Bringing you shipping, freight, trade and transport related news of interest for Africa since 2002

Stay Well, Stay Safe, Stay Patient, don’t become one

For advertising with Africa PORTS & SHIPS, contact terry@africaports.co.za

♠♠♠

Join us as we report through 2021

**********

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:  ATHINA

• EVER GIVEN: Statement from IMO Secretary General Kitack
• SUEZ CRISIS – Situation remains unchanged on Sunday morning
• Prioritised vaccinations for aircrew and seafarers: ICAO joins UN call
• Drama in Palma as jihadists overrun town
• SUEZ CANAL REMAINS BLOCKED BY EVER GIVEN – May have to remove containers
• Vaccination for Seafarers and Shipping Companies: A Practical Guide
• REFLECTIONS: Pacific Legend, one of the world’s largest platform supply vessels
• Norway gives go-ahead for the Stad Ship Tunnel
• TRADE NEWS: ClassNK issues AiP for design of methanol dual-fueled tanker
• SA Navy’s new Multi Mission Inshore Patrol Vessel P1571 makes an appearance
• MOZAMBIQUE INSURGENCY: Palma under attack, may have fallen
• French Navy nabs ship off Gulf of Guinea smuggling drugs
• Al SAFA: Cape Town’s ‘other’ bunker tanker
• SAIMI: Youth encouraged to dream big and dive in
• A Tale of Two Tankers: Bow Sun & Victorious
• UK Consultation into Polar Code begins
• Giant Evergreen container ships Ever Given goes aground and blocks Suez Canal  UPDATED
• Cape Acacia becomes latest and largest addition to the South African Register
• James Fisher Subtech is launched, consolidates subsea offering
• REFLECTIONS: Multipurpose offshore vessel Telford 30
• HMS Montrose makes another drug strike in Arabian Sea
• The ITF Seafarers’ Survey for March 2021
• Snakes or Ladders: Boarding and Landing of Marine Pilots
• REFLECTIONS: Mamola Serenity’s extended stay in Cape Town
• WHARF TALK: Cape Town Ships Today
• A message from IMO Secretary-General:
  COVID-19 crew change crisis still a challenge
• WHARF TALK: South Africa looks to Karpowerships for energy relief
• NEW BOOKS: The Battle of the Atlantic
• Danish frigate to head for Gulf of Guinea
• Walvis Bay-bound train derails, travelling too fast, say reports
• NSPCA says it is appalled at yet another livestock vessel causing animals to suffer
• WTO Director-General concludes successful official visit to Nigeria

EARLIER NEWS CAN BE FOUND AT NEWS CATEGORIES…….

The Sunday masthead is a scene at the Port of Cape Town

♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦

SEND NEWS REPORTS AND PRESS RELEASES TO
info@africaports.co.za

♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦

News continues below

Front Page: ATHINA

After too long a break, we welcome back photographic scenes of ships in Cape Town harbour to feature on our ‘front page’.  In this edition we see the medium range tanker ATHINA (IMO 9884253) which made her maiden arrival in Cape Town on 16 March at 11h00, arriving from Ruwais in the UAE. This 50,000 dwt, 183 metre long, vessel is a relatively new build having been completed at the Hyundai Mipo shipyard in South Korea and entering service in October 2020. She is owned by Mission Shipping Co. Ltd. and managed by Sun Enterprises Ltd of Athens, who are a division of the vast Livanos Group. A look at her funnel gives the clue to her ownership, as the design is very similar to the traditional Livanos funnel, and the character displayed in the centre of the funnel is the Greek letter ‘L’ for Livanos.

The Athina is one of three Medium Range tankers ordered by Sun Enterprises from Hyundai, and despite her fairly recent entry into service this is not her first voyage to Southern Africa. Her previous voyage in February was delivering fuel products to Beira and Nacala in Mozambique, and in January she delivered fuel products to Maputo in Mozambique and Toamasina in Madagascar, both times with parcels loaded at the Pengerang Deepwater Petroleum Terminal in Malaysia and the nearby Jurong Island refinery in Singapore.   Story by Jay Gates, pictures by ‘Doçkrat’

Added 22 March 2021

Please note we welcome photographs of shipping and other maritime scenes from each of the ports of South Africa (not only Durban and Cape Town), and from the rest of the African continent, together with a short description, name of ship/s etc

♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦

♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦

News continues below

EVER GIVEN: Statement from IMO Secretary General Kitack Lim

IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim has issued a statement about the incident involving the mv Ever Given, which ran aground in the Suez Canal on 23 March 2021.

The IMO has been closely monitoring the incident involving Ever Given.

IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim said:
“I offer my encouragement to the Egyptian Authorities, as well as the salvors, tug and dredger operators and all other parties, who are working tirelessly to safely re-float the ship and resume transit through one of the world’s busiest maritime trade routes as soon as possible. I appreciate the efforts of every individual involved.

“I am aware of the implications of the temporary closure of the canal, and I ask for patience from stakeholders across the supply chain as everyone works to ensure that the ship, its crew, its cargo and the environment remain protected.

“I look forward to receiving information from the investigation into the incident so that IMO can act on any appropriate recommendations derived from the findings.”

 

Reported by Paul Ridgway
London

 

Added 28 March 2021

♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦

News continues below

SUEZ CRISIS – Situation remains unchanged on Sunday morning

The situation involving the fully-loaded 20,000-TEU container ship, EVER GIVEN (IMO 9811000), on Sunday morning (28 March, SAT) was largely unchanged from our previous reports, save that the dredger, assisted by a lonely backhoe on one side of the canal, have succeeded in moving a quantity of sand.

The 199,692-dwt ship, which went aground while sailing in convoy in the Suez Canal, fully blocking access from either the north or south of the canal, remained firmly wedged diagonally from one side to the other. The salvage company involved, SMIT Salvage, has at its disposal a number of tugs including those of the Suez Canal Authority.

It is understood a further attempt at pulling the giant ship back into clear water will be attempted today (Sunday).

Diverting round the Cape

With more than 300 ships now held up by the grounding of Ever Given, shipping companies, in particular the container lines, are examining options to move time-sensitive cargo by other means, including air transport for urgently required cargo.

The shipping companies have also begun diverting some ships the lengthier route around the Cape of Good Hope, which can add up to a fortnight of additional sailing time. Ironically, one of the first ships to be diverted via the longer route around the Cape was another Evergreen ship, EVER GREET (IMO 9832729), a 20,160-TEU sistership to Ever Given.

The ships already in the canal do not have that choice at this stage and are having to sit it out while hoping the Ever Given will soon be refloated. Reports suggest the giant ship has taken on water in several places. There has been no reports of contamination from oil or other products.

Initial reports from the canal authority suggested the ship going aground was the result of a sudden heavy gust of wind during a sandstorm, but since then there has been an acknowledgement that other factors may have been involved, including both mechanical and human failure. Two Suez Canal Authority marine pilots were on the Ever Given, as is the norm when any vessels transits the canal.

Maersk is one of the shipping lines most affected, with container ships and tankers among the 12 or 13 ships (including nine of its own and others in alliance) caught up in the canal. Hapag-Lloyd reports five ships directly affected and says it is looking at diverting other vessels round the Cape.

French carrier, CMA CGM, published the above on its website, showing direct and in alliance vessels affected.

“For the time being, the group is not considering rerouting ships,” CMA CGM said. Later it issued another statement, saying: “For cargo yet to be loaded, we are considering alternative maritime routes, rail services or airfreight solutions with CMA CGM AIR CARGO. We’ll keep you updated as these options become available.”

Even if Ever Given is refloated immediately, it will take some days to clear the backlog, leaving the shipping lines with decisions to be made based on calculations involving sailing times, cost of additional fuel, etc. Several companies have already begun talking of an additional surcharge.

Piracy

A number of shipping agencies, managers etc have begun expressing their concerns over the threat of piracy attacks on ships caught up at anchor in the Red Sea approaches to the canal, and it appears that US naval authorities may have been approached in this connection.

Concern is also being felt about the re-routing of ships, although such a threat only exists in the Gulf of Aden/Arabian Sea region and that of close to the Gulf of Guinea area off West Africa. Diverted ships rounding the Cape would have no reason to sail anywhere near the latter region.

Added 28 March 2021

♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦

News continues below

Prioritised vaccinations for aircrew and seafarers:
ICAO joins UN call

In an announcement from Montréal, on 26 March ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization) joined four other UN agencies in calling on countries to prioritise Covie-19 vaccinations for aircrew and seafarers.

In addition to ICAO Secretary General Dr Fang Liu, the special Joint Statement was signed by the heads of the International Labour Organization (ILO), the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the International Organization for Migration (IOM), and the World Health Organization (WHO).

Dr Liu declared: “The implementation of the current WHO recommendations are of primordial importance to the continued and optimal operation of the international civil aviation network, and therefore to the transport worldwide of essential shipments and workers.”

The Joint Statement stressed the WHO’s advice that at the present time countries should not introduce requirements of proof of vaccination for international travel as a condition of entry, given both the critical unknowns regarding the efficacy of vaccination in reducing transmission, and the limited global availability of vaccine doses.

It also emphasised that maritime and air transport are essential activities underpinning global trade and mobility, and key to a sustainable socio-economic recovery, and notes the full joint support of the participating agencies for the timely development of an international harmonized framework for vaccination certificates to facilitate international travel for seafarers and aircrew.

Dr Liu noted: “As the Joint Statement draws attention to, the application of stringent public health rules to these key workers, including quarantine, has resulted in hindered connectivity, operational complexity, and significant costs.”

She added: The statement also calls on governments to prioritise seafarers and aircrew in their national COVID-19 vaccination programmes, together with other essential workers, in accordance with the WHO SAGE Roadmap for prioritising the use of COVID-19 vaccines.”

The total number of pre-pandemic licensed aviation professionals, including pilots, air traffic controllers, and licensed maintenance technicians, was 887,000 according to ICAO statistics. Air transport carried about 5.7 billion passengers in 2019, and airfreight pre-pandemic represented 35% of the value of goods shipped in all modes combined.

 

Edited by Paul Ridgway
London

 

Added 28 March 2021

♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦

News continues below

DRAMA IN PALMA AS JIHADISTS OVERRUN TOWN – fears for locals and expats

The situation in the northern Mozambique harbour town of Palma, the logistics base for the massive Total LNG liquefaction plant on the nearby Afungi peninsula, remains confused with reports of the town having been overrun by the Al-Shabaab jihadists.

See our earlier report dated Thursday, 25 November CLICK HERE

The terrorists staged their attack on this strategically important harbour town on Wednesday, 24 March, after first tricking Mozambican FDS military forces based in Palma to deplete their forces in Palma by rushing to a nearby village where the jihadists had staged an attack. While villagers from Manguna fled towards Palma, the FDS responded by sending troops to the village’s defence and leaving Palma with a reduced garrison.

The terrorists also blocked the route from Pundanhar to prevent the FDS from sending reinforcements from another FDS base at Mueda, which lies inland from both Palma and Mocimboa da Praia.

This indicated a fairly sophisticated level of planning which proved successful with the Al-Shabaab jihadists seizing their second harbour town – the other being Mocimboa da Praia which fell last year. Terrorists entered Palma carrying bundles and mixing with the fugitives and once inside they revealed their weapons and began shooting, attacking military and civilian targets.

Locals sought shelter wherever they could, including fleeing into the bush – this included some of the hundreds of expatriates, mostly employed at the Total plant but living in Palma. Other expats gathered at the Marula Hotel in the north of the town, which also came under sporadic fire.

Fighting was concentrated in the area near the Catholic church and the BCI bank branch. The amount of damage and loss of human life remains unknown at this stage.

Pinnacle News, a local Internet portal that has focused on the Cabo Delgado insurgency, reported that the terrorists, associated with the self-styled ‘Islamic State’, have set about two thirds of the town on fire. The bodies of dozens of civilians, some of them beheaded, are said to be lying in the streets.

As an aircraft was seen descending towards the nearby airport, shots were fired in its direction. The Vodacom network was cut off, eliminating easy access to local communication.

Reports suggest the Al-Shabaab force consisted of about a hundred armed men. At one stage on Thursday a DAG (Dyck Advisory Group) helicopter dropped bombs on terrorist positions although what effect this had is not known.

Later that day another DAG helicopter began evacuating some of the roughly 200 people trapped at the hotel. It is believed they were flown to the nearby Total liquefaction compound at Afungi, which it is thought has strong security. Subsequent reports say this facility has since been evacuated by all except security personnel.

Some of those at the hotel took it upon themselves to drive out from Palma in a convoy of 17 vehicles, but these came under attack shortly after setting off. During this attack several of those in the convoy, including South Africans, were killed – one unconfirmed report said seven expats died in the ambush.

A picture appearing on Twitter showed the letters ‘SOS’ written in white stones on the lawn outside the Marula Hotel.

People remaining in the hotel later went to FDS barracks on the beachfront from where they were ferried out on boats to an undisclosed location.

Later still it was revealed that Mozambique was sending reinforcements from Maputo, including a group of marines. It also said the FDS was mounting a counter-offensive but gave no other details.

A South African Department of International Relations and Cooperation spokesman said its offices in Mozambique were providing services to “distressed South Africans while it continues to monitor the situation”. The European Union said something similar.

In Pretoria President Cyril Ramaphosa was reported to be meeting with security cluster heads on Saturday afternoon (27 March 221).

The insurgency in Cabo Delgado province has continued unabated since October 2017. Since then over 700,000 local people have been displaced, many flocking south to seek shelter in the port town of Pemba. Over 2,600 people have been killed in the fighting, with a number of these being innocent citizens at the hands of the terrorists.

Added 27 March 2021

♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦

News continues below

SUEZ CANAL REMAINS BLOCKED BY EVER GIVEN – May have to remove containers

With a 42.5% increase in stranded vessel capacity in less then 24 hours, and reports that it may take weeks to clear the grounded Ever Given, concerns are building that some or all of the 20,000 TEUs (20ft container equivalents) may have to be unloaded before the Suez Canal can be re-opened.

Supply chain visibility specialist project44 says it is projecting worsening delays across European ports in the weeks ahead. For supply chains already struggling with multi-week delays, the Suez Canal incident is on track to further disrupt business across the globe, it says.

As of Thursday, 25 March at 10h30 CET, project44’s tracking showed 47 container vessels representing 540,716 TEUs vessel capacity currently impacted, a 42.5 per cent increase over the 379,200 TEUs reported on the first day after the canal was blocked. It says the chances of a quick solution seem to have disappeared.

• • • >$48.74Bn Goods stuck in transit (in the Cargo vessels only)
    • $1.3B (3.3Bn) Crude Oil stuck in transit
    • $3.25Mn Daily ($142.6k Hourly) Operating Costs of the Stand Still Cargo Vessels
    • $500k per day ($22k hourly) Operating Costs for the standstill tanker vessels
    • $2.05Mn Cost of shipping all this Cargo from Asia to EU

“Many waiting ships are mega-vessels navigating the Asia-Euro route, making multiple stops in European ports. With even more cargo waiting at Chinese ports for vessels to transport it to those European markets, the delays are equally problematic in the Euro-Asia direction. Given the number of vessels that are affected, carriers’ networks could be disrupted for weeks and months.

“More than ever, visibility into floating inventory is critical. The ability to divert cargo, manage expectations, and make adjustments in real-time is imperative for shippers.”

Jett McCandless, CEO of project44 said that once the log-jam is broken, major ports in Rotterdam, Antwerp, and Hamburg will be swamped.

He said that congestion will have rolling effects further down the supply chain for months to come, exacerbating an already problematic situation at major European ports. With inventories dropping as a result, unfortunately that means the costs will be passed on to the consumer.

project44

project44 has prepared an Excel sheet detailing the number and sizes of vessels currently affected by the incident, their TEU capacity, scheduled destinations, and originally planned ETA. project44’s details may be seen at CLICK HERE

Hapag-Lloyd

German container carrier Hapag-Lloyd issued a statement on Thursday said it has five vessels impacted by the blockage. It is constantly monitoring the situation and “We are presently looking into possible vessel diversions around Cape of Good Hope.”

The Hapag-Lloyd affected ships are:

Tsingtao Express, waiting in outer anchorage in Port Said (IOS Service)
Salahuddin, waiting in outer anchorage in Port Said (MD2 Service)
Athenian, waiting in outer anchorage in Port Said (TPI Service)
Al Rawdah, scheduled to reach Suez Canal tonight [Thursday](IOS Service)
New York Express, locked in at Great Bitter Lake (MD1)

Added 25 March 2021

♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦

News continues below

Vaccination for Seafarers and Shipping Companies: A Practical Guide

Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Your Questions Answered

It was reported on 24 March that the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) had coordinated a number of shipping bodies in launching a practical guide on COVID-19 vaccinations for use throughout the industry. This guide is part of an effort to ensure that seafarers are kept safe and fully informed when it comes to vaccines, while also maintaining the integrity of global supply chains.

The guide, entitled COVID-19: Vaccination for Seafarers and Shipping Companies: A Practical Guide, is available CLICK HERE

Co-produced with the International Maritime Health Association, Intertanko, and the International Transport Federation (ITF), the publication is being circulated to ship owners for use among crews. It is hoped the guide will help tackle the spread of vaccine misinformation by providing a trusted source of information for crew members.

Guy Platten, ICS Secretary General said: “The guide includes straightforward information on the different types of vaccine available globally, and their safety benefits for all parties involved in global maritime. This is to counter ‘anti-vaxx’ misinformation circulating online that might be dissuading crew from taking up the vaccine.

“Often, social media is the main way through which seafarers keep in touch with family and loved ones while at sea, but it can also lead to the spread of inaccuracies around vaccines and make crew less willing to be vaccinated. Some crew may also be reticent due to religious concerns over vaccines containing alcohol or meat products.”

It is unclear how many crew are hesitant to have vaccinations. But polling evidence has found reluctance to be widespread in the general population, running as high as 30% in the US and even 40% in some European Union countries such as France.

The guide provides straightforward advice on the kinds of vaccines available so crew can make educated and informed decisions.

Passport schemes

The launch comes as various nations are considering launching restrictive vaccine passport schemes, which ICS has warned could put ship owners in an impossible position. It could also exacerbate the ongoing crew change crisis, with concern that the figure of 200,000 seafarers impacted by could rise if more countries begin requesting seafarers are vaccinated before ships can enter their ports.

ICS is among several industry bodies calling for seafarers to be treated as key workers and prioritised for vaccines (more than half the workforce, some 900,000, are from developing countries where government-led roll out may not reach them until 2024). This would ensure that seafarers can continue to transport vital goods, food and medical supplies, but key to success will be making sure that crews are as well informed on different vaccines as possible.

Guy Platten added: “The vaccines on the WHO list of vaccines for Emergency Use could soon help us all find it easier to get on with international travel and carry out crew changes. Seafarers must travel across borders as part of their day-to-day role and to do that they may soon need to provide evidence they have been vaccinated. We must ensure that governments prioritise seafarers as keyworkers and do not put them at the back of the vaccine queue. This is vital, especially as they will be responsible for much of the world’s vaccine roll out.

“It’s essential that seafarers are treated with the respect they have surely earnt by keeping global trade moving in a pandemic; and this includes being given all the latest information on Covid-19 vaccines so they can make informed choices.”

 

Edited by Paul Ridgway
London

 

Added 25 March 2021

♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦

News continues below

REFLECTIONS: Pacific Legend, one of the world’s largest platform supply vessels

One of the world’s largest platform supply vessels (PSV), the PACIFIC LEGEND (IMO 9648386), of the great Swire Offshore company, arrived in Cape Town on 18 March at 09h00 after a long 30 day north to south transatlantic ocean passage from the Trinidad port of Chaguaramas in the southern Caribbean.

Prior to this the Pacific Legend had spent a number of months based in Georgetown, Guyana, supporting the large pipelaying vessel Saipem FDS 2 which had laid over 130km of subsea deepwater flowlines, umbilicals and risers on behalf of Esso Exploration off the South American coast of Guyana.

On arrival in Cape Town Pacific Legend had a few days of musical chairs as she initially berthed at E berth in the Duncan Dock for three days, and then on 21 March at 07h00 she left the port and went to the anchorage in Table Bay.

Just 24 hours later she re-entered the port at 07h00 and proceeded to the bunker berth on the Eastern Mole, which indicated she was preparing to sail for her next assignment.

Instead, on completion of her bunkering operation, Pacific Legend was moved to the Landing Wall on the morning of 23 March where she remained for 24 hours. Then on 24 March at 10h00 she sailed from Cape Town with her destination being Pemba in northern Mozambique, where she will most probably get ready for the start of delivering the support infrastructure for the Coral Sul field subsea network, in advance of the actual FLNG vessel arrival later this year.

Built in 2014 at the JMU Maizuru Shipyard in the Kyoto Prefecture of Japan, Pacific Legend was the third of a group of four ‘L Class’ large capacity platform supply vessels built for owners Swire Pacific Offshore of Singapore.

One of 89 vessels in the Swire Pacific fleet, at 97 metres in length and with a deadweight of 5,263 tons, her immense open cargo main deck of 912 m2, together with five wet/dry bulk cargo tanks, are what makes Pacific Legend one of the largest PSVs in the world and gives the vessel the ability to support the largest offshore pipeline and construction projects.

Story by Jay Gates
Pictures by ‘Dockrat’

Added 25 March 2021

♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦

News continues below

Norway gives go-ahead for the Stad Ship Tunnel

Norway has given its go-ahead for construction of what will become the world’s first full-scale ship tunnel on the country’s west coast.

Measuring 1.7km in length, the Stad Ship Tunnel will connect the Kjødepollen bay and Vanylvsfjorden to enable cargo and passenger ships of up to 16,000 tonnes to avoid the more dangerous shipping route around the Stad peninsula.

The order to proceed with what is believe to be the world’s first tunnel for large ships was given to Norwegian Coastal Administration (NCA) by Norway’s Ministry of Transport and Communications. Construction is expected to get underway in 2022, with stone tunnel entrances designed by Snøhetta, a well-known architectural and landscape design practice.

The aim is to use the peninsula’s characteristic stone walls to create a tunnel entrance design that would provide a visual impact and also blend with its natural environment.

The interior of the tunnel will be lit with LED lighting which will also assist with navigation within the tunnel.

The project will now go for parliamentary approval with the expectation that a contractor can be appointed before the end of this year. Completion is set for 2025/26.

The Stad peninsula region is one of the most weather-exposed areas along the Norwegian coast, Norway’s Minister of Transport, Knut Arild Hareide, said. “With a ship tunnel, we want to improve safety at sea.

“The project will also facilitate the establishment of a high-speed vessel route and the transfer of goods from land to sea transport.”

Added 25 March 2021

♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦

News continues below

TRADE NEWS: ClassNK issues AiP for design of methanol dual-fueled tanker

Ship equipped with dual-fuel system developed by Sumitomo Heavy Industries Marine & Engineering

Tokyo – Leading Classification Society ClassNK has issued an Approval in Principle (AiP) for the design of a methanol dual-fueled tanker developed by Sumitomo Heavy Industries Marine & Engineering Co., Ltd.

The Society confirmed the design’s compliance with the IMO’s ‘Interim Guidelines for the Safety of Ships using Methyl/Ethyl Alcohol as fuels’* published in December 2020, and the ‘Guidelines for Ships Using Low-Flashpoint Fuels’ published by the Society in 2019.

Read the rest of this report in the TRADE NEWS section available by CLICKING HERE

 

Added 25 March 2021

♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦

News continues below

SA Navy’s new Multi Mission Inshore Patrol Vessel P1571 makes an appearance

On Wednesday, 24 March the first of the 2017 ‘Project Biro’ Multi Mission Inshore Patrol Vessels (MMIPV) for the South African Navy made its’ first public appearance in Cape Town.

The as yet unnamed warship can only be identified by its Naval Pennant Number, P1571.

She is a Damen Stan Patrol 6211 SeaAxe design and is the first of three such patrol vessels ordered by the South African Navy, with all three of them to be built in South Africa by Damen Shipyards Cape Town (DSCT), located close to the Sturrock Drydock in the Duncan Dock.

P1571 had her keel laid in February 2019 and one year later, in February 2020, she had a blessing ceremony in the covered shipbuilding hall at DSCT. The Covid restrictions in place at the time prevented a traditional launching ceremony from taking place.

The SeaAxe is a patented Damen design which offers exceptional seakeeping characteristics. The straight edged axe shaped bow is designed to cut through the water, reducing vertical acceleration and bow slamming, which provides improved safety and comfort for the crew, and also results in significantly lower fuel consumption and exhaust emissions.

P1571 is 62 metres in length and will be powered by four engines, developing 5,800 hp and driving four shafts up to a maximum speed of 26 knots.

Her main armament is expected to be a bow mounted 20mm Autocannon, supplemented by a number of heavy calibre machine guns. She is due to be commissioned and enter service for the South African Navy later in 2021. Her sister ships, P1572 and P1573, are due to enter service in 2022 and 2023 respectively.

The remit of P1571, and her sisters, is quite a broad one and as well as national defence of territorial waters, plus the normal naval requirements to undertake search and rescue, general law enforcement, maritime security, hydrographic surveys, disaster response and assistance, peace support operations and naval diplomacy, it will also include missions to combat criminal activity such as anti-piracy, human trafficking, illegal fishing and drug smuggling in home waters.

The appearance of P1571 in Cape Town happened very quietly overnight, when activity within Cape Town harbour was at its lowest. She was transferred from the DSCT covered shipbuilding hall and slowly moved across the harbour to the newly refurbished Synchrolift on a set of bespoke steerable, heavylift transport trailers.

P1571 is the Synchrolift’s first customer after completion of the refurbishment work, which has taken a number of months. The transfer operation will see P1571 lifted off her trailers, gently lowered onto one of the Synchrolift bogeys and then eventually lowered into the harbour, where she will feel the touch, and have the taste, of the marine environment that she will be operating in for the next 30 years.

Story by Jay Gates
Pictures by ‘Dockrat’

Added 25 March 2021

♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦

News continues below

MOZAMBIQUE INSURGENCY: Palma under attack, may have fallen

Reports coming from the province of Cabo Delgado in northern Mozambique say that the port town of Palma is under attack by Islamic jihadist insurgents and may have already fallen.

The attack on the strategic port and town began on Wednesday afternoon, 24 March 2021. Lusa, the Portuguese state news agency reported that machine-gun fire had been heard and that communications were severed. People were fleeing the town, it said.

The reports said insurgents, who seem to go by the name Al-Shabaab (also known in some quarters as Ahlu Sunnah Wa-Jama) were seen entering the town in two places. There is reportedly a strong Mozambican military presence in Palma, which the islamists have threatened they would take on several occasions.

The reported attack on Palma occurred on the same day that the Mozambican government and oil company Total announced the gradual resumption of works in the Afungi industrial complex nearby. This was after security conditions had been improved.

The town of Palma is about 15 miles to the north of the site of Total’s liquefaction plant under construction on the Afungi Peninsula. Palma is seen as the main base used to support the construction activities.

A little more to the south, the town and harbour at Mocimboa da Praia has been in the terrorist’s hands since last year and attempts by the authorities to retake the small harbour town have all failed. The jihadist group insurgents used speedboats to attack the harbour by sea in addition to their land forces when they successfully overran a strong military presence in the town.

Regarding the reports of an attack on Palma, the Mozambican authorities have not yet commented. It is reported that helicopters have been observed and heard flying over the area. The South African/Zimbabwean security group, Dyck Advisory has been contracted by Mozambique to provide military type aid and assistance and has deployed a number of fixed wing and helicopter aircraft to the scene.

Added 25 March 2021

♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦

News continues below

French Navy nabs ship off Gulf of Guinea smuggling drugs

When the small freighter NAJLAN (IMO 8806137) departed from Rio de Janeiro anchorage in Brazil on 5 March, bound for Abidjan in Ivory Coast, drug enforcement authorities were already on its trail.

Acting on information received, a French naval amphibious assault ship, FS DIXMUDE L9015, intercepted the general cargo vessel as she arrived in the Gulf of Guinea and after conducting a board and search exercise, uncovered over six tonnes of cocaine hidden on board.

The board and search exercise came as a result of intelligence gathered by anti-drug enforcement agencies in Brazil, the Netherlands, EUROPOL and French anti-drug agency OFAST. The progress of the Najlan across the Atlantic had been monitored until the ship approached the West African coast, when the French Navy intercepted her and carried out the search.

* We stand corrected on the helicopter identification.  Our correspondent Jay Gates, who is also an aviation authority, advises this is not a helicopter, but actually a military naval drone, called a Schiebel Camcopter S-100 VTOL UAS. A very modern piece of kit and allows the ship to take a close look and provide monitoring with little risk to personnel, he says, adding that it is a perfect item of technology which now allows drones to be used from any small and moving warship deck. Another piece of military hardware in the scary world we now live in.

None of the crew have been arrested nor has the ship been detained but was instead allowed to continue her voyage and enter the Abidjan anchorage on 24 March. This after the drugs had been confiscated. Authorities have not disclosed where the drugs were hidden on the vessel, all of which suggests the crew may have been ignorant of what they were carrying on board.

This latest voyage was not the first time Najlan has sailed between the east coast of South America and West Africa. In November and December 2020 she operate a similar course to the current journey.

The 4,402-dwt general cargo ship Najlan (IMO 8806137) was built in 1989 and is owned by Indian interests and managed by Nodens Marine Pvt Ltd of Kochi in Kerala, India. The vessel is currently sailing under the flag of St Kitts & Nevis.

Added 24 March 2021

♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦

News continues below

Al SAFA: Cape Town’s ‘other’ bunker tanker

Until 2020 Cape Town made do with just one bunkering tanker. That was until the arrival of the small products tanker AL SAFA (IMO 9501643). The existing Cape Town bunker barge was on sole contract to Astron Energy who provided bunkers from their own refinery at Milnerton in Cape Town. The Al Safa is on contract to BP, and is provided with its bunker cargo from BP stocks in Durban.

Unlike the smaller bunker barge which remains in port, the Al Safa generally remains out at the anchorage in Table Bay and only enters Cape Town harbour to carry out its bunkering assignment with the client vessel. Once transfer has been completed, Al Safa proceeds back out into the Table Bay anchorage to await its next customer. She replenishes her supply of bunker fuel by transshipping from one of the many regular coastal shuttle tankers that bring fuel cargoes up to Cape Town from the Island View terminal in Durban.

Unusually, Al Safa displays her port of registration as Portsmouth, which is not the great Royal Navy base in the United Kingdom, but the second town in the small Caribbean nation of Dominica. Owned by Bakri Navigation Company of Jeddah in Saudi Arabia, and managed by Red Sea Marine services of Dubai, Al Safa was built in 2009 at the Qianjin Shipyard of Qingdao in China. At 101 metres in length and with a deadweight of 7,315 tons, she has a cargo capacity of 9,061 m3 carried in 8 tanks, and supplies both Marine Fuel Oil and Marine Gas Oil in Cape Town harbour.

The requirement for a second bunker tanker in Cape Town was made more crucial in 2020 after both the Astron Energy refinery in Cape Town and the Engen Refinery in Durban both had serious fire incidents which closed both refineries.

The loss of the second and third largest refineries in South Africa, who provided 43% of the nation’s requirements between them, has become a serious issue and they both remain closed whilst accident investigators complete their work. Naturally, the domestic supply of not only marine bunker fuel, but all types of fuels (petrol, diesel, jet fuel, kerosene etc.) has been severely restricted as a result and the South African oil majors have had to source supplies elsewhere.

This will provide the answer to the question of why so many products tankers are currently calling and operating around the South African coast, as essential supplies of all the fuels mentioned are being imported from refineries and storage tank farms from as far away as Europe (e.g. Fawley), the Gulf (e.g. Ruwais) and the Far East (e.g. Singapore).

Added 24 March 2021

♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦

News continues below

SAIMI: Youth encouraged to dream big and dive in

Deck Officer, Engineering Officer, Crewing Manager, Tug Master, Marine Pilot, Shipbuilder, Sail Maker, Mast Builder, Skipper, Aquatic Biologist, Commercial Diver, Offshore Geologist, Drilling/ Subsea Engineer, Oceanographer, Maritime Lawyer, Ichthyologist…

These are just a few of the exciting career opportunities the Oceans Economy is offering South African youth, who may have never heard of or known these jobs existed before.

If you – like many others – thought Marine Pilots take to the sky or have no idea what a Roughneck and Roustabout might do, you need to have a look at the new DIVE IN! MARITIME CAREER EXPLORATION website.

The South African International Maritime Institute (SAIMI) launched the new www.divein.co.za website live via a social media campaign (see video above) recently, to introduce South Africa’s youth to a multitude of choices related to a career in the Oceans Economy.

The message of the powerful social media campaign is: “Choose your future, your career, what to study, and where. Experience adventure. Discover the world. Be part of something extraordinary.”

With particularly youth unemployment at an all-time high in South Africa, the DIVE IN! MARITIME CAREER EXPLORATION website aims to encourage South African youth to not only dip their feet into the endless possibilities of career exploration in the maritime industry, but to “dive in” by getting immersed into a future career in the Oceans Economy.

The website showcases a variety of study and career opportunities in and around the oceans and introduces youth to diverse maritime career options. The Maritime industry includes a number of sectors and sub-sectors, offering many exciting career options to suit just about every individual interest and personality.

And once the internet-surfing, aspiring youths have decided on a suitable career path, the website offers information on Youth Development Programmes, Maritime events and links to secondary and tertiary institutions to get them closer to their dream job.

The website also provides useful information in a Comprehensive online/downloadable Career Guide and a section on bursary opportunities available in the sector.

Youth members are invited to enter the Summer Splash Competition via the DIVE IN! MARITIME CAREER EXPLORATION website. The photographic, visual art and video competition is open for youth from 13 years old and selected entrants will be featured on the Dive In website home page and social media.

Visit www.divein.co.za to dive in and become part of something extraordinary.

Added 24 March 2021

♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦

News continues below

A Tale of Two Tankers: Bow Sun & Victorious

Small and mid-sized oil and chemical products tankers have become regular sightings on the South African coast. Here are accounts of just two of these. See also Al Safa: Cape Town’s other bunker tanker elsewhere in today’s edition.

BOW SUN

The chemical and oil products tanker Bow Sun (IMO 9197284) arrived in Cape Town on 21 March at 11h00 after a voyage from the Esso Refinery at Fawley, in Southampton Water and proceeded directly to the tanker berth for discharge.

Built in 2003 at the New Szczecin Shipyard in Szczecin, Poland, she was one of the largest chemical tankers in the world when built. Owned by Odfjell Tankers of Bergen in Norway, ‘Bow Sun’ is 183 metres in length and has a deadweight of 44,950 tons.

Her 40 tanks allow her to carry a mixture of IMO Type I, II and III chemicals, petroleum products, vegetable, animal and fish oils, and molasses. The ship provides 52,100m3 of cargo tank capacity, with her tanks ranging in capacity from 350m3 to 2,650m3.

VICTORIOUS

The medium range products tanker Victorious (IMO 9290919) arrived in Cape Town from Fujairah in the UAE also on 21 March 21st at 10h00. At 183 metres in length and with a deadweight of 47,120 tons, Victorious was built in 2005 by STX shipbuilding of Jinhae in South Korea.

Her funnel colours almost identify her as another Livanos vessel, and indeed she was launched as Strymon for the Livanos Group, but sold to Fereniki Marine Inc. of Athens in 2019 by Livanos and is now managed by Coral Shipping Corporation, also of Athens.

Her new owners have merely painted over the Livanos Greek letter ‘L’ and changed her flag to that of the Marshall Islands.

After a two day discharge in Cape Town, Victorious departed the tanker berth and sailed on 23 March at 14h00 bound for Walvis Bay.

Story by Jay Gates
Pictures by ‘Dockrat’

Added 25 March 2021

♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦

News continues below

UK Consultation into Polar Code begins

Consultation on putting international rules designed to protect the polar regions and those that sail on them into UK law was put in train on 16 March.

The consultation can be accessed HERE

The rules cover safety-related requirements for some of the toughest environments on earth including ship design, construction, and equipment as well as the protection of the unique eco-systems of the polar regions.

Known as the Polar Code, it is the international standard for shipping in those regions, and has been developed by IMO with substantial input from the UK.

Operators should already be working to it, but the UK wants to have it in law as part of its ongoing commitment to cleaner seas and protection of the environment.

James Hartley-Binns (pictured), Ship Standards Policy Lead with the Maritime and Coastguard Agency commented: “The Polar Code is designed to protect some of the most fragile ecological places on earth as well as protecting seafarers and passengers in harsh environments.

“We want to protect both people and the environment and bringing these amendments into UK law is part of that commitment.

“The Code sets the standard for shipping in polar regions, allowing for innovation and technological advance without compromising safety. The UK has taken an active part in the development of the Code at the International Maritime Organization and remains committed to implementing amendments to its conventions.”

There will now be an eight-week consultation on the proposals.

SOLAS inclusion

The proposed Regulations will implement the requirements of Chapter XIV in the Annex to the Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, 1974 (“the Convention”), which incorporates the safety related requirements for ships in the International Code for Ships Operating in Polar Waters (‘the Polar Code’).

 

Edited by Paul Ridgway
London

 

Added 24 March 2021

♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦

News continues below

GIANT EVERGREEN CONTAINER SHIP EVER GIVEN GOES AGROUND AND BLOCKS SUEZ CANAL

Ships in convoy in the Suez Canal, which was blocked yesterday (Tuesday 23 March 2021) were being diverted on Wednesday to an older channel in the canal in order to bypass a blockage caused when the 20,000-TEU EVER GIVEN (IMO 9811000) lost power and went aground.

It is thought a strong gust of wind then slewed the giant container ship sideways across the canal, effectively blocking it to all major traffic. It is understood that winds of over 50 km/h were blowing at the time and a sandstorm was decreasing visibility.

The Suez Canal Authority despatched seven tugs to assist in pulling the Ever Given from the sandbank on which it grounded, while in the meantime diverting ships in the waiting convoy, of which Ever Given was a part, to the older channel.

The Suez Canal, which is one of the most important revenue sources for Egypt, especially since tourism was affected by the COVID-19 crisis a year ago, is critical to Egypt’s economy, and any delay or stoppage in the canal has major consequences for the country.

An average of over 51 ships pass through the canal each day. Among those caught up in the canal blockage are five laden liquefied natural gas (LNG) tankers.

The 200,000-tonne Ever Given was en-route from the Far-East bound for Rotterdam and other North European ports. The grounding occurred at 05h40 GMT on Tuesday 23 March 2021. Ever Given, built in 2018, has an overall length of 400 metres and a width of 59 metres.

In a statement issued by Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement, which manages the Ever Given, the company said that “all crew are safe and accounted for, and there have been no reports of injuries or pollution.”

UPDATE Wednesday 24 March 2021 

project44 tracking shows the scope of growing Suez Canal congestion and supply chain delays

With over 30 container ships trapped within the Suez Canal on either side of the Taiwanese Evergreen container ship EVER GIVEN, even more vessels are arriving at the entrance to the north and southbound sections and are unable to proceed. According to analysts, the grounding is going to worsen major shipment delays.

Supply chain visibility specialist project44, said that at 15h30 CET on Wednesday 34 container vessels were either immobilised in the canal, or en route to the zone, representing 379,200 TEUs of capacity.

Every hour, more vessels, including container ships, oil tankers, RoRo vessels, and bulk carriers, are being backed up in the Mediterranean to the north and the Red Sea to the south.

project44 has employed its visibility software to monitor the incident, giving customers automatic alerts if their containers are affected by the grounding. Ocean Insights, a project44 company, has also been providing real-time vessel positions and incident alerts through its Container Track & Trace product.

The freeing of the Ever Given could take days, according to local authorities. With more than 50 ships passing through the canal on any given day, the congestion is growing worse by the hour.

Maersk alone has 13 vessels trapped in the canal.

Older Channel

There are reports that Suez Canal authorities may open an older channel to ease traffic.

“It’s another big blow to global trade in an already back-logged and battered supply chain year,” said Jett McCandless, CEO of project44. “The Suez Canal supports some 10% of global trade – and now the Evergreen vessel has single-handedly put a stop-block in both directions to that vital trade route between Asia and Europe.

“If they can’t dislodge it with tugs at high tide, they will have to start removing containers to lighten the load and refloat her.”

project44

project44’s details may be seen at CLICK HERE

Added 24 March 2021

♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦

News continues below

Cape Acacia becomes latest and largest addition to the South African Register

The newest and largest addition to the South African register, the bulk carrier CAPE ACACIA (IMO 9281906), arrived at Saldanha on 19 March for the first time with the South African flag displayed at her stern.

Joining the VUKA Marine fleet, she will replace the Cape Orchid which was scrapped during 2020. The Cape Acacia, the largest vessel to have been registered in South Africa, has a deadweight tonnage of 206,000 tonnes.

The Cape is taking on board a load of iron ore from Kumba Iron Ore’s Sishen Mine that is destined for the Far East. Eight South African seafarers from VUKA Marine’s officer development programme joined the ship in Saldanha.

The vessel was welcomed at Saldanha port by a delegation led by Mthunzi Madiya, Acting Deputy Director General in the Maritime Branch of the Department of Transport, Nthatho Minyuku, Chairperson of SAMSA and Andrew Mthembu, Chairperson of VUKA Marine.

Madiya, reading a speech on behalf of the Minister of Transport, remarked that it is significant that Government and industry have a common interest in creating jobs and contributing to the economy.

He complimented VUKA Marine on its fleet and the jobs that it has created as a formula that will support the creation of a vibrant maritime economy, which must be supported by a model maritime administration. He instructed the three maritime entities in his Department – the Maritime Branch of the DoT, SAMSA and the Ports Regulator to support industry, and to engage with the Departments of Public Enterprises and Finance to ensure that stumbling blocks to the further growth of South Africa’s international shipping industry are resolved.

VUKA Marine’s Chairman, Andrew Mthembu gave a short history of VUKA Marine since its inception in 2015. During this time the company has registered four vessels in South Africa and transported over 14 million tonnes of freight – much of which was loaded in South Africa.

He said that although the past five years have been tough commercially, the VUKA Marine model was designed from inception to combine value creation with the pursuit of social values through social impact and environmental sensitivity.

Mthembu made the point that, “It shows that positive results can follow when the private sector builds a competitive strategy around the principles of Operation Vulindlela: where foreign and local investment combines to support local jobs and local industry development, while maintaining a competitive cost of doing business.”

He predicted that if the State provided a supportive business environment for industry, then international shipping could grow substantially in terms of ships, jobs and carriers, during the 2020s.

Themba Mkhwanazi, CEO Of Kumba Iron Ore added his congratulations, “While resourcing South Africa’s commercial maritime fleet with South African-registered vessels, our partnership with Vuka Marine has been instrumental toward developing the local maritime industry, contributing jobs into the market and boosting the local economy. We are looking ahead to continuing to collaborate to build a sustainable, successful and competitive maritime infrastructure to support Kumba Iron Ore and South Africa’s global commercial activities.”

Anglo American will charter the Cape Acacia for the next 18 months. The company has been a key partner to VUKA Marine from the start, leveraging its global commercial capabilities to support the development of South Africa’s maritime industry.

SAMSA’s Chairperson Nthato Minyuku congratulated VUKA Marine. “We welcome the additional ships to the register and the jobs that this will create for our seafarers. South Africa’s merchant marine must grow if we are to meet our job creation targets and establish South Africa as a major maritime centre by 2030.”

Andrew Millard, a director of VUKA Marine, complimented SAMSA on the measures that they have adopted during the Covid pandemic to assist seafarer welfare by allowing crew changes in South Africa. He mentioned that the South African register could offer aspirational value if it was founded on global competitiveness, seafarer welfare and environmental best practices.

A constant theme of discussions at the event related to how the Cape Acacia’s registration might accelerate growth and employment in the international shipping industry. Since the turn of the century, much of South Africa’s involvement in international maritime logistics has been lost to foreign owners. Turning this around will require more Cape Acacias and more VUKA Marines.

Added 23 March 2021

♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦

News continues below

James Fisher Subtech is launched, consolidates subsea offering

James Fisher to drive energy transition – new subsea brand

*James Fisher Subtech brings together the technical expertise of James Fisher Marine Services and Subtech to become a comprehensive tier two solutions provider
*By consolidating the group’s core competencies to provide expertise for the extremes, the brand will help offshore developers push boundaries to accelerate the energy transition

James Fisher has announced the launch of James Fisher Subtech, which sees the consolidation of the group’s extensive capabilities into a comprehensive solutions provider for the oil and gas, renewables, nearshore marine civils, and rapid response and salvage industries.

In a statement, James Fisher Subtech says that by recognising significant opportunities to further grow its existing oil and gas operations, the new structure will see James Fisher Subtech consolidate its subsea offering to leverage its specialist expertise working in extreme environments.

The move will bring together the technical expertise of James Fisher Marine Services and Subtech to support oil and gas majors, renewables developers and marine civils contractors alike in pushing the boundaries of what is possible to accelerate the energy transition.

Giovanni Corbetta, Managing Director of James Fisher Subtech said that accelerating trends within the energy industry, particularly the energy transition brought on by the climate emergency, present an opportunity for the group to focus on what it does best – providing expertise for the extremes.

“Complexity is where we excel, helping to deliver the world’s most complex, technically demanding, and environmentally challenging energy projects in construction, operations, maintenance and decommissioning,” Corbetta said.

“By realigning our business, revitalising the leadership team and reinvigorating our culture of trust, integrity and operational excellence, there will be no project too complex for us to deliver on.”

James Fisher has operated in the oil and gas sector for over 20 years supporting clients to take developments further offshore and into deeper waters in over 40 countries. It says that the company’s realignment, along with its network of trusted industry partners, will unlock new synergies to position James Fisher as a comprehensive, tier two solutions provider.

Talking of the opportunities for the company Jonathan Parkes, Divisional Strategy, Sales & Commercial Director of James Fisher Subtech commented that the need for cost effective, creative solutions that assist oil and gas operators to produce more from hard-to-reach and lower profit fields, represents a significant growth area for the industry which will require specialist solutions providers that have the capability to execute complex, technical energy projects in harsh environments.

“There is also a marked increase in renewable investments being made by oil and gas supermajors which makes a compelling case for us to consolidate our experience to serve across the energy space,” he said.

Parkes added that all complex infrastructure projects share the need to be delivered, operated, maintained and decommissioned in a way that is safe, on time and to budget while taking advantage of the latest technologies and digital innovation.

“James Fisher is here to do just that, delivering excellence in execution at every stage in the project lifecycle with pioneering spirit.”

James Fisher Subtech

James Fisher Subtech (JF Subtech) deploys specialist technical marine (offshore and nearshore) support for projects and services supporting construction, civil works, O&M, and decommissioning activities for the renewables, oil and gas, and salvage markets globally.

James Fisher and Sons plc

James Fisher and Sons plc is a leading provider of specialised services to the marine, oil and gas and other high assurance industries worldwide. As an innovative and fast-growing organisation, its highly skilled team and over 170 year heritage enables it to deliver solutions to the most demanding operational and technical challenges faced by its customers.

Added 23 March 2021

♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦

News continues below

REFLECTIONS: Multipurpose offshore vessel Telford 30

Another of the offshore vessels that has spent a fair amount of time in maintenance and lay up at Cape Town is the ‘TELFORD 30’ (IMO 9420655), a specialised and multipurpose pipelay, construction and accommodation support vessel. Arriving in Table Bay from West Africa on 21 December 2020, she berthed in Cape Town on 24 December where she remains to this day.

Built in 2007 by the Tongde Shipbuilders of Nantong in China, as ‘Jascon 30’ for Sea Trucks Group, the Gibraltar flagged vessel was acquired in 2019 by Telford Offshore of Dubai on the liquidation of the Sea Trucks Group. On acquisition, the now renamed ‘Telford 30’ was brought out of ‘cold stack’ lay-up and proceeded to Cape Town where a 5 month major reclassification survey and maintenance overhaul, which included dry-docking in the Sturrock Drydock, which was undertaken by Dormac Marine Engineering, and she sailed in December 2019 for further support work in the offshore oilfields of Kizomba in Angola, and Ogbami in Nigeria.

At 111 metres in length and with a deadweight of 7,116 tons, ‘Telford 30’ is equipped with an ‘S’ lay pipe system for pipelaying work, has a main crane of 270 tons lifting capacity for construction work, and can accommodate 296 persons when acting as an offshore accommodation vessel, for which she is equipped with a telescopic ‘Walk to Work’ gangway to allow offshore workers to transfer between their accommodation on ‘Telford 30’ and the oil platform they are working on.

At present ‘Telford 30’ is berthed on the outside of 703 berth, at the far ‘graveyard’ end of the harbour, on the outside of the Ben Schoeman Dock and in temporary lay-up. On 22 March 2021 she switched on her AIS, which may indicate that she is preparing for working up for further deployment in West Africa in the near future.

Story by Jay Gates
Pictures by ‘Dockrat’

Added 23 March 2021

♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦

News continues below

HMS Montrose makes another drug strike in Arabian Sea

Third Drug Haul in Five Weeks

Royal Navy frigate HMS Montrose, part of the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) deployment on patrol in the Gulf of Aden and Arabian Sea, has struck for a third time in less than five weeks. In an operation lasting 10 hours, the Montrose intercepted over 6100 lbs (2800 kg) of hashish and 110 lbs (50 kg) of heroin in the Arabian Sea on 12 March 2021.

The boarding team from the ship, operating in direct support of CMF’s Combined Task Force 150 (CTF-150) seized the drugs – with a combined estimated wholesale value of over US$4.5 million – following searches of suspicious vessels whilst undertaking a counter-narcotics patrol. According to CMF sources, this latest successful interdiction has further deprived criminal and terrorist networks of their ability to finance their operations through the transport and sale of illicit cargo.

HMS Montrose Commanding Officer, Commander Ollie Hucker said said it was purely coincidental that this operational success fell on his last day at sea in Command. “Be it the first day or the last day, these results only happen because of the collective effort and skill of the incredibly professional, highly trained and dedicated people that the Royal Navy employ, and that I have the privilege to command.”

This is the latest in a string of successful counter-narcotics operations since the Royal Canadian Navy assumed command of CTF-150 in late January 2021. CTF-150, one of three CMF task forces, is operating in the region to disrupt criminal and terrorist organisations to prevent terrorism and the illegal trade of drugs and weapons.

Added 23 March 2021

♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦

News continues below

The ITF Seafarers’ Survey for March 2021

The ITF* Seafarers’ Survey for March 2021 was launched on 22 March and is now ready to be taken by national and international seafarers (on ships and at home) across the world:

SEE HERE

* ITF – International Transport Federation

The survey is also accessible on social media here:

On Facebook

On Twitter

On LinkedIn

The survey asks seafarers about:

* The impact of the pandemic on them and their families.

* The impact of the crew change crisis.

* Their views on vaccines (for themselves, and in the rollout prioritisations by governments).

* If they have taken a vaccine.

The survey will be accessible for the next two weeks (ending 4 April).

All those reading this are encouraged to distribute the link across their networks and at any opportunities they may have to share it with colleagues by way of newsletters, social media and e-mail blast.

ITF has indicated that it will report back when the results are in and the data can be analysed.

 

Edited By Paul Ridgway
London

 

Added 23 March 2021 

♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦

News continues below

Snakes or Ladders: Boarding and Landing of Marine Pilots

A mixed methodology review

Captain Ewan Rattray, Deputy Harbour Master of Aberdeen, Scotland, has produced a valuable study into the method of pilot boarding and landing.

Firstly readers are invited open and study the paper available here on Linkedin

Although the boarding and landing of pilots is regulated, there is a high volume of non-compliant transfer arrangements throughout the industry. An industry which highlights and is conscious of risk and promotes the importance of a proactive safety culture. In light of this, it is the aim of this research to critically investigate and understand what is contributing to such a high level of non-compliance.

The first step was a literature review which highlighted several key areas where associated areas of the framework may be falling down. The problem was, owing to a lack of current research, the failings in the literature review could not be directly linked to the boarding and landing of pilots. To this end, a mixed methodology review was adopted in order to further investigate and document the areas affecting compliance.

Research produced a number of key findings. Namely a failure in regulation, regulatory enforcement, training and vessel design. All underlined in an industry which did not promote, encourage or learn from accidents and incidents. This resulted in an industry which erroneously and dangerously left pilots to become the last line of defence in a system which did not work.

Although the research identified several key failings, the main conclusion that was drawn was that there are several key measures which can be adopted to greatly improve the safe boarding and landing of pilots.

Results and conclusions in the paper are based upon the review of relevant literature, research and data analysis and have not been influenced by the professional views, opinions or experiences of the author.

The author may be contacted here: ejj.rattray@icloud.com

This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial Licence, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited and is not used for commercial purposes.

 

Edited by Paul Ridgway
London
with grateful thanks to the author, Captain Ewan Rattray.

Added 22 March 2021

♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦

News continues below

REFLECTIONS:  Mamola Serenity’s extended stay in Cape Town

Another one of the offshore oil and gas industry vessels currently undergoing a long term maintenance programme in Cape Town harbour is MAMOLA SERENITY (IMO 9562647). She is registered as owned by the Mamola Serenity Shipping Company, and managed and operated by Promar Shipping Services SA of Geneva in landlocked Switzerland.

The Mamola Serenity, a Multipurpose Maintenance Support vessel, was built in 2010 at the Guangzhou Dredging Shipyard of Guangzhou in China, and is 85 metres in length, 20m wide and has a deadweight of 2,430 tons.

The vessel is flagged in the Marshall Islands.

She arrived in Cape Town on 31 December 2020 from Pointe Noire in the Congo, where she has been based for more than four years on long term charter to Total Congo in support of their offshore oilfields.

Since the arrival of Mamola Serenity in Cape Town, she has been berthed at Dormac’s maintenance berth 502 in the Ben Schoeman Dock, has completed a routine periodic drydocking in the Sturrock Drydock and is now lying at the Repair Quay in Duncan Dock undergoing further maintenance.

Manned by a multinational crew of at least six nationalities, back in March 2017 Mamola Serenity was in the news for all the wrong reasons after a dispute erupted between her owners and the contracted crewing agency over unpaid wages to some of the paying off Rumanian crewmembers, after their employment agreement has been completed.

In what is known in legal circles as ‘Abandonment of Seafarers’, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) got involved, along with the International Transport Workers Federation (ITF) to resolve the dispute. The abandonment charge was disputed by Promar Shipping services, and by April 2018 a full resolution had been both arrived at, and agreed to, and the ILO/ITF closed this particular case.

Story by Jay GATES
Pictures by ‘Dockrat’

Added 22 March 2021

♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦

News continues below

Ship Movements at the South African ports

DAILY SHIP MOVEMENTS 

You can follow the daily ship movements at the South African ports and certain of the regional ports by Clicking here on our SHIP MOVEMENTS page

PROVIDING USEFUL INFORMATION TO THE MARITIME INDUSTRY

♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦

News continues below

WHARF TALK: Cape Town Ships Today

This report is a reflection on shipping movements as they were on one specific and identified day and should not be used as complete list of ships. For daily updates on ship arrivals etc at Cape Town refer to the SHIP MOVEMENTS section by CLICKING HERE.

Cape Town Port

At 11h00 Saturday 20 March, when MOL ENDOWMENT entered port following the departure of the NAVIOS UNITE for Pointe Noire, it must have ended one of the longest times any vessel has cruised off the Atlantic Coast without anchoring whilst waiting for a berth. MOL ENDOWMENT spent 16 days cruising since arriving from Durban on 4 March 2021.

As with last week’s report the Duncan Dock container berths have kept the smaller container vessels moving in and out of port on a 24 hour turnaround.

There seems to still be no explanation as to what is causing the Ben Schoeman container berth (main container terminal) delays although it seems that only one berth at a time is being worked.

Ships at Anchor

Off the Atlantic Coast:

Nil

Off the Sea Point coast:

BROOKLYN BRIDGE from Durban arrived 12 March 2021
SANTA VANESSA from Durban 15 March

Off the Milnerton coast

SANTA CLARA from Durban arrived 13 March
SANTA TERESA from Singapore arrived 14 March
MAERSK RUBICON from Lagos arrived 15 March
ARIANA from Durban 17 March
NYK PAULA from Lagos arrived 18 March
MSC POSITANO Durban arrived 19 March
MAIRA XL from Durban arrived 19 March
BOW SUN from Fawley (UK) arrived 20 March (since berthed at tanker berth

Correspondent John Hawkins comments that two interesting callers at the Milnerton Anchorage this past week for stores and supplies were the bulk cargo vessel

ROSCO LEMON from Macun (China) arrived 18 March, which departed next morning 19 March at 07h30 for Rosario, Argentina….

…and the heavylift vessel PRINSENGRACHT from Lüderitz arriving at 08h00 on 19 March 2021 on a 16-hour stopover.

report by John Hawkins
Cape Town

Added 22 March 2021

♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦

News continues below

A message from IMO Secretary-General:
COVID-19 crew change crisis still a challenge

The crew change crisis caused by COVID-19 restrictions continues to cause challenges, despite some improvement in the numbers, the IMO Secretary-General has warned.

Twice 200,000 seafarers at risk

According to a statement from the IMO Media service on 19 March Secretary-General Kitack Lim said that based on industry analysis, the numbers of seafarers requiring repatriation after finishing their contracts had declined – from a high of around 400,000 in September 2020 – to around 200,000 as of March 2021, with a similar number waiting to join ships. However, this number could rise again indicating that the crew change crisis is far from over. Importantly, issues around vaccination need to be resolved.

More than ever, seafarers need to be designated as key workers to ensure priority vaccination and access to safe transit and travel, Mr Lim said.

His full statement is here: “One year ago, as the world plunged into the COVID-19 crisis, I spoke of our voyage together and the need for collaboration and cooperation. I am glad to say that over these past twelve months, we have worked intensely with many different stakeholders to address challenging conditions.

“The maritime sector has continued to deliver the vital supplies that people need. Seafarers have worked tirelessly, at the heart of this trade, to keep goods flowing. Despite difficulties with port access, repatriation, crew changes and more, there can be no denying that seafarers have gone beyond the call of duty.

“Hundreds of thousands of seafarers have been forced to work long beyond their contracted time. We have estimated that throughout the last months of 2020 and up to the beginning of this year, 400,000 seafarers still needed to be repatriated, with a similar number needing to join ships.

“Thanks to concerted efforts by Governments, shipowners and others, this figure is now estimated at 200,000 seafarers needing repatriation and a similar number needing to join ships. One of the major achievements of last year contributing to this was the adoption of the United Nations Assembly resolution calling on UN Member States to designate seafarers and other marine personnel as key workers and to implement relevant measures to allow stranded seafarers to be repatriated and others to join ships, and to ensure access to medical care.

“But we cannot be complacent. Fewer than 60 countries so far have heeded our call for seafarers to be designated as key workers. More countries need to do so if we are to resolve this crisis and ensure seafarers are treated fairly and so that their travel to and from their place of work is properly facilitated. There is still a long way to go before we are back to a normal crew change regime.

“As vaccination is rolled out in many countries, I urge Governments to prioritise seafarers in their national COVID-19 vaccination programmes.

“Governments should also identify and prepare for the challenges of the vaccination of seafarers who spend long periods of time away from their home countries. We need to continue to work together to develop relevant protocols and guidance around vaccine certification. This is particularly important as any barriers to travel created by national vaccine protocols may further complicate an already difficult crew-change situation.

“On our voyage through this pandemic, which has been challenging for the whole world, I recognise that many seafarers have endured intense hardship as they have worked to keep trade flowing. I wholeheartedly thank seafarers for this.

“We will continue to work with our sister UN agencies, with industry bodies and with Governments to address the ongoing needs of seafarers. We will also be looking towards taking the lessons learned going forward, so we can be better prepared in the future.”

 

Edited by Paul Ridgway
London

 

Added 22 March 2021

♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦

News continues below

WHARF TALK:  SOUTH AFRICA LOOKS TO KARPOWERSHIPS FOR ENERGY RELIEF

Richards Bay, Ngqura and Saldanha Bay to anchor three powerships

South Africa’s Minister of Minerals & Energy, Gwede Mantashe has revealed the details of the preferred bidders to provide the country with 2,000 MW of emergency electrical power – and three of the Turkish powerships (floating power stations) are among the group.

This comes more than a decade after the first of these Karpowerships went into service and first became available as a bandaid remedy for some of South Africa’s energy needs. There are currently a number of powerships installed in various African ports – South Africa will become the latest by next year.

According to the minister the preferred bidders are: Acwa Power Project DA, Karpowership SA Coega, Karpowership SA Richards Bay, Karpowership SA Saldanha, Mulilo Total Coega, Mulilo Total, Hydra Storage, Oya Energy Hybrid Facility and Umoyilanga Energy.

“The solutions provided by these preferred bidders are from a combination of a range of technologies that include solar PV, wind, liquefied natural gas and battery storage,” Mantashe said.

The minister added that all compliant bids had been subjected to local and international benchmarking, “which is necessary to ensure that we receive value for money as required by the legislation.”

He said the quantity and quality of the bid responses and potential megawatt of contracted capacity allowed for a competitive price evaluation.

“These eight projects will inject a total private sector investment amount of R45-billion to the South African economy, with an average local content of 50% during the construction period. South African entity participation from these projects is 51%, with black ownership at 41%,” Mantashe said.

Power from these projects is expected to be connected to the national grid as from August 2022. While 2000 MW may not appear to be much given the sudden massive shortages from Eskom, it is the equal to Stage 2 in Eskom’s loadshedding schedule.

A further round of requests for proposals for the procurement of an additional 2,600 MW from private power producers was launched late last week.

Depending of which powerships will come to South Africa, each could provide up to 470 MW of energy into Eskom’s the regional grid. Karpower’s Khan class of powerships are currently the largest with each capable of providing 470 MW.

In 2018 Karpowership signed a new contract with Mozambique’s electricity utility company, Electricidade de Mozambique (EdM), to deploy a powership of 125 MW for a period of 10 years. The current vessel is the MW Karadeniz Powership MEHMET BEY which is reported as providing the region with a significant proportion of Mozambique’s electricity requirements.

Once the provision of LNG becomes available from the Rovuma Basin the powership at Nacala will commence using LNG in place of heavy fuel oil. It is believed that the floating power stations to be deployed at Richards Bay, Ngqura and Saldanha will each make use LNG.

Added 22 March 2021

♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦

News continues below

NEW BOOKS: The Battle of the Atlantic

The Battle of the Atlantic
By Bernard Ireland
Pen and Sword
238 pages £14.99
Paperback
ISBN 978 1 52678 589 3

This is a republication by Pen & Sword Maritime of a title which first appeared under the colophon of Leo Cooper in 2003.   For ordering see: www.penandswordbooks.com

The authoritative naval historian Bernard Ireland took a fresh and fascinating look at the long and bitter struggle waged by the Allies against the Nazi U-boat threat.

After sifting through the evidence, old and new, he cites the massive resources that the United States brought to bear both at sea and in their shipyards, together with advances in technology and the breaking of German codes by Enigma. This is a subject that should forever be in the coursework of the students of the Second World War and although nearly twenty years have elapsed since the first edition, it demands reading.

On a personal note I was privileged to have been close to some of those who took part in the Battle of the Atlantic (aka BoA) commemorations down the years.

One such was Captain Peter Francis Mason who died in January aged 95, he started his career as a navigating apprentice in the British Tanker Company’s British Glory in 1942. The company at that time was part of the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company. As a sixteen year-old the U-boat menace, for this was at the height of the Battle of the Atlantic, merely added to the excitement although it resulted in rapid promotion for many as men were unfortunately lost. His first ship was being prepared for Russia convoys but after engine problems and a collision forming convoy in thick fog he sailed for New York and made eight successive runs across the Atlantic. Other duties involved refuelling convoy escorts with a fuel line streamed astern of his tanker, not an easy task especially in heavy weather.

Over the years the maritime community have celebrated the anniversaries of the Battle of the Atlantic and here a naval historian takes a fresh look at all aspects of the campaign that held the key to victory or defeat. The extent of what was under attack is best summed up thus: in 1938 British ships brought to its ports more than 67,000,000 tons of cargo of which 22,000,000 were of food and drink, 28,500,000 were raw materials and 9,500,000 were in the form of fuel oil so essential for the then, as now, mechanical age.

The author examines not just the struggle for the convoy routes but also the technological battle and the crucial background tensions between Allies, politicians and senior commanders and in doing so he draws on a wealth of source material and a knowledge of the extent to which ULTRA intelligence influenced the conduct of the campaign.

Within hours of the declaration of war on 3 September 1939 the first engagement had taken place with the sinking of Athenia and the battle lasted 2073 days, two less than the duration of hostilities for U-881 was caught two days before the German surrender. The Germans started the war with 57 U-boats and built 1,113 boats; at any one time there were in the region of 460 U-boats in commission of which about half were operational.

The U-boats sank about 2,450 ships totalling 12.8 million gross tons in the Atlantic. An estimated 30,000 Allied seafarers were lost and some 28,000 out of 41,000 U-boat crew perished in the 522 U-boats lost. By the middle of 1943 it was clear that the Germans could not sink enough ships to prevent supplies getting through to Britain for by then the dice were increasingly heavily loaded against the U-Boat due to dramatic improvements in Allied anti-submarine technology in all its forms, the awesome capacity of American industry (remember the Liberty ship construction programme to build 2710 hulls and the vast amount of military matèriel produced) and the brilliant coups of the code-breakers. By 1943 the battle was not over although the threat had been diminished and of course the way was paved for the invasion of mainland Europe.

It is interesting to note from the author’s introduction that in the two World Wars German submarines destroyed a total of 25.8 million tons of Allied and neutral merchant shipping. By far the greatest proportion of these losses were British ships and most of them were lost in Atlantic waters. Bernard Ireland draws attention to the fact that between the wars there was no awareness of the need for adequate numbers of ocean-going, specialist anti-submarine escorts. His background first chapter sets the scene admirably by telling the reader about privateers, prizes and blockades of earlier centuries as well as something of German desires for naval expansion.

In 1921 British shipping totalled 19.3 million tons, 32.8% of the world’s total. Sadly by 1939 it totalled 17.9 million tons, 26.1% of the world total and a notable decline in the face of increases in ship ownership by Japan, The Netherlands and Norway. There is here, too, a brief but good insight into the peacetime activities of the British tramping companies and, at war, how they were armed to conform with the wartime way of life with the introduction of the DEMS* gunners, assuming anti-submarine warfare tactics and conversion of the armed merchant cruisers. All were facing the German order of battle demonstrated by the Luftwaffe, with its FW200 Kondor bomber with a 1000-mile range, and the Kriegsmarine’s Type II, IIB, IIC. VII, VIIB and IX U-boats. Contrasts are also made with the U-boat campaign of the First World War.

In The Battle of the Atlantic chapters outline the extent of the campaign from September 1939 to May 1945 and four diagrams illustrate the losses of shipping per quarter, the net gains and losses in British and American-controlled merchant fleets, the U-Boat strength per quarter and the average tonnage/ships sunk per quarter per operational U-Boat.

At the end of the war Churchill wrote that the only thing that really frightened him during the war was the U-boat peril. The Official Account of the Battle of the Atlantic referred to it as the triumph of right over evil…cold-blooded heroism and endurance were required by the men of the Allied fighting services and Merchant Navies and many paid with their lives.

Bernard Ireland was educated at the Royal Dockyard School, Portsmouth and the University of Southampton and following a career with the Royal Naval Scientific Service he write more than 20 books on maritime history as well as contributed to several journals. He died in 2019.

In writing about seafarers and seafaring, ships and cargoes, peace and war, hazards and fair winds I often reflect on this strand of doggerel adopted from Kipling:

In time of war, but not before,
God and the sailor we adore,
The danger past, and ills requited,
God is forgotten and the sailor slighted.

About Pen & Sword 

Established in 1990 and with over 500 books published every year, Pen & Sword has cemented itself as one of the UK’s leading history publishers; traditionally associated with military, aviation and maritime, and today also covering a number of other subjects and fascinating areas of history including railways and transport, family history, archaeology, social history, true crime, and much more.

* Defensively Equipped Merchant Ships. For more see here: DEMS

 

Reviewed by Paul Ridgway
London Correspondent.

 

Added 22 March 2021

♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦

News continues below

Danish frigate to head for Gulf of Guinea

Denmark has announced it will be deploying one of the Absalon-class frigates to the pirate-troubled waters of the Gulf of Guinea as from November this year.

The frigate will add force to naval ships from Spain, Portugal and Italy already on deployment in the area as part of the EU-sponsored Coordinated Maritime Presence (CMP). The Danish ship’s deployment will last until March 2022.

The Danish vessel and those already operating under the CMP are unable to carry out military operations within the EEZ of a foreign state but can transit high risk areas while providing a visible deterrent. Whether this will prove effective is not clear as the pirates have on several occasions shown an intelligent understanding of the legalities involved.

The intention of the CMP is to help deter pirate attacks on merchant shipping operating to and from West African ports by way of providing escort duties. Because of a lack of a clear framework in which to operate, the CMP is restricted in its efforts of conducting military operations within the EEZ of a foreign state.

The idea, drawing on the experience and success of a combined European naval presence in the Gulf of Aden and off the coast of Somalia, is to provide escort duties to merchant ships and to provide support in the event of a ship coming under attack from the pirates.

The West African pirates, of whom most are operating from the Nigerian Delta region, are now ranging further away from the mainland and beyond the EEZ areas and have commenced the taking of significant numbers of hostages who are then used for ransoming purposes and released once a hefty ransom has been paid. The ships are no longer highjacked although a fish factory vessel was recently seized and used as a mother ship to range even further afield.

The pirates have also displayed a ruthless side regarding the use of their weapons and on one occasion used explosives to break open the citadel of a ship into which the seafarers had taken refuge. In this incident a seafarer unfortunately lost his life.

The Danish announcement is no doubt influenced by the appeal made by the world’s biggest container shipping company, Maersk, after several of their ships came under attack from pirates in the Gulf of Guinea. Maersk has become one of the loudest voices in European shipping circles in calling for action against rampant piracy in the GoG.

The Absalon-class frigates of the Royal Danish Navy are heavily armed and carry two helicopters that are used to conduct reconnaissance flights among other duties. The ships have a crew complement of 100 and displace between 4,500 and 6,600 tons depending on load.

There are currently two ships of this class, the Absalon and the Esbern Snare. On deployment to the Gulf the frigate will include a detachment of air crew as well as Danish Marines.

Added 22 March 2021

♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦

News continues below

Walvis Bay-bound train derails, travelling too fast, say reports

A goods train derailed outside Swakopmund Station last week, after what is being reported as a mechanical failure causing the train to run away.

One man, described as the assistant driver, died in the accident after being trapped in one of the locomotives.

The accident occurred outside the Swakopmund shunting yard on a curve. Eyewitnesses said the train appeared to be going too fast.

Chief Executive Officer of TransNamib, Johny Smith, said an investigation had commenced and would determine the cause of the derailment.

The mixed goods train was hauling a cargo described as containers and coal. The accident left a scene of mangled wagons and locomotives.

A heavy duty crane was later brought to Swakopmund from Walvis Bay to lift the 100-tonne loco and railway wagons away from the tracks. Shipping containers that could be salvaged were also removed from the scene.

The line to Walvis Bay has since been reopened.

Added 22 March 2021

♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦

News continues below

NSPCA SAYS IT IS APPALLED AT YET ANOTHER LIVESTOCK VESSEL CAUSING ANIMALS TO SUFFER

In a message from the National Council of SPCA’s, the NSPCA drew attention to the NSPCA having, just two weeks ago, expressed its concern regarding two vessels, the KARIM ALLAH (6519144) and the ELBEIK (IMO 6718427), that have been carrying over 2000 cattle aimlessly across the Mediterranean Sea since mid-December 2020.

Both vessels failed to find buyers on account of there being suspicion that the cattle were infected with a bovine disease called ‘bluetongue’.

Earlier this month, all the cattle on board the Karim Allah were humanely euthanised upon arrival at Cartagena, Spain after Spanish authorities found the animals to be in a generally poor condition. Before the animals were euthanised, blood samples were taken to test for the disease, and had the results come back negative the vessel’s management company would have preferred the animals be reloaded and shipped for export again. Thankfully, this option was denied by Spain’s agriculture ministry.

The NSPCA says it is appalled that the Elbeik has allowed, what reports state to be, almost 180 bulls to die at sea. This is even more disgusting considering the events of the Karim Allah taking place just two weeks ago, which “surely” should have encouraged the Elbeik to dock and offload the cattle before getting to this point.

The Elbeik has now also been ordered to dock in Cartagena, Spain where these animals are likely to be slaughtered after having been subjected to almost three months of hell at sea.

“It is absolutely shameful to learn that similarly to the Karim Allah, reports state the Elbeik hoped to conduct blood tests on the animals and have them back at sea to find a buyer to the north of Africa if the tests came back as negative. It is savage and barbaric to have absolutely no regard for the suffering that these animals are forced to endure during live export,” said Marcelle Meredith, Executive Director.

She said the NSPCA is in disbelief that animal welfare organisations across the globe still need to justify why live export by sea is cruel despite the countless number of cases of extreme animal suffering that have and continue to be reported on.

“With each new case that we are made aware of, it becomes clearer and clearer that this is a fight we cannot give up. We will not stop fighting until this abhorrent trade is brought to its knees,” she said.

The livestock carrier Elbeik is registered in Togo and is owned and managed by Lebanese interests.  The 54-year old ship has carried five different names since 2003. The second livestock carrier mentioned in this report, Karim Allah, is also owned and managed by Lebanese interests.

Added 22 March 2021

♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦

News continues below

WTO Director-General concludes successful official visit to Nigeria

On 17 March, the final day of her three-day visit to Nigeria, World Trade Organization Director-General Okonjo-Iweala met with women entrepreneurs and representatives of small businesses to discuss the challenges facing these groups and the role the WTO can play to help them benefit from trade.

Earlier in the week, she met President Muhammadu Buhari, the Vice President, senior members of the government including the Honourable Minister and Minister of State on Trade, Industry and Investment, the Honourable Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Honourable Minister of Finance, the Minister of Women Affairs, the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, business leaders and the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19.

Praise for the Covid fight

In her meeting with Nigerian captains of industry on 16 March, the Director-General praised Nigeria’s efforts in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic and urged the country to build on this success. She emphasised the importance of increasing vaccine production, ensuring equitable distribution and making sure that medical goods such as vaccines can cross borders seamlessly.

The Director-General underlined the role that trade can play in helping Nigeria’s economy diversify and move from oil dependency towards a modernised and low-carbon economy. Tapping into external demand can help pull people out of low-productivity activities and into more tradable goods and services, she said.

Endless digital trade opportunities

The DG emphasised Nigeria’s success in the hospitality, retail, finance, entertainment and app development sectors as examples of how to tap into the endless opportunities digital trade can offer to both small and larger firms. Connecting micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), and especially women-owned businesses, to regional and international market opportunities is key. More people will then benefit from trade, raising living standards and creating jobs, she said. The WTO provides the underpinning for open and predictable global trade.

In a meeting with women entrepreneurs and representatives of MSMEs on 17 March, DG Okonjo-Iweala stressed the role of women and small businesses in the economy and the need for additional support for their efforts to thrive commercially. The challenges facing women and MSMEs have been worsened by the pandemic, she said. “Lowering the obstacles for businesses of all sizes, and especially women-owned businesses, to participate in international trade would help build back a better economy for everyone after this crisis.”

 

Edited by Paul Ridgway
London

 

Added 22-03-2021

♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦

News continues below

GENERAL NEWS REPORTS – UPDATED THROUGH THE DAY

in partnership with – APO

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

News continues below

TO ADVERTISE HERE

Request a Rate Card from info@africaports.co.za

EXPECTED SHIP ARRIVALS and SHIPS IN PORT

Port Louis – Indian Ocean gateway port

Ports & Ships publishes regularly updated SHIP MOVEMENT reports including ETAs for ports extending from West Africa to South Africa to East Africa and including Port Louis in Mauritius.

In the case of South Africa’s container ports of Durban, Ngqura, Ports Elizabeth and Cape Town links to container Stack Dates are also available.

You can access this information, including the list of ports covered, by  CLICKING HERE remember to use your BACKSPACE to return to this page.

News continues below

CRUISE NEWS AND NAVAL ACTIVITIES

QM2 in Cape Town. Picture by Ian Shiffman

We publish news about the cruise industry here in the general news section.

Naval News

Similarly you can read our regular Naval News reports and stories here in the general news section.

♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦

THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK

To the people who love you,
you are beautiful already.
This is not because they’re
blind to your shortcomings
but because they so clearly see your soul.
– Victoria Moran 

♠♠♠

♠♠♠

ADVERTISING

For a Rate Card please contact us at info@africaports.co.za

Don’t forget to send us your news and press releases for inclusion in the News Bulletins. Shipping related pictures submitted by readers are always welcome. Email to info@africaports.co.za

 

TABLE BAY UNDERWAY SHIPPING SHIP PHOTOGRAPHERS Colour photographs and slides for sale of a variety of ships.Thousands of items listed featuring famous passenger liners of the past to cruise ships of today, freighters, container vessels, tankers, bulkers, naval and research vessels.P O BOX 809, CAPE TOWN, 8000, SOUTH AFRICA snai@worldonline.co.za http://home.worldonline.co.za/~snai