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

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Come with us as we report through 2020

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TODAY’S BULLETIN OF MARITIME NEWS

These news reports are updated on an ongoing basis. Check back regularly for the latest news as it develops – where necessary refresh your page at www.africaports.co.za

Click on headline to go direct to story : use the BACK key to return

• Front Page: YUAN WANG 7
• Help on the way: USNS Comfort and USNS Mercy deployed on us East & West Coasts
• LATEST Cruise and ship port movements due to COVID-19
• Earlier News ……. (headlined in Blue)
• SA ports & terminals closed except for selected services
• Liebherr to supply RTG cranes for DP World Berbera terminal
• Is this the end for SAA as it suspends all domestic flights?
• Port of Beira tightens up on COVID-19 counter-measures
• Piracy: Second ship approached by suspicious craft near Agbami Terminal
• Pirates attack Greek bulker mv SCARABE (IMO 9712967) off Brass, Nigeria
• COVID-19: Transport keeps us going
• Jihadists attack northern Mozambique town of Quissanga, second in 48 hours
• Coronavirus: Actions and measures in North Sea Port*
• Shifting Realities: How the Covid-19 crisis will impact the maritime threat picture
• Table Bay NSRI called to evacuate seafarer from bulk carrier
• NSPCA expresses dismay at fate of 70,000 sheep at sea
• Jihadist terrorists attack & seize Mocimboa da Praia by land and sea
• Truck driver killed by crane at Cape Town Container Terminal
• Nigerian Navy tasked with tracking ships calling in Nigeria
• COVID-19: West African borders slam shut
• Opening up the Northern Sea Route: Fast L-Band satellite network speed
• The Supplier’s Supplier – the weakest links in the Supply Chain
• WACT receives first direct container service into East Nigeria
• MSC ship attacked by pirates west of Port Libreville, seven crew abducted
• “Coronavirus ‘war’ demands joint action”
• Sailors’ Society SA & Apostleship of the Sea introduce virtual seafarer support
• Update on local cruise ships situation
• COVID-19 IMO SG briefing
• Cruise ships wrap up Southern African calls, yet others en route
• OLDER NEWS CAN BE FOUND AT NEWS CATEGORIES…….
• The Sunday masthead shows the Port of Cape Town’s tanker basin

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FRONT PAGE: YUAN WANG 7

The Chinese missile tracking vessel YUAN WANG 7 called at Durban late last week (Thursday 19 March) to take on supplies and bunkers, before heading, so it is thought, for the South Atlantic range where, if similar ship visits in the past can be relied on, she will provide support for another Chinese space launch mission. Similar visits by an earlier version of the ship, YUAN WANG 3, followed that routine with calls in either Durban or Cape Town before taking up station off the Namibian coast and this latest arrival will possibly follow along similar lines. The 27,180-gt Yuan Wang 7 was built in 2016 and has accommodation for hundreds of scientists and technicians, in addition to her crew. Pictures by Trevor Jones

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US NEWS: HELP ON THE WAY:
USNS Comfort is deployed on US East Coast 
On the West Coast it is USNS Mercy

The Military Sealift Command (MSC) ship USNS Mercy (T-AH 19) arrived in Los Angeles on 27 March deployed in support of the nation’s COVID-19 response efforts in a similar way as USNS Comfort was deployed on the East Coast last week.

The two hospital ships are part of MSC’s operation with more than 110 ships around the world.

With the designation USNS (United States Naval Ship) they are not commissioned ships. They are crewed by civilians. Some MSC ships have small military departments assigned to carry out specialized military functions such as communications and supply operations. MSC ships carry the prefix ‘T’ before their normal hull numbers.

The two Mercy-class hospital ships have become prime assets in the US Navy’s efforts to reach out to foreign countries and provide humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. Since 2001, the hospital ships have conducted a number of humanitarian-assistance and disaster-response missions at home and abroad, providing care to more than 550,000 people.

Comfort, which originally drew most of its medical staff from the Washington area, was transferred to Norfolk, Virginia, in 2013 to be closer to the Portsmouth Naval Medical Center, where most of its medical staff now is based. Comfort deployed for 180 days for Continuing Promise 2015. In 2017 Comfort deployed to Puerto Rico to support relief efforts after Hurricane Maria, and in 2018 she deployed to South and Central America for Enduring Promise 2018.

Mercy has made three 150-day deployments in recent years including Pacific Partnership 2015, 2016 and 2018. Comfort also provided humanitarian assistance and disaster relief for Puerto Rico in the wake of Hurricane Maria in 2017.

Features

USNS Mercy (T-AH 19) and USNS Comfort (T-AH 20) each contain 12 fully-equipped operating rooms, a 1,000 bed hospital facility, digital radiological services, a medical laboratory, a pharmacy, an optometry lab, a CAT-scan and two oxygen producing plants.
Each ship is equipped with a helicopter deck capable of landing large military helicopters. The ships also have side ports to take on patients at sea. When fully operational, the hospital ships have a crew of about 71 civilians and up to 1,200 Navy medical and communications personnel. The precise crew composition and size varies by mission type. During humanitarian-assistance missions, the crew often includes representatives from other US services, foreign militaries and non-governmental organisations.

Background

Both hospital ships are converted San Clemente-class super tankers. Mercy was delivered in 1986 and Comfort in 1987.

Normally, the ships are kept in a reduced operating status in Norfolk, Virginia, and San Diego, California, by a small crew of civil service mariners and active duty Navy medical and support personnel.

It is reported that each ship can be fully activated and crewed within five days.

Edited by Paul Ridgway
London

 

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CRUISE AND SHIP PORT MOVEMENTS DUE TO COVID-19

DURBAN

QUEEN MARY 2

Cunard’s Queen Mary 2 arrived off Durban on Thursday 26 March and, in an unusual action for the Queen, went to anchor outside port at the anchorage opposite Umhlanga. By Friday midday the ship, which has always been welcomed by crowds of Durbanites even in the days when access to the North Pier was heavily restricted, remained in this position, not far from another anchored cruise ship visitor, MSC Orchestra.

The liner was arriving from Fremantle, where most of her passengers were disembarked. Those that remain on board are understood to be passengers returning to the UK who are otherwise unable to fly and will return instead with the ship, whose destination remains Southampton. When she finally enters port to take bunkers and any necessary supplies, it will be a silent mostly ‘non-event’ save for those fortunate people living in apartments along the beachfront.

ARCADIA

The P&O Cruises’ Arcadia arrived in Durban on Sunday 22 March – her movements being similar to those of Queen Mary 2, of going to anchor outside until cleared with ‘free pratique’ and allowed to enter harbour. With Arcadia it involved several false alarms and it was Thursday 26 March before she was finally cleared, allowing the ship to proceed to P berth on the T-Jetty.

It appears the port authority and health officials were required to carry out COVID-19 tests on 13 symptomatic individuals onboard the vessel, which turned out to be negative. The Port of Durban helicopter transported a medical doctor out to the vessel to conduct the testing in full personal protective equipment (PPE).

TNPA subsequently advised that the vessel was then cleared and granted free pratique (a clean bill of health) by the Port Health Unit of the Department of Health. Arcadia then docked on the morning of Thursday, 26 March 2020 and departed for Southampton at 7pm on the same day.

Arcadia was one of six cruise ships that were already on their way to South Africa before new regulations were promulgated by the Minister of Transport on 18 March 2020, which now ban cruise liners and prohibit passenger embarkation and disembarkation at all South African cruise ports.

As a result Arcadia’s other cruise calls in South Africa were cancelled and she docked in Durban to receive bunkers and provisions. Four South African crew members were allowed to disembark, as permitted by the new regulations which allow cruise ships only to disembark a returning South African citizen and/or a permanent resident.

MSC ORCHESTRA

The arrival of this ship back in Durban after a final cruise to Mozambique has been recorded in earlier editions. After all passengers and crew had disembarked, save for a small ‘skeleton’ crew sufficient to operate the ship, MSC Orchestra moved to the outer anchorage where she will remain until a date in April when the ship may then return to the Mediterranean.

SAS DURBAN

This is not a cruise ship item by any means but may be of interest to some readers. After a long eight month sojourn at the Bayhead shipyards, undergoing very necessary repairs and maintenance, the former SA Navy mine sweeper, SAS DURBAN M1499 was returned on Tuesday 24 March 2020. She joined another museum exhibit, the former Transnet salvage and harbour tug JR MORE, which had also returned from the shipyard some weeks earlier.

While appearing much more sprightly than when she went for repair last August, it was noticeable that more work is required to place the naval ship back in good appearance. An onlooker made the comment as the vessel returned to the museum, saying he was left seriously underwhelmed by the external appearance of the minesweeper. “She didn’t look to me like a craft that had received six months of shipyard attention to spruce her up.”

A fresh coat of paint should do wonders.

CAPE TOWN

Much has already been reported on the AIDAmira and the fears of having cases of the coronavirus on board, after six passengers arriving from Turkey were reported to have been in the proximity or company of two crew of the inappropriately-named bulk carrier, CORONA, who were joining the ship in Cape Town.

Tests on the passengers proved negative and after some delay in port, during which the passengers disembarked to take chartered flights back to Germany, AIDAmira sailed at around 14h30 on Thursday, 26 March, bound for Gibraltar.

TALL SHIP SAGRES

Amidst all the fuss over the pending lockdown and cruise ship arrivals and departures, not much notice was taken of one of the more spectacular Tall Ships that slipped into Cape Town harbour on Wednesday 25 March 2020. Her stay was short and later the same day Sagres, a training ship of the Portuguese Navy, sailed from the Cape bound for Vitória in Brazil. CORRECTION: Sagres is returning direct to Lisbon (acknowledgements to Sergio Rezendes and Ricardo Gaudino for this update)

Because of the COVID-19 scare and the approaching lockdown any thought of the crew on board being able to enjoy and explore the wonders and beauty of the Western Cape were dispelled, while local folk were equally denied the opportunity of visiting and exploring the sailing ship.

One a final note, Transnet reports that to date there have been no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in any South African sea-port.

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SA PORTS & TERMINALS CLOSED                       – EXCEPT FOR SELECTED SERVICES

So you thought you heard it said that ports will remain open for cargo working, while passenger services would end? Well what it meant was something different – only certain selected services would remain available during the country’s 21-day lockdown.

And keep in mind that 21-day lockdown may well be extended…..

The news of selective workings only at the ports came in a letter issued by Transnet to its “valued customers” dated yesterday 26 March 2020 and signed by the group chief executive, Portia Derby.

The following port facilities are closed for three weeks or are cutting back:

Automotive(car) terminals, containers at East London are closed, Durban Container Terminal cut back to two berths available only, Durban Point and Cape Town Multi Purpose Terminal will each operate with a single open berth, DCT Pier 1, Ngqura, Port Elizabeth and Cape Town Container Terminals each with a single berth.

Other measures include prioritising ‘essential containers’ depending on their contents – examples of non-essential boxes are those carrying minerals, or empties. Transshipments may be turned away, but are subject to Transnet Port Terminals’ approval.

All clearance and assignment of containers must be provided to TPT prior to berthing of the ship and TPT reserves the right not to berth a ship if these conditions are not met.

All this is aimed at reducing exposure between Transnet’s staff and others.

Mineral mining customers of TPT-operated terminals will require the approval of the Department of Mining and the Department of Public Enterprises.

Agri-bulk (grains, soya bean meal, fertiliser, woodchips) will operate on a single berth at the ports of East London, Richards Bay and Durban agri terminals.

Cape Town MPT, Richards Bay MPT and Durban MPT terminals will each operate with a single berth. East London MPT, Saldanha MPT, Port Elizabeth MPT and Durban Maydon Wharf MPT will be closed.

A host of detail and conditions are covered in the letter sent to Transnet clients yesterday.

Concern is already being expressed by commodity brokers and exporters regarding exports of minerals from the Zambian and DRC copperbelts, involving copper and cobalt as primary export commodities – some 10 per cent of global production is carried to South African ports overland by road, with China, now emerging from her own crisis involving COVID-19, the principal importer of these African products.

If not permitted through South Africa’s ports, the fear is that exporters, brokers etc will turn to Dar es Salaam or even Maputo and if that works satisfactorily for them, the South African end of this trade will be lost. These commodities are not considered essential in terms of the present circumstance.

“Transnet has taken a decision to scale down all of its transportation services and operations for non-essential cargo during the period of the state of lockdown,” the letter to Transnet clients states.

Meanwhile, what do ships already on the water and heading for South African importers do with containers considered as non-essential by TPT? Where does this cargo end up?

Force Majeure

Transnet meanwhile is talking about a cautionary notice of potential Force Majeure, but goes on to say that its commodity managers are engaging with respective clients to “ensure that contractual Force Majeure and Hardship provisions are invoked and appropriate measures are put in place for the duration of the state lockdown.”

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LIEBHERR TO SUPPLY RTG CRANES FOR DP WORLD BERBERA TERMINAL

Liebherr has secured a contract with DP World for the manufacture and supply of eight rubber tyre cranes (RTGs) to go into service with Somaliland’s Berbera terminal. According to Liebherr the RTGs will be available and ready for operation before the end of this year.

The RTGs will be variable speed diesel-operated and…[restrict] can stack containers one over five high.

They will come supplied with DGPS autosteering and stack profiling and incorporate Liebherr’s unique eight rope reeving no-sway-system, Liebherr drive systems and simultaneous drive motion to deliver industry leading productivity.

Gantry cameras as well as a laser anti-collision system provide safety enhancements to operations.

The Liebherr machines have been designed using high quality European components, specified for maximum loading conditions, significantly enhancing component life. Remote maintenance and Liebherr’s custom diagnostics and maintenance software, DiaMon3D further enhance the RTGs appeal and help deliver exceptionally low maintenance costs.

The variable speed diesel engine helps reduce running costs and will significantly reduce emissions.

The port already operates three Liebherr LHM 420 mobile harbour cranes, which went into service in early 2019. The new cranes are part of a phased expansion of the port, with phase one including a new 400m quay and a 250,000 m² yard extension. source PTI & Liebherr[/restrict]

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IS THIS THE END FOR SAA AS IT SUSPENDS ALL DOMESTIC FLIGHTS?

Questions are again being raised as to whether South African Airways will be able to claw its way back after closing a number of its international and regional routes, suspending the remainder and now taking the decision to suspend all domestic flights with effect from Friday 27 March 2020.

This suspension does correspond with the lockdown across the country from the same date, for a period – initially at least – of three weeks, aimed at…[restrict] ‘flattening the curve’ of the spread of the Covid-19 virus. Over 900 confirmed cases were being reported late Thursday.

“The decision came after government announced a nation-wide lockdown for 21 days aimed at combatting the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19),” SAA said in a statement on Tuesday, which followed President Cyril Ramaphosa’s announcement on Monday, of a nationwide lockdown that comes into effect from midnight on Thursday.

Earlier, SAA announced it was suspending its international and regional flights in light of the Coronavirus.

While government remains committed to propping up the otherwise bankrupt airline, will this hiatus result in a rethink by those caught up in the politics of the national carrier?

SAA’s call centres have also shut up shop for the duration of the national lockdown, which officially will last until 16 April 2020.[/restrict]

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PORT OF BEIRA TIGHTENS UP ON COVID-19 COUNTER-MEASURES

Cornelder de Moçambique (CdM) has implemented stronger surveillance and preventative measures aimed at exercising greater control over the entry into Beira of ships from high risk countries.

This is to “promote the information and awareness of all actors in the Beira Corridor logistics chain in order to strictly follow the recommendations of WHO and the Government of Mozambique on this true global calamity,”Cornelder said in a statement.

The set of preventive measures adopted by the CdM to prevent the proliferation of the virus and minimise the effects of a potential outbreak of infection cases include the basic health requirements – frequent washing of hands and providing disinfectant equipment for sanitising of hands etc at places that attract concentrations of people.

These include entrance gates, the container terminal, general cargo terminal, truck parking, warehouses and public service locations. Covid-19 information dissemination posts have been installed.

All professionals who work in the administrative area of Beira Port, as well as those in the operation area, are instructed to practice mandatory hand washing with a frequency concomitant with the nature of their work, using alcohol-based solutions for this purpose.

Likewise, the observance of safe inter-personal distances recommended by WHO and the reduction of physical contact between people to the minimum necessary for carrying out normal work processes is being recommended.

CdM said that in coordination with the Provincial Health Directorate of Sofala, all crew members of ships docking at Beira Port are also being screened using infrared thermometers. CdM is in the process of acquiring more thermometers, so that all those entering and leaving the port area can also be screened.

At the same time, and following this series of measures, CdM has also decided to limit direct customer service, opting to conduct by electronic means certain operations that were previously carried out through direct contact at branches.

Cornelder de Moçambique is also temporarily suspending employees’ travel abroad, as well as avoiding agglomerations as a result of operational meetings, training and seminars. sources: CdM, Carta de Moçambique

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PIRACY: SECOND SHIP APPROACHED BY SUSPICIOUS VESSEL NEAR AGBAMI TERMINAL

Dryad Global reports a second vessel being approached by a suspicious craft this time…[restrict] 110 nautical miles South-West of the Agbami Terminal.

The ship, which has not been identified, was sailing in position 02°27’N, 004°01’E at 16h30 on Wednesday, 25 March 2020, when it reported a suspicious craft following.

Considering the attack earlier in the day on the 60,500-ton Greek bulker SCARABE (see report in yesterday’s news bulletin below), it is considered likely that this is the same craft. Dryad reports that the distance between the earlier attack and this sighting also fits.

A warning has been issued to all ships in the area to exercise extreme caution and maintain watches 24/7 for any small craft acting suspiciously, and to report in to authorities any sightings.

There is increased pirate activity in this area, with five incidents recorded within 60 nautical miles of the Agbami Terminal during 2019.[/restrict]

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PIRATES ATTACK GREEK BULKER MV SCARABE (IMO 9712967) OFF BRASS, NIGERIA

Dryad Global reports another pirate attack in the Gulf of Guinea, involving the Greek-flagged bulk carrier SCARABE (IMO 9712967).

The attack by pirates in a speedboat/skiff occurred on Wednesday, 25 March 2020 at 10h05 local time and in position 03°07’N, 005°35’E. This is 79 nautical miles South-West of Brass and 19.7 nautical miles South of the Agbami Terminal.

The 60,435-dwt bulk carrier Scarabe is…[restrict] 199 metres in length and 32m wide and was built in 2015. The ship is owned by Greek interests and managed by Niovis Shipping Co SA of Piraeus, Greece.

The available report says the bulk carrier was under attack by a single speedboat with seven pirates on board. Whether the pirates managed to board the ship is not yet clear but a subsequent silence on this suggests they did. This remains to be confirmed!

According to Dryad this is in an area of significant reporting density, with five incidents reported within 60 n.miles of the Agbami Field Terminal. The year previous here were no reports of pirate-related incidents.[/restrict]

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COVID-19: TRANSPORT KEEPS US GOING

With the slogan ‘Transport keeps us going’, the European Sea Ports Organisation (ESPO), together with 33 organisations issued a Declaration on 24 March stressing the essential role transport is playing in the corona crisis. [This has strong relevance to transport elsewhere, in particular across Africa and with several countries including South Africa about to go into ‘lockdown’]

Isabelle Ryckbost, ESPO Secretary General, commented: “Transport and logistics play a crucial role in the supply of essential goods in this critical period. To ensure that transport can continue to keep us going, the free flow of goods between Member States must be guaranteed. We must also support and encourage all the people working in transport.

“Their contribution in overcoming this crisis is vital. In times of emergency, ports have an essential role in providing citizens, health services and businesses with the goods and materials they need. Europe’s ports take this public responsibility very seriously. We hope the Member States are following the recommendations of the Commission to ensure that goods keep moving in Europe, in the interest of every single EU citizen.”

On 11 March, the World Health Organization (WHO*) declared the COVID-19 a pandemic and governments worldwide have taken wide-ranging measures to contain the spread of the virus.

The transport sector has a crucial role to play in the supply of goods, in particular medicines, medical devices, food and other essential commodities needed to overcome this crisis. The transport sector also proves to be a vital instrument in these times where many European citizens are restricted in their mobility.

A statement of endorsement

The undersigned European associations representing transport, infrastructure managers, operators, workers in all transport modes and logistics, contractors, local and regional authorities, logistics service providers, shippers, users and equipment suppliers in the maritime, port, inland waterways, railways, road, cycling, aviation and intermodal sectors, as well as supporting industries and companies, jointly endorse the following statement:

Highlight the key role transport and logistics are playing for the supply of essential goods in this critical period: stress that transport infrastructure is in this respect critical infrastructure;

Show their respect and support to all workers in the supply chain enabling the continuity of transport services, the movement of goods and essential commodities, as well as the repatriation of stranded citizens, and thus playing a major role in helping the European citizens to overcome this crisis;

Call on the Member States to enable smooth border crossings for freight transport, both intra-EU and with third countries, in this respect fully support the establishment of green freight lanes in coordination with the concerned transport stakeholders;

Support the measures and actions taken at EU-level and by national governments to contain the spread of COVID-19 and call on the Member States to coordinate their response to the COVID-19 and to follow the European Commission’s guidelines on border management;

Reiterate the importance of protecting the health and safety of transport workers, notably through personal protective equipment, as well as access to clean and disinfected sanitary facilities, food and drink;

Highlight that the transport and logistics sectors are based on a physical work force and call on the European Commission and the Member States to facilitate its mobility, including repatriation of the transport work force;

Urge the policy makers to assist the heavily affected transport sector in its recovery, to ensure future connectivity for both passengers and freight, and to revitalise the arteries of the internal market as soon as the crisis is over.

* https://www.who.int/

Edited by Paul Ridgway
London

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JIHADISTS ATTACK NORTHERN MOZAMBIQUE TOWN OF QUISSANGA, SECOND in 48 HOURS

Jihadists have attacked and looted a second town in the northern Mozambique province of Cabo Delgado, in just 48 hours.

The terror group attacked the small town of Quissanga, a district headquarters town directly opposite the historic island of Ibo, and resulting in large numbers of the town’s population fleeing for their lives.

On Monday this week two groups of terrorists invaded the harbour town of Mocimboa da Praia by land and sea, driving away Mozambican military and police station in the town and looting shops and banks. Money taken from the banks was used to distribute to any local people who dared show their faces, bringing about some instant support for their cause.

Threats were made that the Jihadists were looking for Christians in Mocimboa – the large majority of people in Cabo Delgado province are either Muslims or follow African traditional beliefs. More than half the population of Mozambique is Christian and around 20 per cent is Muslim, with the latter predominating in the north of the country.

Quissanga is considerably further south from Mocimboa da Praia, by about 200 km and more worryingly, is close to the port town of Pemba, the main centre of the coastal region. This latest attack suggests that even Pemba is under risk of an attack, particularly so with the terrorists having taken to operating by sea.

Reports said that many of Quissanga’s residents fled to the island of Ibo, which can be reached on foot at low tide. From Ibo smoke was seen in the direction of Quissanga, suggesting that some buildings may have been set on fire. source: Lusa

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CORONAVIRUS: ACTIONS & MEASURES IN NORTH SEA PORT*
To keep the port operational and combat coronavirus

In a statement issued on 23 March North Sea Port (Vlissingen, Terneuzen, Ghent) indicated that it is still fully operational. This is assured by actions and measures being taken, some of which are outlined below.

Last week (w/c 15 March), the Belgian and the Dutch governments announced stricter measures to prevent the further spread of coronavirus. North Sea Port is adhering to these measures. At the same time, North Sea Port is continuing to focus on keeping the port operational where it is possible and safe to do so.

Task force closely monitoring maritime and economic impacts

In addition to the Crisis Team, a Task Force team has been operational since 20 March. This team is focused more specifically on the operational and economic aspects of the port and on safeguarding the supply of raw materials, goods, food and life-saving resources.

The aim is to ensure that, where possible and safe, shipping and all associated maritime activities continue in North Sea Port (ranging from possible delays to ships, the deployment of pilots and tug services and boatmen/dockers, the operation of bridges and locks, to loading and unloading and transport via hinterland connections). To this end North Sea Port are in close contact with companies, service providers and public authorities.

The economic impact on companies is being monitored on a daily basis and North Sea Port is constantly looking at how it can offer solutions to meet needs.

Enforcement of strict measures for shipping and health

Wherever possible, North Sea Port and the companies will continue their operational activities in complete safety. Strict measures already apply to shipping before it can call at North Sea Port.

Arrangements already agreed in consultation with the national health services GGD (for the Netherlands) and Saniport (for Belgium) will continue to apply:

In the case of shipping, vessels must, as usual, complete the Maritime Declaration of Health. This procedure is closely coordinated with the health services.

The Maritime Declaration of Health must be completed 24 hours before entering the port.

If even a single question on this form is answered “yes”, the health service is immediately alerted.

A number of terminals have now introduced additional questionnaires or temperature measurements.

No ships quarantined, cruises halted

There are no ships in quarantine in North Sea Port at this time (23 March) it is reported. The port authority is working very closely with the national health services in this matter.

All sea and river cruises have been cancelled until at least 17 April. This action was taken by the companies involved.

Reduced ferry service

The ferry services in the port area are very important for enabling employees to get to/from work. However, the timetables and services have been modified

Police surveillance in the port area

Police surveillance is in place in the port area in order to ensure that the measures imposed by the government are complied with.

Good response to call for surgical masks

North Sea Port, East-Flanders Chamber of Commerce and Portiz asked the companies in the port to provide any available surgical masks, safety goggles and other protective equipment for healthcare professionals and doctors in view of the urgent need. There has been a good response to this appeal. Healthcare professionals and doctors are highly appreciative of this move.

North Sea Port makes bicycles available to companies

Every day, Max Mobiel brings up to 1,500 employees to work at companies in the Ghent area of the port zone. This service was discontinued on 19 March. North Sea Port and Fietsambassade (City of Ghent) are making 100 bicycles available which companies can offer to their employees so that they can come to work. This solution is a collaboration between North Sea Port, the East Flanders Chamber of Commerce, Portiz and the city of Ghent and covers both the Ghent and the Zeeland areas of the port.

Seamen’s Institutes remain closed

The Seamen’s Institutes throughout North Sea Port are closed. The Seamen’s Institute in Vlissingen and Ghent have launched a service for seamen to provide them with data cards so that they can contact family and friends.

Welfare and safety first for North Sea Port employees

Certificates have now been issued for employees who perform essential work for North Sea Port: both those who have to cross the border and those who do not. As an employer, North Sea Port guarantees that the vital functions of the port authority can continue in the event of additional, even more stringent measures. Additional arrangements have been made for the harbourmaster’s offices so that shipping can be supervised safely and smoothly.

North Sea Port buildings remain closed

Additional measures will also continue to apply to the public/non-public buildings and locations of North Sea Port until at least 4 April:

Only those whose visits are strictly necessary will be permitted access to the offices of North Sea Port. Additional hygiene measures are in place for the (small number of) colleagues who are present and extra cleaning is being carried out.

The Port House at Graslei in Ghent is closed. The exhibition about the port is therefore not open to visitors.

No port cruises and port bus

The measures also mean that:
All North Sea Port cruises are cancelled until further notice. Those who had registered for cruises have been informed. We will look into replacement cruises at a later time, when the situation permits.

The North Sea Port port bus (between the port, the Stella Maris seamen’s institute and the centre of Ghent) will no longer operate until further notice.

*The cross-border port known as North Sea Port was founded on 1 January 2018 and is the result of a merger between the Dutch Zeeland Seaports (Vlissingen and Terneuzen) and the Flemish/Belgian port of Gent.

As a top European port, North Sea Port operates globally with its ten largest trade partners: Russia, the United States, Great Britain, Brazil, Canada, Sweden, Norway, France, Turkey and Spain.
Recorded in 2019: 71.5 million tons (a 1.5% increase) transhipment of goods by sea-going vessel; 60 million tons (a 3.4% increase) transhipment of goods by inland vessel.

Sustainable economic activity

North Sea Port strives for sustainable economic activity. By doing so it contributes to the prosperity of the region and generates value for our community and shareholders. By actively working with its stakeholders to serve their interests, North Sea Port creates opportunities for growth. It supports 525 companies, 100,000 jobs and provides €14.5 billion of added value.

Edited by Paul Ridgway
London

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SHIFTING REALITIES
How the COVID-19 crisis will impact the maritime threat picture

Intelligence Insights from Dryad Global

What Happened

The emergence of COVID-19 as a severe global public health issue has created significant ramifications, including economic disruption and the threat of a global recession, logistical complexities, geopolitical considerations, and security issues (reports Dryad Global).

The shipping industry and maritime domain has not been insulated from these. It is expected that COVID-19 will be the defining threat trend of the year, which will shape commercial and security trends within shipping. During this period of instability, it is…[restrict] key that vessels, vessel owners and the maritime community rely on clear-headed, data-driven and reliable solutions, which will facilitate economic activity within this new reality.

Our Experts Say

Emerging Threats: Piracy & Maritime Crime

West Africa is particularly vulnerable to rises in piracy, partly driven by a lack of effective mitigation strategies, and co-ordinated security responses to piracy and maritime crime remain embryonic across the region. Should, as is likely, COVID-19 spread throughout sub-Saharan Africa, overwhelming healthcare systems and becoming most states main priority, efforts to mitigate regional maritime crime in West Africa will likely be neglected.

Therefore, with the heightened risk that security responses are hampered due to widespread infection, it is unlikely there will be a decrease in piracy incidents and a partial increase is eminently possible. Nigeria is likely to remain the epicentre of West African maritime security issues, with any downturn in vessel volume unlikely to alter the current trend.

Dryad currently assesses the likely impact of COVID-19 on piracy in the Indian Ocean as minimal. While there has been an increase in the number of reported incidents in the Gulf of Aden in 2020, none of these incidents have been confirmed as acts of piracy. The spread of COVID-19 throughout the key risk areas in the Indian Ocean, is unlikely to significantly alter events or the security picture in the short to medium-term.

As states increasingly restrict the movement of citizens, trade is likely to be exacerbated in areas such as the Gulf of Guinea, Gulf of Aden, Red Sea, Gulf of Oman and the Malacca Strait, where black market activity has been observed in the past. The economic impact of COVID-19 on these areas is likely to lead to an increase in illicit maritime trading. The scale of COVID-19 infection in global maritime crime hotspots will likely determine the degree to which current social-economic problems are exacerbated by the crisis. Where there is evidence of longer-term economic impact then it is likely that there will be an increase in incidents.

Emerging Geopolitical Threats

As an industry, we should assume that the spread of COVID-19 will result in the recontextualization of the operational threat profile. As nation-states focus on their own internal affairs, it is likely that current geopolitical threats will fade for the time being.

However, this is not to suggest that the overall threat to vessels and personnel will reduce or disappear. Operational security may be negatively impacted by reductions in monitoring and enforcement capabilities, as organisations struggle with maintaining deployment commitments.

Pressure on the maritime industry resulting from complex geopolitical narratives, such as those seen with Iran in the Persian Gulf, which was a key driver of maritime instability in 2019, have likely reduced considerably for the coming months.

However, Iran is currently grappling with issues resulting from ongoing economic isolation, global oversupply of oil and the struggle to contain COVID-19. Recent calls on the US to reduce sanctions to assist Iran in fighting the outbreak seem to have failed, with the US pressing ahead with sanctions on Chinese shipping companies transporting Iranian oil.

Faced with potential economic collapse, Iran may feel compelled to act. It remains unlikely that Iran will yield to US sanction demands. Instead, in the medium and longer-term Iran may act to unlock and the currently low oil price, or the deadlock in sanctions. As Iran has shown, it holds significant asymmetric capability but is also well versed in brinkmanship. Where a stage was reached where the viability of Iran as a state and the preservation of the regime was in question, the risks of localised but significant incidents could increase sharply. Although, as past events tell us, any action by Iran will likely be preceded by a plethora of indicators and warnings, underscoring the need for accurate reporting.

Libya will likely come under increased strain as a result of COVID-19. Libya is vulnerable to the spread of disease as the nation and its healthcare system has been weakened by the ongoing conflict. If COVID-19 significantly spreads in Libya, then it is likely a reduction in fighting would be seen as manpower on both sides is degraded. The spread of the virus would likely result in little change in the fault lines of the conflict as both sides would fall back to their centres of gravity.

Emerging Threats: Crime & Internal Stability

Fragile states with volatile domestic agendas are most likely to suffer violence and disorder in the short to medium term as COVID-19 spreads. Theft, looting, and general disorder will likely be a feature of many states. The frequency of these is highly likely to be exacerbated by a scarcity of resources to maintain order, as governments become overwhelmed by the spate of issues (such as pressures on health systems and surges in unemployment) that have been seen to accompany the spread of the disease.

Emerging Threats: Migrants

As disorder and panic spreads, it is realistic to anticipate a rise in global migration from states which cannot sufficiently quarantine and lockdown infected regions. An area of particular concern is Libya, which has in recent years seen high levels of migration. With a breakdown in Libyan state administration a possible consequence of the pandemic, it is likely increasing numbers of potential migrants could feel they face improved odds in Europe. This in turn may increase the chances that vessels in the Mediterranean have to assist migrant vessels in distress, but would simultaneously raise the prospect of migrants who carry COVID-19 being a health concern to vessel crew.

Conclusion

Due to the rapidly developing nature of the pandemic, the global COVID-19 situation is ever-changing. Vessels which are security aware will still be able to trade, but to trade securely will require precise, real-time, data-driven solutions. The restrictions on travel COVID-19 has placed on the deployment of PMSC’s will not in itself lead to an escalation of risk, but contextually this trend will inform the security profile faced.

Dryad Global remains responsive and ready to facilitate clients needs in the complex weeks and months ahead. We remain committed to objective and data-focused assessments of risk. In the current operational climate, the increasingly discrete and localised nature of risk will intensify the demand for timely and accurate risk assessments. We stand primed to provide these solutions to the global maritime industry.[/restrict]

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TABLE BAY NSRI CALLED TO EVACUATE SEAFARER FROM BULK CARRIER

NSRI Table Bay Station 3 duty crew were called out on Monday evening (23 March, 19h56) to prepare to launch and rendezvous with a bulk carrier, HELLENIC REPUBLIC, in order to evacuate an ill 59-year old seafarer suffering a medical emergency.

This followed a WC Government Health EMS duty doctor’s medical evaluation that the seafarer required an urgent medical evacuation from his ship.

The Hellenic Republic departed from Table Bay earlier but when 22 nautical miles South-East of Cape Point the alarm was raised which required the ship to turn about and head back toward Cape Town.

Quentin Botha, NSRI Table Bay duty coxswain, reported that the NSRI sea rescue craft Spirit of Vodacom launched at 23h30 accompanied by two WC Government Health EMS rescue paramedics and an NSRI doctor.

“We rendezvoused with the ship…[restrict] eight nautical miles from the Port of Table Bay,” Botha said.

Two NSRI rescue swimmers and a EMS rescue paramedic boarded the ship and applied medical treatment that stabilised the patient who remained in a serious but stable condition. “H was transferred onto our sea rescue craft and into the care of the doctor and the second paramedic,” Botha said.

The NSRI rescue swimmers and the EMS rescue paramedic re-boarded the sea rescue craft and on arrival at the NSRI sea rescue station the seafarer was taken into the care of Netcare 911 paramedics and transported to hospital by Netcare 911 ambulance for further medical care.

A medical evacuation from a ship involved the NSRI Emergency Operations Centre, Telkom Maritime Radio Services, WC Government Health EMS, Transnet Port Health Authorities and Transnet National Ports Authority all of whom assisted the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) in coordination, communication and logistics during the operation.

Picture: NSRI[/restrict]

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NSPCA EXPRESSES DISMAY AT FATE OF 70,000 SHEEP AT SEA

Live Export Horror: Sheep may end up stranded at sea due to COVID-19

The National Council of SPCAs (NSPCA) has expressed its grave concerned about the fate of the sheep that are supposed to be exported live by sea next week to the Middle East.

This follows news received by the NSPCA that Kuwait has closed its borders due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

70,000 live sheep were shipped from East London on Friday 20 March on the 40-year old livestock carrier AL MESSILAH (IMO 7924425), destined for Middle Eastern countries by the Kuwaiti export company, Al Mawashi. The countries are Oman and Kuwait but according to Al Mawashi’s legal team last Wednesday, the ship would only be going to Oman due to the sudden closure of the port in Kuwait because of the COVID-19 outbreak.

“We learnt yesterday that the Kuwait ports are now open for ‘cargo’. The NSPCA is concerned that these ports will close with no notice, leaving 70,000 sheep stranded in the Arabian Sea,” Marcelle Meredith, Executive Director of the NSPCA said.

“This is a monumental cause for concern – when livestock carriers have become stranded with live animals in the past, which has happened to the AL MESSILAH (IMO 7924425) vessel before, the consequences have been catastrophic to both the animals and the crew on board.”

She said the NSPCA has grave concerns. “We consider this an open warning to the Government, Al Mawashi, and any other role player involved in this shipment, should the ship carrying South Africa’s sheep be stranded,” she said.

“The COVID-19 outbreak is well publicised and the risks are clear, if the ship is permitted to go and becomes stranded, the aforementioned entities will be held accountable.”

Two years ago the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) stopped the same ship from loading sheep in Fremantle after a port state control inspection found numerous deficiencies with the vessel. Among these were holes corroded in the decks and bulkheads throughout the ship as well as wastage of the supporting structure; multiple issues with the electrical cabling including wasted conduits, improperly mounted cables, exposed wires and unsealed electrical junction boxes; an unserviceable generator; damaged bulkhead structure; and poor quality repairs throughout the livestock decks.

AMSA then withdrew the ship’s Australian Certificate for the Carriage of Livestock pending the completion of repairs.

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JIHADIST TERRORISTS ATTACK & SEIZE MOCIMBOA DA PRAIA BY LAND AND SEA

Islamist terrorists made a sudden attack on the coastal Mozambique town of Mocimboa da Praia on Monday (23 March), surprising the Mozambique military and townspeople as they attacked from land and sea and succeeding in seizing a sizeable portion of the town.

Mocimboa, about 200km north of the port of Pemba, is an important centre with a developing harbour facility for the burgeoning oil and gas industry. The town has…[restrict] a Mozambican military base with army and police stationed to protect the citizens living in the region.

The town and district of Mocimboa da Praia was the first area to experience attacks and terror from the Islamist group of Jihadists in October 2017.

In the attack that took place in the early hours of Monday, the group of insurgents fell on the town from the land, while a second group attacked by sea, arriving in two speedboats. The attack commenced at 04h00 local time and was swift, continuing for several hours until after sunrise, with the military base being overrun.

According to the news service O País fighting was still going on throughout the day.

Orlando Mudumane, who is spokesman for the General Command of the Police of the Republic of Mozambique (PRM) confirmed to journalists that what he called ‘criminals’ attacked the headquarters village of Mocímboa da Praia. “They attacked the barracks of the Defence and Security Forces and hoisted their flag in the village,” he said.

“The defense and security forces are currently fighting to restore order,” he reported.

Local people reported the attack as having begun in the Pamunda neighbourhood after which the terrorists practically surrounded the small town.

Once in control of much of Mocimboa, the terrorists set up barricades in the entrance roads to take up a defence of what they had won, with Mozambique army and security forces staging a counter attack.

“I heard the first shots when I was preparing to go to the mosque and there was no time to take refuge in the woods. So far, my family and I are shut up inside the house, a resident of Mocimboa told O País.

Another observer described the arrival of terrorists by boat. “They arrived at dawn and started shooting. Afterwards, they passed by my house wielding black flags written in Arabic, heading towards the centre of the village,” one man said.

There was immediate speculation that an outside element has been deployed by the terror group, possibly from Somalia or Tanzania according to some. “These were experienced fighters,” said one.

The same source claimed that the insurgents had captured significant military equipment when they overran the military base – “sufficient for two battalions,” as he described it. They also seized patrol boats in the bay.

Once in possession of much of the town, the insurgents, displaying black flags with Arabic writing, destroyed various installations and government buildings, several banks from which they stole money and reportedly handed out sums to local people, and looted shops.

With money being handed out by the terrorists, some locals visibly applauded them, according to online news Pinnacle

Not much appears to be known about this group of Islamist terrorists although there are claims that the group is called the Islamic State Central African Province, or ISCAP – a claim that is unusual as this name is shown in English whereas the common language in northern Mozambique is either Portuguese, Swahili or one of several local languages.

Unconfirmed reports say that the terrorists told local townspeople that all Muslims should go to the mosque and pray and that they were looking for Christians. In several attacks made on villages across the province of Cabo Delgado, of which Mocimboa is a part, local people have been beheaded and houses burned.

On Monday night the insurgents were reported as still being in possession of parts of the town, with Mozambican security forces holding position north of Mocimboa along the R762 road, while waiting for reinforcements to arrive from Pemba.

Mocimboa da Praia is a district headquarter town in the Cabo Delgado province and is being prepared as a landing place for equipment for the oil and gas industry, which is headed by Total SA and Exxon Mobil Corp who are developing liquefied-natural-gas (LNG) projects worth almost US$60 billion.. sources: O País, AIM, Pinnacle, AP&S[/restrict]

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TRUCK DRIVER KILLED BY CRANE AT CAPE TOWN CONTAINER TERMINAL

A 52-year old Cape Town truck driver was killed on Friday morning when the spreader from a Transnet Port Terminal crane collapsed and crushed his truck cab inside the container terminal.

The accident occurred around 11h00 on Friday morning when the truck arrived to collect a container at the TPT terminal.

According to independent witnesses the reach stacker crane passed over the truck when the spreader bar was dislodged and fell onto the cab of the truck.

The reason why the spreader fell is not clear but one witness claimed that the crane involved in the accident had been receiving attention from a technician shortly beforehand.

Immediately following the accident the crane operator attempted to hoist the spreader off the truck but was unsuccessful.

The driver of the truck was trapped in his cab and died at the scene despite the efforts of Transnet paramedics who were quickly on the scene.

Following the accident the South African Police Services opened an inquest docket for further investigation. Operations remained suspended for some hours until all regulatory authorities currently onsite, concluded their assessments.

According to reports the maintenance of the Kalmar equipment at the port was recently taken over by Transnet.

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NIGERIAN NAVY TASKED WITH TRACKING SHIPS CALLING IN NIGERIA

The Nigerian Navy says it has been tasked with tracking all vessels arriving in Nigerian ports and waterways in order to halt and prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

That’s the word from Flag Officer Commanding, Eastern Naval Command, Rear Admiral David Adeniran.

The admiral told a…[restrict] Senate Committee during a tour of the naval facilities that the command had facilities like the Falcon Eye and the RMAC which it deployed to monitor all inbound vessels.

He said that as soon as they had information about a ship heading for Nigeria, the tracking of the vessel commenced.

The navy, he said, is able to track the movement of the vessel over the previous 30 days, providing information about which waters the vessel has been and from there the vessel is monitored accordingly.

Admiral Adeniran said the navy has the ability to stop the vessel and was able to advise the port management or the onshore oil facility accordingly. source: Ships & Ports (Nigeria)[/restrict]

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COVID-19: WEST AFRICAN BORDERS SLAM SHUT

Several West African countries have closed their borders in efforts aimed at slowing the onset of the coronavirus Pandemic. There are in addition to special precautions at seaports and airports that have been instituted.

GHANA

Ghana closed its land borders to human traffic following the first recorded death from the virus.

The closures do not however relate to the movement of…[restrict] freight and cargo, in particular food. The new rule came into effect at midnight on Sunday, 22 March 2020.

The announcement was made by Ghana’s President Nana Akufo-Addo in a televised address.

“Anybody who comes into the country before on Sunday will be quarantined and tested for the virus,” the president added. In additon, travellers from high-risk countries would not be allowed into the country. A high-risk country is defined by having more than 200 confirmed cases of the COVID-19 virus.

Meanwhile the GPHA announced it has stopped all port tours of the port of Tema and Takoradi including those by schools with immediate effect as a precaution against the spread of the coronavirus. Additionally, GPHA says it is liaising with ships agents to identify ships arriving from high-risk countries so that precautionary action can be taken. No cruise ships will be admitted into Ghana’s ports.

BENIN & TOGO

Benin is reported to have closed its border with Nigeria with immediate effect, while Togo has shut its border with the Benin Republic.

The closure of the Benin/Nigeria border caugh hundreds of travellers by surprise leaving them stranded in Seme, it is reported.

CAMEROON

On Thursday 18 March 2020 Cameroon closed its borders with Prime Minister Joseph Dion Ngute announcing 13 measures that just stopped short of placing the country in a state of emergency.

These included the closure of the country’s borders, the closure of all schools, the prohibition of gatherings of more than 50 people, regulation of flows in markets as well as limitation of some commercial activities (restaurants and pubs close at 6 p.m., while hotels and accommodation centers are being requisitioned as necessary.

Assurances have been given regarding the availability of food but the importation of animal and fishery products from countries affected by the pandemic has been suspended. sources: GPHA, Ships & Ports (Nigeria), Business in Cameroon[/restrict]

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OPENING UP THE NORTHERN SEA ROUTE
– Fast L-Band satellite network speed

Passage through northern shipping routes and Arctic waters has received a boost following the doubling of the connectivity speed of the Iridium Certus™ network. This was reported by maritime communications specialist IEC Telecom from Norway on 23 March.

As the shortest sea route between Europe and the Asia-Pacific region, the Northern Sea Route holds…[restrict] immense potential to compete with conventional trade passages. There has been a significant increase in maritime traffic across the main transport corridors in the Arctic, Northern Sea Route in the Russian Federation, the Northwest Passage in Canada as well as the Arctic Bridge from Canada to Europe. It has been reported that in the Canadian Arctic, traffic tripled between 1990 and 2015. Moreover, cargo volume in the Northern Sea Route increased by 40% between 2016 and 2017.

With the Iridium Certus™ 700 service becoming commercially available at speeds of 700 kbps, said to be the fastest L-band speed in the industry, Iridium’s network with pole-to-pole coverage can only serve to further unlock new opportunities for fleets operating in northern waters. Fishing fleets, commercial ships, and other vessels transiting Arctic waters can benefit from enhanced connectivity in these remote and potentially hazardous waters.

Many of IEC Telecom’s clients operating in the Northern Sea region have recently switched to the Iridium Certus service. Explained Alf Stian Mauritz, Managing Director, IEC Telecom Norway: “Vessels operating in this region require robust solutions that can be relied upon under harsh weather conditions.

“Iridium Certus is the only global network able to meet these requirements. With this new speed northern operators can share greater levels of data with their shore offices, avail VOIP calls, and access faster email exchange.”

It is understood that Iridium Certus™ 700 will also be beneficial to the oil and gas sector, which has been expanding in the Arctic region. With more than 40 billion barrels of oil produced over the past 40 years and 184 active rigs in 2018, the industry is increasingly focusing on innovative ways to reduce costs with sustainable practices.

Satellite-based technologies are excellent drivers of operational efficiency with optimised navigation, decreased fuel consumption, and better crew welfare options.

Upgrading to Iridium Certus™ 700 requires no new hardware for existing users. Added Mauritz: “As an Iridium Master Distributor, not only does IEC Telecom offer its customers the expertise required to transition to this service, we also provide a completely compatible network management solution, OneGate. With our technical support services, customers get better visibility over their remote satellite assets. Such solutions can help operators in the Northern region enhance their crew welfare options, access reliable cyber security and filtration, and even customize cloud-based features.”

Powered by a sophisticated global constellation of 66 cross-linked Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites, the Iridium® network provides high-quality voice and data connections, enabling partner companies such as IEC Telecom to deliver an innovative and rich portfolio of reliable solutions across the globe.

When Iridium completed its constellation upgrade in early 2019, it replaced all its satellites and upgraded the supporting ground infrastructure. This enabled the launch of Iridium Certus®, a multi-service platform that delivers speciality broadband services.

At only 780 kilometres from the Earth, the proximity of Iridium’s LEO network means a shorter transmission path, stronger signals, lower latency, and shorter registration time than GEO satellites. Each Iridium satellite is linked with up to four others, creating a dynamic network that routes traffic among its satellites to ensure global coverage, even where traditional local systems are unavailable.

IEC Telecom’s strategic partnership with Iridium further strengthens its commitment to delivering connectivity services no matter where its customers are located.[/restrict]

Edited by Paul Ridgway
London

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THE SUPPLIER’S SUPPLIER – THE WEAKEST LINKS IN THE SUPPLY CHAIN

For many firms, the outbreak of COVID-19 has meant staff working from home and more use of teleconferencing rather than face to face meetings. However, it’s a different situation for manufacturers because, despite investments in automation, reducing the need for staff on assembly lines, they still need to receive raw materials.

The impact of Coronavirus is both global and unpredictable, and the supply chain shock it is causing will most definitely and substantially cut into the worldwide manufacturing revenue of US$15 trillion currently forecasted for 2020 by global tech market advisory firm, ABI Research.

According to ABI, the virus will have both short- and long-term ramifications for manufacturers. “Initially, plant managers and factory owners will be looking to secure supplies and be getting an appreciation of constraints further up the supply chain plus how much influence they have on their suppliers,” says Michael Larner, Principal Analyst at ABI Research.

In the longer term, manufacturers will need to conduct an extensive due diligence process as they need to understand their risk exposure, including the operations of their supplier’s suppliers too.

“To mitigate supply chain risks, manufacturers should not only not source components from a single supplier but also, as COVID-19 has highlighted, shouldn’t source from suppliers in a single location,” Larner advises.

In software applications in the manufacturing setting, ABI Research forecasts that the supply chain impact of Covid-19 will spur manufacturer’s spend on enterprise resource planning (ERP) to reach US$14 billion in 2024. While many ERP platforms include modules for inventory control and supply chain management, in light of the outbreak, many manufacturers will also turn to specialist providers.

“Supply chain orchestration requires software to be more than a system of record and provide risk analysis and run simulations, enabling manufacturers to understand and prepare for supply chain shocks,” says Larner.

Industry 4.0 has received much attention; however, the focus has been on the activities inside the factory gates.

“But investments in robotics or IoT sensors and the like assume that assembly lines receive a steady flow of raw materials. COVID-19 demonstrates that manufacturers need to be as focused on their supplier’s capabilities as they are on their factory floor,” Larner concludes.

These findings are from ABI Research’s Supply Chain Trends and Technologies in 2020 application analysis report. This report is part of the company’s Freight Transportation and Logistics research service, which includes research, data, and ABI Insights. Based on extensive primary interviews, Application Analysis reports present in-depth analysis on key market trends and factors for a specific application, which could focus on an individual market or geography.

About ABI Research
ABI Research provides strategic guidance to visionaries, delivering actionable intelligence on the transformative technologies that are dramatically reshaping industries, economies, and workforces across the world. ABI Research’s global team of analysts publish groundbreaking studies often years ahead of other technology advisory firms, empowering its clients to stay ahead of their markets and their competitors. See more HERE

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WACT RECEIVES FIRST DIRECT CONTAINER SERVICE INTO EAST NIGERIA

The West Africa Container Terminal (WACT), has welcomed the arrival of the first direct container ship calling in East Nigeria and without first calling at one of the terminals in Lagos.

Maersk Line’s 4,800-TEU gearless vessel KYPARISSIA (IMO 9157698) arrived in Onne port on Maersk Line’s FEW 3 service from the Far east to Nigeria’s east coast port, bring the comment of Noah Sheriff, WACT Commercial Manager: “The long awaited FEW3 service, which is a direct service from Far East into East Nigeria has started, and we are here to witness the first call.”

Sheriff said that with WACT’s Mobile Harbour Crane operations, the terminal was well positioned to handle the larger gearless vessels. The terminal will be receiving additional mobile cranes and other cargo handling equipment later this year.

He said the FEW 3 service would call WACT in Onne on a weekly basis, which is coupled to a shorter transit time for cargo coming from the Far East.

“This is a product many customers have been asking for and we at WACT shall ensure that we turn these vessels around quickly,” Sheriff said.

Maersk Nigeria Limited’s East Nigeria Manager, Chibuzor Ejiofor, described the Kyparissia’s visit as historic which would bring benefits to businesses in Eastern Nigeria.

She said the service had been introduced in order not to impact Onne-based and Eastern Nigeria customers. “Maersk decided to put Onne on a direct service from Far East. That doesn’t mean that Maersk doesn’t call Lagos. We are still calling Tin Can and Apapa but that is on another service altogether.

“For Onne based customers, I think that’s something to be really attractive as it adds value to your business. You can get your cargo on time directly from Far East without adding 30 days of Lagos waiting time. You can turn around your money, your products and that’s why we are here just to recognise this unique offering to our customers.”

Onne Port Manager, Ismaila Al-Hassan, pointed out that the direct Maersk service to the port will help decongest Lagos ports.

WACT introduced the handling of gearless ships, which previously could only be handled at the ports in Lagos, in 2019. This came after investing US$14 million in Phase 1 of the upgrade to acquire modern cargo equipment including two mobile harbour cranes, 14 specialised terminal trucks and two reach stackers. The investment brought high operational efficiency and set WACT apart from other ports in Nigeria.

In Phase 2 over the next 18 months WACT will add three additional mobile harbour cranes increasing the total to five, and will introduce 20 Rubber Tyre Gantry Cranes (RTGs) and three Reach Stackers.

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MSC SHIP ATTACKED BY PIRATES WEST OF PORT LIBREVILLE, SEVEN CREW ABDUCTED

Dryad Global reported on Sunday the illegal boarding of a ship some 52 nautical miles west of Port Libreville, in position 0°33’N, 008°25’E.

The attack was reported as taking place on Sunday, 22 March at 07h26 UTC.

The Portuguese-flagged container ship MSC TALIA F (IMO: 9308601), length…[restrict] 139 metres and width 23m, en-route from Lomé to Port Libreville.

At the time of the report the vessel was under attack with an unknown number of perpetrators having already boarded the ship.

Subsequently it has been learnt that seven of the crew have been kidnapped and taken away when the pirates departed. It is believed the ship has a crew of 17 who are all Ukrainian nationals.

In its analysis Dryad Global described this as the first incident within this area in 2020.

“Within 2019 there were four recorded incidents at Port Libreville and the Owendo Anchorage involving a spate of incidents in December 2019. One of those incidents resulted in the kidnapping of four Chinese fishermen and latterly the crew from a vessel transiting from Douala to Port Libreville.”[/restrict]

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CORONAVIRUS ‘WAR’ DEMANDS JOINT ACTION

OECD Secretary-General commits policy support, saying efforts must have “Ambition of Marshall Plan, vision of New Deal”

On 21 March Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Secretary-General Angel Gurría called for sweeping joint action by governments to defeat the health, economic, and social threats of the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.

In calling on governments to better coordinate their efforts, Gurría announced that the OECD would channel its efforts into immediate support to policymakers combating the crisis, launching a new online policy hub immediately.

With regard to Africa in particular we are privileged to report on his extensive briefing in which he said: “The sheer magnitude of the current shock introduces an unprecedented complexity to economic forecasting. The OECD Interim Economic Outlook, released on 2 March 2020, made a first attempt to take stock of the likely impact of COVID-19 on global growth, but it now looks like we have already moved well beyond even the more severe scenario envisaged then.

“The behaviour of financial markets reflects the extraordinary uncertainty of the situation. It is looking increasingly likely that we will see sequential declines in global GDP, or regional GDPs, in the current and next quarters of 2020.

“And while it is too early to tell how far-reaching an impact COVID19 will have on many developing countries, particularly those in sub-Saharan Africa, it is clear that even if they are fortunate enough to escape the brunt of the health crisis, they will suffer economically, just as they did after the 2008 crisis. We are closely monitoring events and will be updating our analysis regularly.”

Further, in his statement, Gurría called for immediate policy action in four specific areas.

1. Responding to the health challenge: Scientific effort must be complemented by regulatory and other measures to ensure that vaccines and treatments are developed, produced, and deployed as quickly as possible.

2) Shoring up the economy: Governments should cushion immediate negative impacts with           coordinated spending across sectors such as:

*  Health care: to cover extensive testing; treatment for all patients, regardless of whether they are insured or not; support to health-care workers; return of health-care retirees, while protecting high-risk groups; the enhanced provision of masks, ICUs and respirators, among others;

*  People: to cover short-term employment schemes, reduced requirements to benefit from unemployment insurance, cash transfers to the self-employed and support to the most vulnerable;

*  Firms: to cover charges and tax payment delays, temporary VAT reductions or deferrals, enhanced access to working capital through credit lines or state guarantees, special support packages for SMEs, especially those in services and tourism.

3)  Combining efforts for financial regulation and supervision: Building on action underway by Central Banks, co-ordinated monitoring, diagnosis of emerging strains and coherent regulatory action will produce more positive results.

4)  Restoring confidence: Addressing trade tensions, high corporate debt, and economic inequalities that deepen danger for the most vulnerable will help to resolve underlying weaknesses exacerbating the shock.

Working with over 100 countries, the OECD is a global policy forum that promotes policies to improve the economic and social well-being of people around the world. www.oecd.org

Collated by Paul Ridgway
London

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SAILORS SOCIETY SA, APOSTLESHIP OF THE SEA INTRODUCE VIRTUAL SEAFARER SUPPORT

With worldwide coronavirus restrictions impeding the ability of port chaplains the world over from carrying out their ministries, several organisations are turning to virtual reality to compensate.

In South Africa the Sailors’ Society is offering virtual chaplaincy to…[restrict] seafarers as it suspends its ships’ visits as a result of the Corona virus.

Based on the declaration of the pandemic as a National State of Disaster in South Africa by the State President, and the additional measures taken by the Transnet National Ports Authority in South Africa regarding restrictions on vessels and their crews calling on South African ports, Sailors’ Society SA is offering virtual chaplaincy to seafarers.

It is considered vital that chaplains still have ongoing contact with seafarers on board vessels but instead of visits they will be available online using Skype, telephone and social media to provide advice, support and arrange practical help for crews.

The Society is sharing mental health advice for seafarers concerned about the impact of the virus on their health and livelihoods.

“As this crisis has unfolded, we have been closely following health advice in the ports where we operate and offering virtual chaplaincy to quarantined seafarers,” said Revd Boet van Schalkwyk, Principal Chaplain and Co-ordinator Crisis Response Network.

“In South Africa since 1877, we have supported seafarers in South Africa through many crises, the Corona virus being the latest, but our dedicated chaplaincy team will do whatever it takes to support them.”

In a message to the seafarers, he said “If you are a seafarer struggling at this time, you are not alone. We know this is a particularly distressing and unsettling time for many of you and we are still very much here for you, even if we can’t be with you physically.”

A special corona virus section of the Sailors’ Society website can be accessed at www.sailors-society.org/coronavirus with health information, advice for seafarers on how to manage their mental health in light of the pandemic. Information is also available on
www.saiss.co.za

International – Apostleship of the Sea

Seafarers and fishers around the world are among the heroes of this crisis and will play a pivotal role in responding to, and eventually overcoming, the Coronavirus pandemic, says the Apostleship of the Sea.

“Whilst our chaplains and ship visitors have stopped ship visiting until further notice, we want to assure you that we remain active in providing care and assistance to the People of the Sea in the UK and overseas so that they continue to be supported during this critical time.

“Our chaplains and ship visitors continue to make themselves available via social media, email, mobile phone and WhatsApp.

Apostleship of the Sea said that over the coming days and weeks it will also be providing useful information and signposting seafarers and fishers to appropriate resources so they can “stay safe, well and positive throughout this uncertain time. These will be made available on our social media channels, e-newsletters and website.”[/restrict]

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UPDATE ON LOCAL CRUISE SHIP SITUATION

The following notes were kindly provided to us following an impromptu briefing at the Durban port.

SAMSA Acing CEO, Sobantu Tilayi drew attention to the new Regulations released by the Minister of Transport Fikile Mbalula on Wednesday, 18 March to prevent the spread of COVID-19 through South African ports. This and the movement of cruise ships was covered earlier in Africa PORTS & SHIPS. See HERE

These Regulations now prohibit crew changes and passenger ships…[restrict] at South African ports.

Cargo operations and cargo vessels remain unaffected due to the need to keep the economy in motion.

Tilayi said transitional arrangements needed to be implemented to accommodate the cruise ships that were already near South Africa when the new Regulations were published.

The following vessels were either already on route to, or berthed in, a South African port prior to the publication of these regulations.

AIDAmira – docked in Cape Town on 16 March following a COVID-19 scare which turned out to be negative. 1240 passengers on board for disembarkation. Ten crew members will be joining prior departure of the vessel from Cape Town.

MSC Orchestra – last cruise left Durban on Monday and returned Friday morning. Passengers were not allowed to disembark in Pomene (Mozambique) during the cruise. MSC has cancelled the remainder of its local cruise season.

Silver Cloud – docked 19 March in Cape Town. Ready to disembark 169 passengers who have been on board for more than 14 days. Authorities were trying to secure the quickest possible way of getting foreign nationals out of the country working with Home Affairs.

Norwegian Spirit – Arrived Friday 20 March in Cape Town with 1759 passengers on board.

Astor – Arrived Friday 20 March Durban. No passengers, the ship required provisions and sailed later that day.

Arcadia – arrived off Durban on Sunday 22 March and will only be receiving stores (bunkers & provisions). Six South African crew members will disembark.

The disembarkation of passengers from each ship would have to follow the already established protocol wherein all passengers will be screened for any signs that warrant further investigation and will be carried out by the Department of Health.

The passengers are required to leave the country via the quickest possible means as directed by the Department of Home Affairs.

Once provisioned, these vessels are required to also leave the port.

A key focus for vessels disembarking passengers is to minimise any chances of contamination.

SAPS managed the MSC Orchestra disembarkation of passengers at the Port of Durban on Friday morning, with passengers allowed to disembark in batches of 100 because the new Regulations prohibit gatherings of 100 people or more in any port precinct.

Among various meticulous processes, each passenger had to have temperature checked and luggage sanitised.

By around 13h00 all 2,804 passengers had been disembarked in Durban and had undergone strict screening and health checks. They were predominantly South Africans and permanent residents, with a small number of SADC nationals. At 13h15 disembarkation of crew commenced. The disembarkation of crew will be completed on Monday (23 March) in line with the availability of flights to their home countries.

By Saturday 21 March: Of the total of 929 crew members (from different countries) onboard the vessel, 308 crew disembarked on Friday, 395 on Saturday and the remaining 226 will be remaining on board till Monday.

Note: There is no mention of Queen Mary 2 or Amsterdam. QM2 is believed to be sailing from Fremantle, Australia without passengers and will likely call at a South African port to refuel or resupply.[/restrict]

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COVID-19 IMO SG BRIEFING TRANSCRIPT

TRANSCRIPT

In an address on 20 March IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim stressed the vital need to maintain commerce by sea and protect seafarers’ welfare in the face of the coronavirus shut down.

“The spread of the coronavirus has placed the entire world in an unprecedented situation. To slow the spread of the disease and mitigate its impacts, travel is being curtailed and borders are being closed. Transport hubs are being affected. Ports are being closed and ships denied entry.

“In these difficult times, the ability for shipping services and seafarers to deliver vital goods, including medical supplies and foodstuffs, will be central to responding to, and eventually overcoming, this pandemic.

“It is, therefore, crucially important that the flow of commerce by sea should not be unnecessarily disrupted. At the same time, the safety of life at sea and protection of the marine environment must also remain paramount.

“One of the goals of the IMO, as stated in its Convention, is to ensure availability of shipping services to the commerce of the world, for the benefit of humanity. I urge all IMO Member States to bear this in mind when framing their policy decisions with regard to the coronavirus. Defeating the virus must be the first priority, but global trade, in a safe, secure and environmentally friendly manner must be able to continue, too.

“We must also remember the hundreds of thousands of seafarers on ships. They are, unwittingly, on the front line of this global calamity. Their professionalism ensures that the goods we all need are delivered – safely and with minimal impact on our precious environment. These are people, usually far from home and family. Their own health and welfare is as important as that of anyone else.

“Again, I urge a practical and pragmatic approach, in these unusual times, to issues like crew changeovers, resupply, repairs, survey and certification and licensing of seafarers.

“Together with our industry partners and colleagues in the World Health Organization, IMO has been developing and issuing practical advice and guidance on a variety of technical and operational matters related to the coronavirus. You can find this on our website, and we will be updating this as appropriate as the situation develops.

“I will personally be initiating a series of meetings and consultations with leaders from shipping, ports and other key related sectors so that we can all better understand the issues being faced and develop sensible, practical and unified solutions.

“I have spoken many times of our ‘voyage together’. Never has the spirit of those words been more important than it is now.”

Reported by Paul Ridgway
London

Video copy of the SG’s message in which IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim stresses the vital need to maintain commerce by sea and protect seafarers’ welfare in the face of the coronavirus shut down:

Here is his 3 minute 20 second [03:20] video briefing issued on 20 March  CLICK HERE

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CRUISE SHIPS WRAP UP SOUTHERN AFRICA CALLS, YET OTHERS EN ROUTE

MSC ORCHESTRA

MSC Orchestra returned to Durban on Friday morning around 03h30, with owners having to explain why the ship sailed on Monday with between 2,804 passengers plus 900 crew despite new government regulations about to come into force.

According to MSC Cruises South Africa, the ship sailed into Mozambican waters but did …[restrict]not disembark passengers at the MSC coastal resort of Pomene as scheduled. Instead passengers spent the four days at sea before the return to Durban to ‘face the music’.

After some discussion 2,804 passengers began leaving the ship in batches of 100 – to comply with another newly enforced regulation. Those disembarking were taken to a site near the beachfront where they could be collected or take a taxi, instead of the normal disembarkation within the harbour.

Each passenger had to have their temperature checked and luggage sanitised. They are predominantly South Africans and permanent residents, with a small number of SADC nationals.

At 13h15 disembarkation of crew commenced. The disembarkation of crew will be completed on Monday in line with the availability of flights to their home countries.

ASTOR

The much smaller cruise ship Astor arrived in Durban on Friday 20 March carrying only crew – her passengers did not board in Australia for the positioning voyage to Europe. As the Astor, which has been under charter to CMV Cruises, has completed her Australian cruise itinerary she is returning to Europe with Bremershaven shown as her destination. In May 2021 the ship will have new owners and undergo a name change to Jules Verne after which she will cruise in European, largely French waters.

This will therefore end a long association with South Africa, with Safmarine being one of her earliest owners/operators.

ARCADIA, QUEEN MARY 2 & AMSTERDAM

Ships still shown as calling in Durban and South Africa are Arcadia, which apparently has a mere six passengers on board and is re-positioning back to Europe, Queen Mary 2 which has curtailed her World Cruise and will be returning to the UK, and Holland America’s Amsterdam, which is US and Canadian homeported but has currently been on a World Cruise and is now in Fremantle, Australia. It is possible she may arrive here for resupply only, with passengers having left her at her last port of call. On the other hand she may have some passengers and could return to the USA via some alternate route.

AIDAmira

The German cruise ship AIDAmira which has operating fly/cruise options based from Cape Town for the past three months is another whose season has wrapped up early. Most of AIDAmira’s passengers were from Germany and were flown into the country specially for one of the cruises which went either on the Atlantic seaboard to Lüderitz and Walvis Bay and return or the southern and east coasts to Port Elizabeth, East London and Durban, returning to Cape Town.

Last week the ship returned to Cape Town from Walvis Bay amid some concern for the health of those on board, and was initially denied entry into port. Six passengers, who arrived in the country on a flight that originated in Turkey, were quarantined on board when it was revealed that one of two seafarers who were joining the bulker MV Corona (yes, what a name at this time) was suspected of having the coronavirus and had been on the same flight.

Eventually the ship was allowed into port alongside the cruise terminal but no-one was allowed ashore until further tests and protocols had been observed. The news that all tests had come back negative was received with a loud cheer from passengers who nevertheless have to remain on board ship while arrangements are made in Germany to charter four aircraft to fly to Cape Town and repatriate some 1,243 German passengers. After this the ship will have to leave South African waters.

SILVER CLOUD

Meanwhile another cruise ship, Silver Cloud arrived off Cape Town from Ushuaia in South America. As passengers had been on board for more than 14 days, during which the vessel visited the Falklands, Tristan da Cunha and Gough Island, they have been allowed more leeway although agents for Silversea and local authorities working with Home Affairs were trying to find the quickest possible way of getting foreign nationals out of the country.

NORWEGIAN SPIRIT

A third cruise ship also arrived off Cape Town, also on Friday 20 March, direct from Dubai. She is Norwegian Spirit with an unspecified number of passengers on board including some South Africans. The ship was low of fuel on arrival and has been permitted to enter port.

At present (Saturday morning 21 March) the port has three cruise ships at the cruise terminal and berths on either end.

REGULATIONS

New regulations announced on Wednesday 18 March 2020 prohibit crew changes and passenger ships at South African ports. The prohibition is to prevent the spread of COVID-19 through South African ports.[/restrict]

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GENERAL NEWS REPORTS – UPDATED THROUGH THE DAY

in partnership with – APO

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More News at https://africaports.co.za/category/News/

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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.

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THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK

“Instead of thinking about what you’re missing, try thinking about what you have that everyone else is missing”
– Anon

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