abroad, taking aim at the perception that in Africa oil and gas can do no good, arguing against the perception of a “resource curse.”
The book uses specific case studies from countries like Nigeria, Ghana, Angola, Tanzania and Equatorial Guinea to showcase what African nations have done right with regards to exploiting their oil and gas resources. It notably highlights specific areas of success including good governance in Ghana, environmental stewardship in Gabon and employment and enterprise creation in Nigeria. In doing so, Big Barrels effectively allows Africans to recapture the narrative surrounding their oil & gas industry, and open it up to non-cursing, African voices.
Since its first launch, Big Barrels has received extensive global media attention, being notably repeatedly featured and debated over on BBC Africa, CNBC, Forbes Africa, Bild Zeitung, Financial Afrik, SABC, DW and Voice of America. As Funke Michaels, a Mason Fellow at Harvard University, said in a review, “I see readers coming away encouraged by these cases, and effectively freed from the myth that Africa cannot be cured of the age-old ‘resource curse.'”
The new languages editions of the book will be launched at Africa Oil & Power 2018 in Cape Town from 5-7 September. The book can be ordered from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and other retailers. Press Release
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QM2 in Cape Town. Picture by Ian Shiffman
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Naval News
Similarly you can read our regular Naval News reports and stories here in the general news section.
The oil products tanker UACC STRAIT (IMO 9272400) sails from Durban on 24 June this year, looking quite imposing in the afternoon sunlight despite being a relatively small Handysize tanker of 45,934-dwt and just 180 metres in length by 32m wide. Tankers similar to this are frequent callers at Durban’s Island View, providing refined as well as crude oil products to a gas-guzzling nation. UACC Strait was built in 2004 at the Shin Kurushima Hiroshima Dockyard at Higashihiroshima, a port city in the Hiroshima Prefecture in Japan. Before coming into United Arab Chemical Carriers’ service in 2009 the tanker was named Nord Strait. This picture is by Trevor Jones
THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK
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― Barbara Kingsolver, Animal Dreams
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