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 : PORT OF SALDANHA IRON ORE TERMINAL
- Port Statistics for the month of August are now available here
- Planned maintenance shutdown for Saldanha Iron Ore Terminal
- CMA CGM is now 40 years young
- Rwanda’s ambitious plan of four new vessels on its lakes
- Strange Durban ship movements
- Mozambique to toll its bridges
- How Djibouti like Zambia is about to lose its port to China
- (UK)Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) report
- Orange reinforces its connectivity on the West African Coast through a major investment
- Expected Ship Arrivals and Ships in Port
- Cruise News and Naval Activities
- Pics of the Day : GRAND QUEST
- The masthead image today is of the Port of Lagos (Apapa Container Terminal)
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FIRST VIEW: PORT OF SALDANHA IRON ORE TERMINAL
Diana Shipping’s Capesize bulker NEW YORK (IMO 9405332, 177,773-DWT) pulls away from one of two berths at the Port of Saldana Iron Ore Terminal after completing loading iron ore that had been mined in the Northern Cape at Sishen near Hotazel. These mines are some 800 kilometres from Saldanha and the iron ore is brought to the terminal on Transnet Freight Rail trains made up of 342 wagons hauled by eight electric and diesel-electric locomotives under radio remote control. These are claimed to be the longest production trains in the world, measuring 3·8 km in length and grossing 41,400 tonnes. The Port of Saldanha and its attendant railway can be considered only as extraordinary. A second bulk carrier also loading iron ore is on the opposite side of the long quay that juts out into Saldanha Bay. At the end of this quay is a third mooring point for VLCC and ULCC crude oil carriers. See story below for more details. Picture courtesy: TPT
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SA PORT STATISTICS FOR THE MONTH OF AUGUST ARE NOW AVAILABLE HERE
Port statistics for the month of August 2018, covering the eight commercial ports under the administration of Transnet National Ports Authority, are now available.
Results indicate that the Port of Durban has again registered the highest throughput per month, with increased container handling contributing to the port’s final result. Coal exports through Richards Bay were below the peaks achieved in certain previous months.
Of interest is the combined throughput of Ngqura and Port Elizabeth amounting to 2.507 million tons. Although they are physically two separate ports they will always be only 20km apart and can in many respects be regarded as the Port/s of Algoa Bay. With the same overall management and the same terminal operator (TNPA and TPT), is there justification in these ports of Algoa Bay continuing as separate entities?
Throughputs for the port during August were…[restrict] Durban (8.227mt), Richards Bay (7.202mt), Saldanha (5.642mt), Ngqura (1.320), Port Elziabeth (1.187) and Cape Town (1.228mt). For figures of all eight ports see the chart below.
Container throughputs were up on previous months reflecting Durban 274,246 (TEU), Cape Town (71,180 TEU), Ngqura (69,911 TEU). Total container throughout was 437,142 TEU, which was almost exactly theys ame as for July. For all ports see below.
Total cargo handled for the month of August amounted to 25.075 million tonnes (23.128mt for July 2018).
For comparison with the port turnover of the equivalent month of last year, August 2017 please CLICK HERE
These statistic reports on Africa PORTS & SHIPS are arrived at using an adjustment on the overall tonnage compared to those kindly provided by TNPA and include containers recorded by weight; an adjustment necessary because TNPA 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.
Port Statistics continue below
Figures for the respective ports during August 2018 are:
Cargo handled by tonnes during August 2018, including containers by weight
| PORT | August 2018 million tonnes |
| Richards Bay | 7.202 |
| Durban | 8.227 |
| Saldanha Bay | 5.642 |
| Cape Town | 1.228 |
| Port Elizabeth | 1.187 |
| Ngqura | 1.320 |
| Mossel Bay | 0.104 |
| East London | 0.165 |
| Total all ports | 25.075
million tonnes |
CONTAINERS (measured by TEUs) during August 2018
(TEUs include Deepsea, Coastal, Transship and empty containers all subject to being invoiced by NPA
| PORT | August 2018 TEUs |
| Durban | 274,246 |
| Cape Town | 71,180 see notes above |
| Port Elizabeth | 17,179 |
| Ngqura | 69,111 |
| East London | 4,878 |
| Richards Bay | 0,548 |
| Total all ports | 437,142 TEU |
SHIP CALLS for August 2018
| PORT | August 2018 vessels | gross tons |
| Durban | 230 | 8,527,998 |
| Cape Town | 130 | 3,669,122 |
| Richards Bay | 135 | 4,759,662 |
| Port Elizabeth | 71 | 2,359,975 |
| Saldanha Bay | 29 | 2,236,050 |
| Ngqura | 50 | 2,848,148 |
| East London | 23 | 747,577 |
| Mossel Bay | 28 | 152,015 |
| Total ship calls | 696 | 25,300,547 |
— source TNPA, with adjustment[/restrict]
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PLANNED MAINTENANCE SHUTDOWN FOR SALDANHA IRON ORE TERMINAL
The Transnet Port Terminal’s (TPT) Saldanha Iron Ore plant will shut down commencing on 26 September 2018 as part of its annual maintenance plan across mechanical, electrical and structural works.
Velile Dube, TPT’s General Manager: Cape Channel said that maintenance was a critical element of providing a quality service considering that this facility has already handled over 27,757 million tons of cargo this financial year.
“We have a responsibility to not only optimise the assets we have, but to also ensure demand is always catered for through both planned maintenance projects as well as redeployment of equipment where necessary. By constantly addressing efficiency and productivity improvements through this kind of shut down, it will further support our goal of becoming a top five terminal operator in the next five years in line with TPT’s strategy to be recognised as a world-class logistics and freight solutions terminal operator,” explained Dube.
Included in the maintenance programme will be conveyor belt replacements on the stacker reclaimers as well as bucket wheel and transfer chute repairs. Some of the other areas that will undergo major maintenance work are Ship Loader 1 chute repairs with tiling and structural bolt replacements and repairs, dust plant filter replacements, annual fire suppression tests and scale testing and calibration.
“This shutdown is an annual standing agreement with our iron ore customers as well as all relevant parties in the logistics chain such as Transnet Freight Rail, TNPA, TPT and TGC. We ensure there is ongoing communication and engagement with key stakeholders regarding the shutdown at the Iron Ore facility across a variety of platforms,” Dube said.
Boasting the largest natural, deep-water port in South Africa, TPT’s Saldanha Terminal has an average draft of 17.5 across its combined five berths with an ability to accommodate Panamax and Cape-sized vessels. The terminal remains the largest iron ore export facility in Africa loading between 21 and 32 vessels per month.
Saldanha is water-scarce and to ensure sufficient fresh water, TPT invested in a reverse osmosis plant that uses the existing seawater and sifts it of brine for use in dust control management at the terminal.
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A Group proud of its values and history, pursuing its development
40 years ago, on 13 September 1978, Jacques R. Saadé launched the first maritime service between Marseilles and Beirut, operating with only a single ship and four employees.
That day marked the beginning of an extraordinary humane and entrepreneurial adventure. 40 years later, CMA CGM has become a recognised world leader, the third largest container line, with 34,000 employees and a presence in more than 160 countries. Let’s trace back …[restrict]this unique journey.
It was amid the Lebanese war that Jacques R. Saadé decided to settle in Marseilles to safeguard his family. As a visionary, he anticipated the evolutions of international trade and was convinced of the crucial role containerisation was about to play. He thus created the Compagnie Maritime d’Affrètement (CMA).
This was followed by a period of exceptional growth. As early as 1983, the VILLE DE SAHARA became the first CMA vessel to transit the Suez Canal, paving the way towards the Orient. This was followed in 1986 by the launch of a line linking Northern Europe to the Far-East. Convinced that China would become the world’s factory, Jacques R. Saadé created his first Shanghai-based CMA maritime agency in 1992.
Combining a development strategy with targeted acquisitions such as CGM in 1996, ANL in 1998, Delmas in 2005, APL in 2016, and more recently Sofrana and Mercosul in 2017, the Group has continued expanding its presence on key markets throughout the years.
Still strongly attached to the city of Marseilles, where CMA CGM had been created, Jacques R. Saadé commenced with the building of the CMA CGM Tower in 2006, the Group’s headquarters, which has since become a landmark for the city.
A Group pursuing its development
Today the CMA CGM Group is headed by Rodolphe Saadé, the son of Jacques R. Saadé and the CMA CGM Group has become a global presence in the maritime transportation industry and is pursuing further development around a number of strategic priorities:
* ‘Customer Centricity’ by creating real innovative partnerships with customers: launch of new offers like Serenity, Reeflex and Climactive, the most advanced technology for the transportation of highly sensitive fruits and vegetables by active controlled atmosphere,
* The development of the Group in the maritime, logistics and in-land sectors: acquisition of a stake of 25% in CEVA to propose a complete range of services,
* Innovation and digitalisation: ZeBox, the start-up incubator and accelerator initiated by CMA CGM, which will open its doors soon in Marseilles and will welcome initiatives from all around the world, Reinforcement of human expertise combined to an agile organisation.
A committed Group with strong humane and family values
CMA CGM is also a responsible Group committed to the protection of the environment. For more than 15 years now, the Group has initiated an ambitious policy in this field which already allowed for a reduction of 50% in carbon emissions by transported container per kilometre between 2005 and 2015. The Group has set the goal of an additional 30% reduction in CO2 emissions for 2025.
As a Group with strong humane and family values, CMA CGM is committed to support fragile children through the CMA CGM Corporate Foundation’s action. Presided over by Naïla Saadé, the Corporate Foundation has been supporting more than 200 projects in France and Lebanon since its creation in 2005.
On the anniversary day, the 34,000 employees of the CMA CGM Group, on land and on all the seas of the globe, celebrated this unique adventure and the success of a family Group that was built around four core values, which have forged its force and identity: Initiative, Boldness, Integrity and Imagination.[/restrict]
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RWANDA’S AMBITIOUS PLAN OF FOUR NEW VESSELS ON ITS LAKES
Landlocked Rwanda will shortly take delivery of its first new large lake-going vessel to carry both passengers and vehicles.
This forms part of an ambitious programme to develop a multi-model transport system linking roads, railways, waterways and air infrastructure. Rwanda also features in infrastructure developments involving standard gauge railways connecting to the Kenya port of Mombasa and to the Tanzanian port of Dar es Salaam.
With the arrival of the…[restrict] first lake vessel the country will have taken a significant step in plans of cutting transport costs and boosting trade with its neighbours.
Rwanda plans to have vessels in operation on Lake Kivu, and providing a major link to Central African markets through the DR Congo and the Akagera River which flows into Lake Victoria which shared by Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania.
According to reports Rwanda is planning to launch two combined cargo and passenger vessels on Lake Kivu that will connect towns along the Rwandan shoreline as well as with Gome in the north and Bukavu in the south in the DRC.
The shipping in sections of the first vessel is due to commence in October, said the Minister for Transport, Jean de Dieu Uwihanganye. The vessel will have a capacity for 120 passengers and up to 15 tons of freight and will be assembled at Karongi in Rwanda.
The vessels will be managed and operated as a public/private partnership.
Contractors are being assessed before their appointment to develop an initial six harbours or ports at appropriate places along the lake shore. These will be at Karongi which will have the main shipyard, a ship-building plant and a marine transport training centre at Bwishura, and other harbours at Nkora, Nkombo, Rusizi and Rubavu.
Minister Uwihanganye said that the government expected to appoint a contractor to commence construction with the Rusizi and Rubavu ports by the end of this fiscal year.
He said poor connectivity between Rwanda and the DRC was a major obstacle slowing trade between the two countries. The DRC is the largest informal trade market for Rwanda and data shows that the DR Congo imported 86.2 per cent of the total informal exports from Rwanda, closely followed by Uganda at 11.1 per cent and Burundi at 2.7 per cent.
A recent report in Rwanda’s The New Times told the story of a team of DRC engineers assembling boats at Goma which operate passenger and cargo services between places along the lake shore including to the Rwandan side. “All the equipment is imported, we don’t manufacture anything here, we import it,” said construction foreman, Ponyo Baruti.
“Congo suffers from poor infrastructure and unreliable public transport,” explained another. “These boats have become a lifeline for people who have to cross Lake Kivu regularly to trade and connect with family and friends on the either side. A boat leaves daily from the port of Goma to Bukavu, and back, ferrying between hundreds of passengers and tonnes of goods, for a distance of about 130 kilometres.
“We have no roads in Congo, the authorities do not care. The roads are in a bad state. For example, driving from Goma to Bukavu takes at least five days by road but only a day by boat. That is why we prefer transporting our merchandise by boat, because it’s more convenient,” said Aruna Maombi.
Lwenindale Mibola, financial director for Silimou, the company that operates Emmanuel boats said that they have between 200 and 300 people per trip.
“This has also created employment, especially at the arrival point when you find small vendors and small business setting up to cater to the hundreds of passengers that pass through. So that is also money that is contributed to the economy,” Mibola said.
Emmanuel is planning to expand to routes in neighbouring countries, with the first one from Goma to Tanzania. source: The East African, The New Times, African News[/restrict]
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Any port as busy as Durban, handling upwards of 70 million tons of cargo each year and over 3500 ship movements in that period, is certain to have a few out of the ordinary port calls from time to time.
Last week Thursday (13 September) saw one such movement.
The 366-metre long, 148,500-dwt MSC REGULUS is hard to miss and many eyes were no doubt focused on her as she entered port accompanied by the necessary harbour tugs. When she got as far as the end of Pier 1 however her movement forward came to a halt and instead the ship turned about and began retracing her path back out of the harbour.
This process took about one hour to conclude, at some cost to a number of organisations including MSC.
This was despite there being two vacant berths at the time so the apparent conclusion was that her allotted berth remained occupied but no-one had bothered to tell the marine crew while allowing the big ship to come from the anchorage and enter port.
This confused movement seemed to delay the movement of another ship, the bulker ANTHEA which, with the harbour tug UMKHOMAZI in attendance, was off her berth and waiting off B berth prior to going to Pier 1.
This was not the first time something of this nature has happened. In April HANSA EUROPE entered port only to turn about and go back out. On that occasion the crane of the allotted berth for the container ship has its jib down and the pilot refused to berth the vessel.
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MOZAMBIQUE TO TOLL ITS BRIDGES
According to a report by Lusa and The Club of Mozambique, the government of that country has approved a decree for the fixing of toll rates at bridge crossings country-wide.
“The regulation updates the mechanisms for…[restrict] fixing and collecting toll rates at bridge crossings, and applies to the national road network for motor vehicles,” said government spokesman Augusto de Sousa Fernando.
He said the updating of the fees is aimed at ensuring the maintenance of the bridge and road infrastructure.
“What is established in the decree is that the maintenance of infrastructure must be paid for by the [toll] fees, which will also help in road expansion programmes,” he added.
De Sousa Fernando said that the new toll fees would be published shortly and would take into account the circumstances of people living in the vicinity of bridges.
“The intention is to ensure that people who live near tolls do not pay a very high amount because they constantly use these infrastructures,” de Sousa Fernando concluded. source: Lusa and Club of Mozambique[/restrict]
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One such African country that is exhibiting all the red flag signals of going Sri Lankan and now Zambian way is Djibouti
BEIJING, China, 13 September 13 2018 — Beijing’s cumulative loans to Africa since 2000 amounted to US$124-billion by 2016, according to figures compiled by the China-Africa Research Initiative (CARI).
Djibouti is projected to take on public debt worth around 88 percent of the country’s overall $1.72 billion GDP, with China owning the lion’s share of it.
On March 2018, Djibouti signed a…[restrict] partnership agreement with a Singaporean company that works with China Merchants Port Holdings Co or CMPort—the same state-owned corporation that gained control of the Hambantota port in Sri Lanka—to build the Doraleh Multipurpose Port.
In recent years, China has emerged as a key investor and a generous, ready and easy lender to African countries.
Beijing’s cumulative loans to Africa since 2000 amounted to $124-billion by 2016, according to figures compiled by the China-Africa Research Initiative (CARI) at Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies in the United States.
Angola, Ethiopia, Sudan, Kenya and the Democratic Republic of Congo respectively, were the top beneficiaries of these loans. Angola’s oil-related loans worth $21.2 billion since 2000 total roughly a quarter of cumulative Chinese loans to the entire continent.
“Half of those loans were given in the past four years,” Janet Eom, an associate researcher at CARI, told DW. “So Africa’s debt to China is becoming more of a concern moving forward.”
While African Presidents are at least this time round somehow exempted from the indignity of being talked down while clutching their begging bowls at western capitals before a few notes are thrown into their bowls, the readily available Chinese loans are not entirely risk free.
Economists and other international financial institutions are becoming increasingly worried that the East Asian giant under a careful disguised ‘debt trap’ diplomacy is burying many developing and poor countries in massive debt and then forcing the highly indebted countries to hand over some of their key infrastructures’ such as the case of Sri Lanka.
One such African country that is exhibiting all the red flag signals of going Sri Lankan and now Zambian way is Djibouti.
Djibouti lies more than 2,500 miles from Sri Lanka but the East African country faces a predicament similar to what its peer across the sea confronted in 2017, after borrowing more money from China than it could pay back.
In both countries, the money went to infrastructure projects under the aegis of China’s Belt and Road Initiative.
Sri Lanka racked up more than $8 billion worth of debt to Chinese sovereign-backed banks at interest rates as high as 7 percent reaching a level too high to service. With nearly all its revenue going toward debt repayment, in 2017 after being pushed to the wall, Sri Lanka threw in the towel and handed over the Chinese-built port at Hambantota under a 99-year lease with China having a 70 percent stake.
Djibouti is projected to take on public debt worth around 88 percent of the country’s overall $1.72 billion GDP, with China owning the lion’s share of it, according to a report published in March by the Center for Global Development.
At the end of 2016 China owned 82% of Djibouti’s external debt.
On March 2018, Djibouti signed a partnership agreement with a Singaporean company that works with China Merchants Port Holdings Co. or CMPort—the same state-owned corporation that gained control of the Hambantota port in Sri Lanka—to build the Doraleh Multipurpose Port.
That project was completed in May 2017.
The port is significant not only because it sits next to China’s only overseas military base but also because it is the main access point for American, French, Italian and Japanese bases in Djibouti and is used — because of its strategic location — by parts of the U.S. military that operate in Africa, the Middle East and beyond.
One concern is that the Djibouti government, facing mounting debt and increasing dependence on extracting rents, would be pressured to hand over control of Camp Lemonnier to China.
In a letter to National Security Advisor John Bolton in May, Sen. James Inhofe (R-Okla) and Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), two members of the Senate Armed Service Committee, wrote that Djibouti’s President Guelleh seems willing to “sell his country to the highest bidder,” undermining U.S. military interests.
“Djibouti’s now identified as one of those countries that are at high risk of debt distress. So, that should be sending off all sorts of alarm bells for Djiboutians as well as for the countries that really rely on Djibouti, such as the United States,” said Joshua Meservey, a senior policy analyst at the Heritage Foundation.
And that’s not all, China is not done yet with Djibouti, Beijing has been earmarked the country as one of 68 countries set to be involved in its ambitious One Belt and One Road Initiative (OBOR).
Problem is eight of the 68 countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative currently face unsustainable debt levels, according the Center for Global Development’s report.
The eight nations are Djibouti, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, the Maldives, Mongolia, Montenegro, Pakistan, and Tajikistan.
As past experiences have shown the eight nations will certainly be enticed to chew more than they can swallow and by the end of it end up being even poorer than they are now.
As the cradle of mankind continues to sink deeper into debt condemning future generations to economic slavery, the late Whitney Houston feat Deborah Cox classic ‘Same Script, Different Cast’ has never rang truer. source: APO Group on behalf of Business Insider.[/restrict]
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Unintentional release of carbon dioxide from fixed fire-extinguishing systems on ro-ro vessels Eddystone and Red Eagle
On 12 September the MAIB issued investigation report 16-2018: Eddystone and Red Eagle.
The 47 page document is available by CLICKING HERE
Summary
On 8 June 2016, the roll on, roll off (ro-ro) vessel Eddystone experienced an unintentional release of carbon dioxide (CO2) from its fixed fire-extinguishing system while in the Red Sea.
A similar incident took place on 17 July 2017 on board the…[restrict] ro-ro passenger ferry Red Eagle while on passage from the Isle of Wight to Southampton.
In both cases, gas leaked into the CO2 cylinder compartment, but was prevented from entering the engine room by the main distribution valve which remained closed. Fortunately, no one was harmed in either of these incidents. However, the unintended release of CO2 from fire-extinguishing systems has caused 72 deaths and 145 injuries, mainly in the marine industry, between 1975 and 2000.
Safety lessons
The MAIB report delivered two safety lessons:
• The maintenance of the fire-extinguishing systems was inadequate.
• The available guidance for the marine industry on the maintenance and inspection of CO2 fixed fire-extinguishing systems was insufficient.
Recommendations
Recommendations have been made to:
* The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (2018/123 and 2018/124) to ensure that all safety devices fitted to CO2 fixed fire-extinguishing systems are maintained and surveyed appropriately; and, to seek clarification from the International Maritime Organization of the maximum permitted periodicity between hydrostatic testing of individual high pressure cylinders (MSC.1/Circ.1318)
* Det Norske Veritas – Germanischer Lloyd and Lloyd’s Register (2018/125), to raise with the International Association of Classification Societies the issue of the quality of service provided by approved service suppliers in the maintenance of CO2 fixed fire-extinguishing systems
* The owners of Red Eagle (2018/126), to review the design of the CO2 fire-extinguishing systems fitted to their vessels where the leakage of a single cylinder valve causes the entire system to discharge
Related publications
The (UK) Maritime & Coastguard Agency has issued Safety Bulletin No. 12 – Accidental CO2 releases onboard 2 UK Merchant Vessels. See HERE
Edited by Paul Ridgway
London
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ORANGE REINFORCES ITS CONNECTIVITY ON THE WEST AFRICA COAST THROUGH MAJOR INVESTMENT
The partnership between Orange and MainOne Company will provide for the construction and installation of two new branches and stations
PARIS, France, 14 September 2018/ — Orange ( www.Orange.com ) and MainOne Cable Company are pleased to announce that they have signed an agreement allowing for a major investment by Orange in the West Africa submarine cable system, MainOne. Through this partnership Orange will acquire additional capacity, thereby reinforcing its position in the African telecommunications ecosystem.
MainOne’s current cable system comprises a 7,000km submarine cable, which was launched in 2010 and has landing stations in Nigeria, Ghana and Portugal. The partnership between Orange and MainOne Company will provide for the construction and…[restrict] installation of two new branches and stations. These will connect the cable to Dakar in Senegal and Abidjan in the Côte d’Ivoire by mid-2019. Orange will be the owner of the cable station in Dakar. Orange’s investment represents a major milestone for this project.
Orange Marine, a 100% subsidiary of the Orange Group, has been chosen to manage the installation of these two new branches.
Connectivity, capacity & growth opportunities
Thanks to this new cable connection, local populations will benefit from better connectivity, lower prices and access to new services. Orange will benefit from multiple Terabits per second of additional bandwidth for the development of fixed and mobile data in Africa. More specifically, this cable extension is an opportunity to improve connectivity and offer a broader range of services for both Orange Côte d’Ivoire & Sonatel. In addition, MainOne offers an alternative route that guarantees the protection of voice and data traffic passing through the other cables in the area – SAT3 WASC SAFE and ACE.
A key asset of the Group’s broadband network in Africa
Through this new partnership, Orange confirms its position as a leading player in the submarine cable market. In this role, the Group aims to develop the quality of service of its worldwide networks and facilitate the use of new digital services for end-users.
Orange has a strong commitment to the African continent, which has been at the heart of the Group’s strategy for the last few decades. The Group is investing heavily in building infrastructure and providing access to communication services over the long-term.
“Orange’s ambition on international networks is both to meet the needs of our affiliates in their interconnection with the Internet world and to increase our leadership on the international data services wholesale market. This partnership with MainOne will allow us to strengthen our presence, with new significant assets in West Africa,” said Jérome Barré, Chief Executive Officer of Wholesale and International Networks.
“The development of new digital services in Africa has fostered huge social and economic developments over the past few years. As barriers to access continue to fall with improved networks and more affordable equipment, Orange, as part of its multi-service strategy, is seeking to position itself as an important partner in the continent’s digital transformation. Through this new partnership, Orange is set to secure and improve direct access to high-speed broadband services in two of its most important countries, Senegal and the Côte d’Ivoire,” said Alioune Ndiaye, Chief Executive Officer of Orange Middle East and Africa.
In her comments, MainOne’s Chief Executive Officer Funke Opeke reiterated the company’s vision for a connected West Africa: “MainOne continues to lead the digital transformation of our sub-region by investing in affordable connectivity to drive economic development. Our objective is to bridge the digital divide between and within West Africa and the rest of the world. We are committed to deepening broadband penetration across West Africa and believe our investments in technologically advanced subsea infrastructure will continue to liberalize the international bandwidth market, further support Orange and other wholesale customers, and ultimately result in improved digital services in the region.”
Orange is present in 20 countries in Africa and the Middle East and has 119 million customers (at 30 June 2018). With 5 billion euros of revenues in 2017, this zone is a strategic priority for the Group. Orange Money, its flagship mobile-based money transfer and financial services offer is available in 17 countries and has 38 million customers. Orange, a multi-services operator and key partner of the continent’s digital transformation, provides its expertise to support the development of new digital services in Africa and the Middle East.[/restrict]
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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.
The Ro-Ro vehicles carrier GRAND QUEST (IMO 9181479, 50,309-gt) makes her ‘grand’ entrance into Durban harbour earlier this month. One of the older car carriers in service she has a motor car capacity of 4373 vehicles and would have been considered one of the bigger car carriers in her time. The ship is 179 metres in length and 32m wide which is now small by the latest standards for these ships, with modern vessels being around 220m in length and with a capacity of over 8,000 cars. It’s rather an echo of the container ship industry, with small differences in actual size but enormous improvements in carrying capacity. As with a large majority of Ro-Ro vehicles carriers, Grand Quest was built in Japan at the Shin Kurushima Toyohashi Shipbuilding yard in Toyohashi, Japan. She is currently owned by Chinese (Hong Kong) interests and managed by Cido Shipping also of Hong Kong. These pictures are by Keith Betts
THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK
“In general people experience their present naively, as it were, without being able to form an estimate of its contents; they have first to put themselves at a distance from it — the present, that is to say, must have become the past — before it can yield points of vantage from which to judge the future.”
– Sigmund Freud, The Future of an Illusion
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