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TODAY’S BULLETIN OF MARITIME NEWS

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

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Front Page:  MSC DIEGO & MSC BHAVYA

• Chinese Naval Base at Djibouti capable of supporting carriers
• Nigeria announces antipiracy forum
• WHARF TALK: Boloko 1, the story of a former coastwatch vessel
• Why The Conflict In Cabo Delgado Matters For Eastern Africa
• Shippers on the ropes as long-term rates hit highs, while Ever Given chaos continues
• Ship owners’ pay cut demands a ‘slap in the face’ for seafarers
• Total declares ‘force majeure’ on its Mozambique LNG project
• 2021 World Day for Safety and Health at Work
• Mozambique’s Transmaritima faces uncertain future
• FLNG Coral Sul to arrive off Cabo Delgado in December
• IN CONVERSATION: Why Ghana doesn’t get the full value of its cocoa beans – and how this could change
• Marine aids to navigation: MENAS launches accredited training courses
• BREAKING NEWS: SAMSA COO Sobantu Tilayi and two management colleagues suspended
• PIRACY: 15 abducted seafarers from Davide B are released
• Shipping during COVID-19: Why container freight rates have surged
• WHARF TALK:  Maersk Varna, regular caller on Maersk Lines’ US East coast AMEX service
• Bollore Ports & partners order 36 electric tractors for Abidjan’s second container terminal
• IMO introduces National Maritime Transport Policies
• WHARF TALK: Chesapeake, former Lykes Line vessel, revisits Durban and Cape Town
• Deadlock over Transnet wage negotiations
• ONE increases African Rainbow Express to weekly frequency
• IMO regional webinar targets increased safety for fishing industry
• WHARF TALK: Cape Town’s Standby fleet of Offshore Guard Ships & Seismic Escorts
• Commitment to sustainable marine biofuels as Samskip drives forward
• Kenya and DRC agree on maritime cooperation & use of Mombasa as gateway
• WHARF TALK: Aframax LR2 tanker Captain Spiro pays Cape Town a call
• Future World: Hydrogen 101: the lowdown on maritime’s fuel of the future
• Piracy: Contship New boarded northwest of Sao Tome
• Cyclone Jobo 29S heading for Dar es Salaam

EARLIER NEWS CAN BE FOUND AT NEWS CATEGORIES…….

The Friday masthead is of the Port of Cape Town

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Front Page:  MSC DIEGO & MSC BHAVYA

Two container ships introduce this week’s edition, both operated by the Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), which is reported as now the largest container ship company in the world, having surpassed (or about to) that of Maersk Line.  One of the ships shown here is a charter vessel, the other is owned and named after the Group President and CEO of MSC, Diego Aponte, son of the founder, Gianluigi Aponte

When built MSC DIEGO (IMO 9202649) was one of the bigger and more modern of ships within the then rising MSC fleet. Traditionally, MSC ships were named after female relatives of the Aponte family and various officials in the company. There are however a few exceptions, around five of them who are named after male relatives, including MSC Diego, MSC Don Giovanni, MSC Aniello, MSC Oscar and MSC Oliver. MSC Don Giovanni (IMO 9102746) which was built 1996 was once given a grand introduction in Durban harbour following the ship’s first visit in South Africa.
|Built in 1999, MSC Diego  boasted an impressive container capacity of 4,056 TEU – if that sounds silly today then remember that the famous ‘Big Whites of Safmarine, then still in service, had an official capacity of less than 3,000 TEU.
Today, 22 years after entering service, MSC Diego continues to operate, as seen in the above photo taken in Durban in March this year. The ship has a length of 259.6 metres and width of 32m (very similar to the ‘Big Whites’)’ and a deadweight of 56,889 tons. The ship was built at the Hanjin Heavy Industries shipyard in Pusan, South Korea and is flying the flag of Panama. MSC Diego is owned and managed by MSC of Geneva.

The lower picture shows another MSC container ship, MSC BHAVYA (IMO 9297876), which the name tells us is a chartered vessel. Built in 2005 at the Hyundai Samho Mokpo Shipyard in Mokpo, South Korea, MSC Bhavya has undergone a number of name changes in the 16 intervening years. These include Santa Petrissa (3 times, it appears to have been her launch name), Maersk Douglas once, UASC Sharjah once and MSC Bhavya since 2014.
The ship, seen entering Durban, is owned by Japanese interests – SSK Shipping, and managed by MSC Ship Management. Her length is 294 metres and width 32m and she has a deadweight of 66,799 tons and a container capacity of 5,018 TEU. MSC Bhavya flies the flag of Liberia.

Both pictures are by Keith Betts

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Photographs of shipping and other maritime scenes involving any of the ports of South Africa or from the rest of the African continent, together with a short description, name of ship/s, ports etc are invited.

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Chinese Naval Base at Djibouti capable of supporting carriers

Amid China’s growing influence in Africa, a top US commander has revealed how a recently completed pier at the Chinese naval base in Djibouti, near the entrance to the Red Sea, is large enough to support an aircraft carrier.

The People’s Liberation Army is expanding its existing naval installation adjacent to a Chinese-owned commercial deep-water port and also seeking other military basing options elsewhere on the continent, US Africa Commander Army Gen. Stephen Townsend told the US House Armed Services Committee on Tuesday last week.

“Their first overseas military base, their only one, is in Africa, and they have just expanded that by adding a significant pier that can even support their aircraft carriers in the future. Around the continent they are looking for other basing opportunities,” said Townsend, as quoted by United States Naval Institute (USNI) News.

The base, which opened in 2017, was developed to support the Chinese anti-piracy mission off the coast of Somalia in the Gulf of Aden but has expanded to include capabilities to serve as a logistical resupply hub for the Chinese Navy’s ships, according to analysts.

In October last year, commercial satellite imagery showed construction on a pier system at the military base in Djibouti.

A May 2020 report from USNI News contributor H I Sutton said the new 1,120-foot pier was “just long enough to accommodate China’s new aircraft carriers, assault carriers or other large warships. It could easily accommodate four of China’s nuclear-powered attack submarines if required.”

The US Navy reported that the base is near the Bab el Mandeb, the entrance to the Red Sea from the Gulf of Aden and a major chokepoint for maritime traffic travelling toward the Suez Canal and the Mediterranean Sea.

The relationship between Djibouti and China is a case study on how Beijing is using its global infrastructure investment strategy, the Belt and Road Initiative, to aggrandise its economic influence and strengthen its position as the top investor in Africa.

The present scenario, however, illustrates the limitations of China’s vast investment and loans project as it is drying up, reported France24.

In accepting vast inflows of Chinese capital and loans, Djibouti now finds itself in a situation of such economic dependence that it “risks threatening its autonomy”, Sonia Le Gouriellec, a Horn of Africa specialist at the Catholic University of Lille, wrote in the Revue de Defense Nationale (National Defence Review).

Djibouti, a small African country located in the Horn of Africa, devoid of natural resources, has opened itself to international powers in order to profit from its strategic location at the entrance to the Red Sea. source: Dryad Global

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Nigeria announces antipiracy forum

The Gulf of Guinea (GoG) accounted for nearly half (43%) of all reported piracy incidents in the first three months of 2021, according to the latest figures from the ICC International Maritime Bureau (IMB).

IMB’s latest global piracy report records 38 incidents since the start of 2021 – compared with 47 incidents during the same period last year. In the first three months of 2021, the IMB Piracy Reporting Centre (PRC) reported 33 vessels boarded, two attempted attacks, two vessels fired upon, and one vessel hijacked.

Despite a drop in the number of reported piracy incidents for Q1 2021, violence against crew is on the rise in comparison to previous years. Since the start of 2021, 40 crew have been kidnapped compared to 22 crew in Q1 2020. A crew member was also killed in Q1 2021.

Gulf of Guinea

The Gulf of Guinea continues to be particularly dangerous for seafarers with 43% of all reported piracy incidents occurring in the region. In addition, the region accounted for all 40 kidnapped crew incidents, as well as the sole crew fatality, according to IMB.

In the warning words of IMB Director Michael Howlett: “Pirates operating within the Gulf of Guinea are well-equipped to attack further away from shorelines and are unafraid to take violent action against innocent crews.

“It is critical that seafarers remain cautious and vigilant when travelling in nearby waters and report all incidents to the Regional Authorities and the IMB PRC. Only improved knowledge sharing channels and increased collaboration between maritime response authorities will reduce the risk to seafarers in the region.”

The furthest offshore recorded kidnapping occurred on 11 March this year when pirates kidnapped 15 crew from a Maltese flagged chemical tanker, 212 nautical miles south of Cotonou, Benin. In another incident, a fishing vessel hijacked on 8 February was used by pirates as a mother vessel to facilitate other attacks.

The IMB PRC commends the coastal response agencies and independent international navies tasked in the region for actively responding to reported incidents and encourages their continued efforts in making the GoG waters safer for the seafarers.

The forum, a new strategy

According to BIMCO on 28 April Nigeria and the Interregional Coordination Centre for the Implementation of Regional Strategy for Maritime Safety and Security in Central and West Africa (ICC) announced the formation of a Maritime Collaboration Forum (MCF) to provide shared awareness and coordination of activities in the Gulf of Guinea (GOG-MCF/SHADE). Other players we understand were representatives of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and ICC Yaoundé. The latter works to the Code of Conduct on the repression of piracy, armed robbery against ships, and illicit maritime activity in West and Central Africa, adopted at the June 2013 Summit of Heads of State in Yaoundé, Cameroon.

We understand that the situation has led to several EU countries including France, Spain, Italy, Belgium, and Denmark announcing an interest in contributing to maritime security in the region to suppress the threat posed by Nigerian pirates. It was reported that the Italian Navy has, on more than one occasion, disrupted pirate attacks and the Danish government has committed to send a frigate on a five-month antipiracy patrol in the Gulf of Guinea from November 2021.

The SHADE model has already demonstrated its worth as a model for exchange of information between regional and non-regional military forces in countering the Somali piracy threat.

In the words of David Loosley, Secretary General and CEO of BIMCO: “The establishment of GOG-MCF/SHADE will enable working-level stakeholders from the GoG region and from outside the region to connect and discuss how best to suppress Nigerian piracy.

“We think this can be a catalyst for non-regional navies to step up and initiate effective maritime law enforcement operations to support regional efforts. Such operations should of course respect Nigeria’s sovereign rights as defined under UNCLOS; in respect of piracy, this is within Nigeria’s territorial waters.”

 

Edited by Paul Ridgway
London

 

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WHARF TALK: Boloko 1, the story of a former coastwatch vessel

Story by Jay Gates
Pictures by ‘Dockrat’

The Cape sea route is famous for some of the most dramatic incidents and collisions where the resulting outcome of such dramas has been some of the largest oil spills and threats of coastal pollution ever witnessed. Such names as Wafra, Oswego Guardian, Texanita, Venpet, Venoil, Castillo de Bellver and Treasure spring readily to mind, along with many other minor pollution incidents from spills, or deliberate dumping, of oil from ships transiting the South African coast.

There was a time when, as a result of these major incidents, the South African government commissioned a small fleet of five Pollution Control vessels, all built in Durban, to be available to patrol the coast and provide pollution control measures for any incident that warranted their presence. All of the vessels were given the name ‘Kuswag’, which is the Afrikaans word for Coastwatch, and each vessel was given a Roman Numerical identifier after the name, e.g. Kuswag I, Kuswag II, Kuswag III, Kuswag IV and Kuswag V.

Over time, all of these vessels were sold out of service with one departing South African shores, one being converted to a dredger and the majority of them being converted into fishing vessels. Despite the changes to their appearance through the conversion to fishing vessels, the unique and distinctive outline of a former Kuswag vessel can still sometimes be spotted by the keen coastwatcher.

The Kuswag III was sold out of service in 1991 and was one of the vessels converted in to a fishing vessel. She is now known as BOLOKO 1 (IMO 7385265) and operates out of Hout Bay harbour, a small fishing harbour situated just south of Cape Town.

Like most vessels, she requires major maintenance and hull surveys completed every now and then. In order for this to happen she needs to come out of the water. The nearest slip for such a vessel is the Synchrolift in Cape Town harbour. It is here that old Kuswag III was sent for her makeover in April 2021, arriving in Cape Town from Hout Bay on 20 April at 12h00.

Built in 1974 at the Sandock-Austral shipyard in Durban, and originally launched as S.A. Kuswag III, the Boloko 1 is 29 metres in length and with a gross tonnage of 185 tons. She is powered by a B&W Alpha 408-26VO 2 stroke engine providing 880 bhp (647 kW).

Owned since 2007 by Boloko Trading and Investments, she is operated for Pescaluna East Coast (Pty) Ltd and operates as a Hake longline fishing vessel, and is a member of the South African Hake Longline Association (SAHLLA). As such, she played a major role into research of trying to reduce accidental seabird mortality being caused by longline fishing.

In 2015, Boloko 1 took part in a number of fishing trips where observers from Birdlife South Africa were carried onboard to trial and determine the most appropriate design of a Tori Line, or Bird Scaring Line, for reducing seabird bycatch when longline operations were underway.

Previous recommendations for bird scaring lines were based on CCAMLR designs which were proving inappropriate for the smaller South African inshore Hake longline vessels.

Bird-scaring lines are the most commonly prescribed mitigation measures for longline fisheries and are regarded as one of the most effective known mitigation measures to reduce accidental mortality of seabirds. Bird-scaring lines consist of lengths of rope with brightly colored streamers towed behind longline vessels during line setting to deter seabirds from attacking baited hooks.

Bird-scaring lines are cheap, simple to use and do not require modification of the fishing gear. Any changes to the bird-scaring line specifications contained within the fishing permits must comply with the Agreement for the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels (ACAP), to which South Africa is a signatory.

On two occasions in recent years, Boloko 1 has required the assistance of the NSRI rescue boat Nadine Gordimer from Station 8 in Hout Bay. On 12 April 2018 Nadine Gordimer was launched to assist Boloko 1 when she reported suspected motor gear selection failure outside Hout Bay harbour and required assistance in berthing. Then on 4 February 2019, Boloko 1 broke free from her moorings in Hout Bay Harbour and Nadine Gordimer was launched to manoeuvre her back on to her berth in order for her to be secured.

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Why The Conflict In Cabo Delgado Matters For Eastern Africa

 

By HORN Institute

Northern Mozambique’s Cabo Delgado Province once again grabbed international headlines in late March 2021 after a local militant group aligned with radical Islamist ideology seized the key port town of Palma.

The group, which has been operating in the region since 2017, goes by several names: Ansar al-Sunna, the Swahili Sunna, ISIS-Mozambique (as it is known in the US), al Shabab (as it is known locally), and Ansar al-Sunna Wa Jamma (ASWJ).

ASWJ is primarily driven by local grievances, particularly frustration surrounding the marginalisation of northern Muslim communities at the hands of the Mozambican government and foreign companies. However, ASWJ does employ Islamist rhetoric as an organising tool and has sworn allegiance to the Islamic State. Intensifying violence in Cabo Delgado will have an impact on the entire region, exacerbating the existing humanitarian crisis, harming efforts to increase foreign investment in the region, and providing a base from which Islamist ideology may radicalise other vulnerable youth in neighboring countries.

When evaluating response options, it is critical that policymakers consider key lessons from previous efforts to handle similar groups in Sub-Saharan Africa. Namely, that similar groups have exploited border areas to effectively operate and evade authorities and that highly militarised approaches to deal with them often exacerbate the problem.

Conflict Drivers and the Formation of ASWJ

Although ASWJ draws ideological inspiration from outside of Mozambique, the group is driven primarily by local grievances. ASWJ’s radicalisation and recruitment efforts found fertile ground (particularly among the youth) because of Cabo Delgado’s history of poverty, political marginalisation, and the lack of local benefit from natural resource revenues.

As various analysts have pointed out, despite having huge deposits of natural resources, particularly oil, gas, and rubies, the residents of Cabo Delgado Province have received little revenue from extraction efforts. They have also long been politically marginalised by the Mozambican government. Residents assert that the government has paid little attention to its citizens and development efforts in the province.

The poor socio-economic and political situation has contributed to the spread of Islamist rhetoric, which advocates for the establishment of Islamic rule and Sharia law that is independent from the secular state institutions that many feel have exploited them for years. ASWJ members are reported to draw inspiration from the radical teachings of the Kenyan cleric Aboud Rogo, whose influence has played a significant role in radicalisation along the East African Coast.

While the group is referred to locally as al Shabab, there is no evidence of direct links to the al Qaeda-affiliated militant group in Somalia. ASWJ swore allegiance to the Islamic State in mid-2019. The Islamic State claimed responsibility for the fatal attack on 29 March 2021, that killed about 55 people in the town of Palma. However, the actual ties between the group (in terms of operational support) remain “murky” and a subject of ongoing debate.

Regional implications of intensifying ASWJ activities

The destabilising impact of the ongoing conflict in northern Mozambique is already and will continue to be felt in the wider region. Nearly 700,000 people have been displaced by the violence since its onset in October 2017. As the violence continues, this number will continue to grow, deepening the existing humanitarian crisis.

Mozambique’s regional partners may be called upon to either host refugees or provide support to government authorities as they attempt to manage the crisis. The ongoing conflict is also detrimental to the region’s efforts to attract foreign direct investment.

Cabo Delgado is home to a US$ 20 billion liquefied natural gas (LNG) project led by Total, a major French oil and gas company. The construction of the project, which is supposed to be completed in 2024, has been halted due to the worsening violence. The instability in Mozambique and its impact on the LNG project may damage investor confidence in the region as a whole.

Additionally, the Islamist ideology that the young militants of ASWJ subscribe to is gaining popularity along the entire Swahili Coast (from Southern Somalia to Northern Mozambique). This ideology, and the Swahili-speaking extremist clerics who promote it, has the potential to radicalise other vulnerable populations in the region, particularly in Muslim youth in southern Tanzania.

Lessons from other responses to Islamist insurgencies in Africa

The West African experience with Boko Haram and the Horn of Africa’s experience with al Shabab offer key lessons for policymakers working to tackle the emerging insurgency in Mozambique.

First, both highlight the ability of jihadists to move across borders to conduct operations. For example, Boko Haram, although based primarily in Nigeria, launched attacks across the Lake Chad Region. Similarly, al Shabab has successfully attacked targets in Kenya and Uganda. It has also attempted to conduct attacks in Ethiopia.

Mozambique and its regional partners should work to develop a framework both for the sharing of intelligence as well as to resolve jurisdictional issues should the insurgency expand into neighboring countries. Both experiences also demonstrate the dangers of a highly militarised approach to dealing with jihadists.

The heavy-handed approach that drove Nigeria’s early efforts to deal with Boko Haram proved ineffective at degrading the group’s capacity and “deeply alienated” the civilian population in the region.

In Somalia, despite a decade-long, highly militarised counterinsurgency operation, al Shabab was able to collect more revenue than the Somali government this past year. The Mozambican government must avoid a similarly ham-fisted response and ensure it incorporates community outreach and assistance into its approach. source: Horn Institute and Dryad Global

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Shippers on the ropes as long-term rates hit highs, while Ever Given chaos continues

 

Xeneta container rates alert:

Long-term contracted ocean freight rates are continuing their dizzying ascent, with a 4.1% climb in April leaving container shipping costs up 21.1% year-on-year, with a rise of 23.5% since December 2020.

According to the latest market intelligence from Xeneta’s XSI® Public Indices report for the long-term contract market, prices escalated across all major global trade corridors in April, with no immediate relief for shippers in sight. On the contrary, the fallout from Ever Given’s Suez Canal blockage has added further pressure to supply chains already stretched by lack of capacity, equipment shortage, port congestion, and the continued ramifications of coronavirus.

Double hit

Xeneta’s XSI® crowd sources the very latest long-term contracted rates from leading shippers and freight forwarders, utilising over 280 million data points, with more than 160,000 port-to-port pairings, to deliver real-time rates insights every month. A short-term XSI®, mapping fluctuating short-term rates, launched to the market last week.

“It’s been another incredible month, in a unique year, for the container shipping segment,” comments Xeneta CEO Patrik Berglund. “In the US we continue to see severe delays and bottlenecks, with strong demand – driven in part by changing e-commerce habits – driving rate development. Some shippers are reportedly paying double the contracted rates they enjoyed just one year ago.

“Meanwhile, in Europe, the Suez Canal incident has created a backlog that has seen ports overwhelmed with cargo, while sailing schedules have suffered a ‘domino effect’ disruption. Here we can expect to see implications stretching well into May, and even June. Furthermore, shippers with cargoes on the affected ships have had initial delays to goods exacerbated by carriers dumping containers wherever they can in a rush to load available empty containers and get back on track.

This means a rash of consignments are stranded in the wrong locations with no plans to rescue them. Seen as a whole the situation leaves carriers in a position of supreme strength, essentially able to pick and choose assignments and customers, and does not bode well for shippers desperate for much-needed rates relief.”

Universal gains

There was, Berglund points out, anything but relief in April. All trade corridors on the long-term XSI® showed indicators pointing relentlessly upwards. In Europe the imports benchmark continued towards the stratosphere, climbing by 5.4% month-on-month to end 43% up against April 2020, and a huge 47.7% up since the start of 2021. Exports increased by 2.3%, showing a more modest 7.3% year-on-year gain.

Far East imports edged up 0.2%, some 15.7% up against the same period last year, while exports showed more marked improvement – appreciating a further 5.3% month-on-month to stand 43.9% up against April 2020 (39.4% since the beginning of the year). Both US benchmarks also showed positive development, with imports climbing 3.5% (up 3.8% year-on-year) and exports rising 3.3%. However, this final figure is the market anomaly, remaining 5.7% down against April last year, even though this year has seen an overall climb of 5.6%.

In addition to this current snapshot, Xeneta also cautions that the short-term XSI® is now showing increases on trans-Atlantic trade lanes, suggesting further long-term rates pain for shippers may lie ahead.

Peak performance

“It’s undoubtedly excellent news for carriers,” adds Berglund, “and we continue to see the manifestation of that in company financials. For example, OOCL has revealed revenues of US$3 billion for the first quarter, a staggering 96% higher than this time last year, driven by both higher volumes (up 28.3%) and significantly higher revenues per container, up 58.3%. This comes on the back of last month’s sensational results from Maersk, CMA CGM, and Hapag-Lloyd, amongst others.

“It’s also worth noting pro-active strategies from some players to make the most of market opportunity. Here we can again reference Hapag-Lloyd, which has announced a EURO 550 million investment in new containers – one of the industry’s largest ever orders. In an environment where equipment is in short supply, this is an ambitious move to shorten turnaround times, improve service and secure added market share.”

Seizing opportunity

Berglund concludes that it is difficult to see any short- to medium-term decline in rates in a segment that is currently ‘in overdrive’.

“Negotiations are difficult,” he says, “so it’s important to keep abreast of the latest intelligence and maintain a limber strategy to make the most of opportunity, wherever it arises. That’s really the key to all stakeholders getting the maximum value for their business in such a competitive, dynamic and always exciting marketplace.”

To get the full XSI® Public Indices report for the long-term market, please CLICK HERE

and the daily XSI® short-term market rate movements for 12 main trade lanes are available xsi.xeneta.com

Xeneta, a leading ocean freight rate benchmarking and market intelligence platform, provides liner-shipping stakeholders the data needed to understand current and historical market behaviour – reporting live on market average and low/high movements for both short and long-term contracts. To learn more, SEE HERE

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Ship owners’ pay cut demands a ‘slap in the face’ for seafarers

 

Nautilus International has condemned the refusal of ship owners to approve a standard pay uplift for seafarers as ‘disgraceful’. This was learnt from a statement from Nautilus International issued on 28 April.

Seafarers’ unions took the extraordinary decision to shut down pay discussions at the International Labour Organization (ILO), after ship owners represented by the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) demanded that the industry ditch the established practice of using objective ILO minimum wage calculations before they would approve any pay rise.

It is understood that the ILO Minimum Wage for Seafarers is a long-established mechanism to prevent seafarers worldwide from being exploited. It ensures that their wages are tied to inflation, so that their purchasing power is not diluted over time.

US$1.40 per day rise

This year, the proposed US$1.40 per day pay rise from the rate agreed in 2018 represents less than the price of a cup of coffee, it was reported.

Meanwhile international shipping rates are at all-time highs and most ship owners have performed well financially during the Covid-19 pandemic, even as seafarers have battled with exhaustion and overwork during the crew change crisis.

Nautilus general secretary Mark Dickinson, who acts as Seafarers’ Group spokesperson at the ILO and vice-chair of the Seafarers’ Section of the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF), commented: “For only the second time in the long history of these negotiations the ship owners and the seafarers have failed to agree a revised minimum wage for seafarers. That’s wholly the fault of the ship owners, who have behaved with such an astounding lack of self-awareness and a lack of respect for the sacrifices of seafarers – especially these past 14 months.

“Seafarers are heroes of the pandemic. They have sacrificed time and again. They have literally risked their lives so that these companies could survive Covid-19 and its economic effects. And now the thanks they get is a slap in the face from the ship owners who are essentially making them choose between pay cuts now or pay cuts later. It’s disgraceful.

“By initially holding to ransom any kind of pay rise – even a dollar – to their plan to blow up the ILO formula, the ship owners expose their long-term strategy to undermine the social dialogue that has been so critical to the success and stability of this industry for years, and in doing so threaten the cooperation that we’ve seen throughout the global pandemic.”

Dickinson further emphasised that research from the International Transport Workers’ Federation shows a quarter of seafarers are considering quitting the industry due to the ongoing crew change crisis, and another 23% of seafarers were unsure about their future, suggesting a seafarer supply crunch was looming.

Pushing wage cuts now or in the future would therefore represent a ‘total own goal’ for ship owners. Companies were increasingly sharing their private concerns about labour supply to union officials behind closed doors, he revealed.

He continued: “Sadly, the result of the ship owners’ pay freeze is a pay cut in real terms – accelerating an industry labour shortage. It’s hard enough for these companies to recruit seafarers with the crew change issue, I would have thought now would be the time to be investing in your people and making this an industry more attractive to join – not less.

“We’ve heard time and time again from ship owners and their representatives that they care about the seafarers, that seafarers are vital, and critical to our industry and the global supply chain. But the moment it comes to recognise the contribution of seafarers and value them practically, by respecting institutions most fundamental to seafarers’ welfare and delivering a modest real wage increase – the ship owners show their true colours.”

The failure to agree a rate means that the ITF will now unilaterally determine the ILO minimum wage rate.

In conclusion Dickinson said: “Unlike the ship owners we will respect and keep faith with the ILO formula, which is fair and objective.

“We maintain that the revised ILO minimum wage for an able seafarer is a minimum of US$683 per month from the first of January 2022 and we will advise our affiliates and the ILO Governing Body accordingly.

“We are now preparing to engage robustly with industry stakeholders and wider society to promulgate our views. We will use the extensive networks and media profile established during the crew change crisis to support our campaign for pay fairness for seafarers.

“Our door remains open for further talks should common sense prevail.”

About Nautilus International

Nautilus International is the trade union and professional organisation for maritime professionals at sea and ashore. It represents 20,000 maritime professionals including ship masters, officers, cadets and shipping industry personnel, such as maritime pilots, inland navigation workers, vessel traffic services operators (similar to air traffic control), harbourmasters, seafarers in the oil and gas industry, and shore-based staff.

 

Edited by Paul Ridgway
London

 

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Total declares ‘force majeure’ on its Mozambique LNG project

With no return until war is over

Earlier this week (Monday 26 April) French oil company Total declared ‘force majeure’ on its Mozambique LNG project, due to the security situation in the north of Cabo Delgado.

The declaration was made by Total headquarters in Paris. SEE HERE

This, Total said, followed the withdrawal of all Mozambique LNG project personnel from the Afungi site near Palma. “This situation leads Total, as operator of Mozambique LNG project, to declare ‘force majeure’,” Total said.

Declaring ‘force majeure’ means that because of an event beyond the control of the contracting parties, in this case the war [with Islamic insurgents], Total declares that it has no liabilities, obligations or responsibilities under its contracts on the LNG project. ‘Force majeure’ is not a cancellation of contracts, but their suspension until the problem has been resolved, writes Joseph Hanlon in his weekly Mozambique newsletter.

The National Petroleum Institute (INP) in a statement this week warned that Total’s action could lead to Total “suspending or cancelling more contracts with suppliers of goods and services.”

In its statement, the French company goes on to say: “Total expresses its solidarity with the government and people of Mozambique and wishes that the actions carried out by the government of Mozambique and its regional and international partners will enable the restoration of security and stability in Cabo Delgado province in a sustained manner.”

The phrase “restoration of security and stability in Cabo Delgado province in a sustained manner” means Total is not coming back until the war is completely over, and that it will no longer accept just a security zone around Afungi, Hanlon writes.

According to Hanlon, this suggests Total has decided not to accept a permanent war, as it has in the Niger Delta of Nigeria.

Last week Mozambique’s Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy, Max Tonela, said that Total would maintain the “main contracts” of the natural gas project in Cabo Delgado, with only contracts with “subcontracted companies” being cancelled.

The minister was answering questions in the Assembly of the Republic in Maputo. He said there were several subcontractors that are having their contracts cancelled but claimed they would be easily re-mobilised when the project is resumed.

“Regarding the Total project in Afungi, we can guarantee that the government is working to restore security in the areas affected by the terrorist attacks in Cabo Delgado,” Tonela said.

It is considered unlikely that Total will return to the Afungi site this year, leaving a number of sub-contractors who made significant investments in anticipation of the main contract going ahead, and who now find themselves in financial difficulty.

Since the attack and seizure of the town of Palma in March, government authorities have regained control, which was made possible by the insurgents withdrawing after just a couple of days of occupation. According to reports much looting by the terrorists took place but this looting continued after government forces moved back into the town.

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2021 World Day for Safety and Health at Work

Statement by IMO Secretary-General, Kitack Lim

“Today, on 28 April, we celebrate World Day for Safety and Health at Work. This has always been an important day for the maritime sector and for the International Maritime Organization (IMO), which is responsible for the safety and security of shipping. This day is particularly significant in light of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

“While everyone around the world has been impacted by the pandemic to some extent, this crisis has taken a particularly hard toll on seafarers, who have continued to operate as key workers in the global supply chain. On any given day, one million seafarers are working on some 60,000 large cargo vessels worldwide to ensure the flow of international trade. Much of IMO’s important work centres on keeping these seafarers, and the ships they operate, safe and secure.

“Despite a lack of access to repatriation, shore leave and crew change, seafarers have ensured that people continue to receive deliveries of food, PPE, equipment needed to work from home and, of course, medications including vaccines.

“Seafarers are integral to helping the world and various economies recover from Covid-19 and they can only do so if they are assured of a safe working environment. Seafarers need unhindered access to medical care when required. They need to be granted access to travel and transit for crew changes so that crew can be relieved when their contracts end, to prevent their physical and mental health from suffering.

“IMO has issued regularly updated protocols to allow crew changes to take place as safely as possible. Allowing unhindered crew changes means that rested, physically able seafarers will be crewing these complex vessels, ensuring a safe work environment and safe voyages.

“More than 80% of the world’s goods by volume are carried by sea, making it imperative to take every step we can to keep maritime workers healthy, and ensuring the safety of navigation.

“I commend the 58 IMO Member States that have already granted shipping workers this key worker status. I urge IMO Member States to designate seafarers as key workers and grant them priority access to vaccines and travel and transit.

“As we work towards a safer tomorrow for every one of us, we must make sure that we all honour the seafarers and other key workers that are helping us along the way, by keeping them safe.”

 

Reported by Paul Ridgway
London

 

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Mozambique’s Transmaritima faces uncertain future

The Mozambique government is to decide the future of Transportes Marítimos Lda, otherwise known as Transmaritima, which operates maritime passenger and goods services in certain places in the country.

A discussion is currently taking place over the future of the shipping activities, which largely involve the carrying of passengers between Maputo and Inhaca Island and in the Inhambane Bay area.

Transmaritima is a limited liability company 100 percent owned by the Mozambican state.

In Maputo Bay the State Holdings Management Institute (IGEPE) has issued three possible solutions to the problem of what has become diminished traffic between the capital and the nearby Inhaca Island.

Two factors are considered the reason for the downturn – the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic which may have influenced less people making the crossing; and the effect of the new Maputo Bay – KaTembe Bridge, which provides quick access to the southern side of Maputo Bay.

IGEPE says it is considering the liquidation of the company, alternately of passing the equipment including the vessels, to the municipalities involved for their management and provision of services.

A third alternative is to sell Transmaritima to private enterprise.

“We are thinking about liquidating the company or passing the equipment to the municipalities or even selling the state’s shares to private individuals,” IGEPE administrator Raimundo Matule confirmed to the Mozambique newspaper Notícias.

According to Matule, in Maputo, equipment could be transferred to municipal management, which could continue to ensure the crossing between the city and Inhaca island.

Another option for the municipality would then be to adapt the vessel for the tourism sector in the bay area.

“IGEPE believes that, in the post-Covid-19 period, Maputo municipality may want to develop ways for national and foreign tourists to make trips on the [bay] crossing,” he told Notícias.

In Inhambane Bay, Transmaritima equipment may also be transferred to the management of local municipal authorities or to the provincial government, as a means of furthering the decentralisation model underway in the country.

IGEPE stressed it was seeking for ways of ensuring the restructuring of Transmaritima to ensure the survival of the company and the employment of workers in the company.

Matule described the situation as another example of a state-owned company being unable to keep up with changes in the market. “That is why we are going to continue to restructure the state business sector, and our plans at this time extend all the way to 2030,” he said.   source: Notícias

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FLNG CORAL SUL TO ARRIVE OFF CABO DELGADO IN DECEMBER

The floating gas production platform, CORAL SUL, is now due to take up station in northern Mozambique waters this December, several months earlier than originally expected.

In Maputo Mozambique’s President Filipe Nyusi announced this saying that the platform, with a capability of producing 3.4 million tons of liquefied natural gas per year (mtpa), may now be able to achieve the target of commencing production in 2022.

Coral Sul, which is under construction in South Korea, will be the first to produce natural gas in the Rovuma Basin. It had been forecast that the FLNG would arrive in the first quarter of next year.

The platform is part of the Area 4 consortium led by Exxon Mobil and Italian oil firm Eni from the Coral Sul gas reserves.

Unlike the troubled Total consortium production facility on the Afungi peninsula, just outside the harbour town of Palma, the Coral Sul FLNG will operate out at sea, although there may be certain security issues that will require addressing.

When offshore drilling first took place some years ago off the southern Tanzanian coast, relatively close to the Mozambique gas Area 4 exploration area, the oil companies had to introduce security measures after threats emerged from persons operating from the land and using small craft.

LNG tankers will be able to load product direct from the FLNG which will be connected to the underwater wells by pipelines.

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IN CONVERSATION: Why Ghana doesn’t get the full value of its cocoa beans – and how this could change

Sophie Van Huellen, SOAS, University of London

The global chocolate industry is worth over US$150 billion. West Africa supplies 70% of the cocoa beans, but most of the value in a chocolate bar is generated in Europe and North America. West African economies receive less than US$6 billion. This is despite a growing demand for consumer chocolate in West Africa, some of which is satisfied through imports.

The pattern is typical in economies that mostly rely on exporting raw materials. They have to choose between generating revenue from these commodity exports and adding value to products locally. The trade-off arises because industries that add value take time to build up and tend to supply the domestic market first before being able to compete internationally. Value addition does not immediately generate foreign exchange. The choice is usually in favour of exporting primary commodities, because foreign exchange earnings cannot be compromised.

In a recent study, my colleagues and I showed how this dilemma plays out in Ghana’s cocoa industry. We also proposed a solution which preserves foreign exchange earnings while utilising Ghana’s existing marketing system to support a growing domestic chocolate industry.

Ghana risks being trapped

Exports of raw cocoa beans are a key source of foreign exchange for Ghana’s central bank. Ghana’s cocoa sector is regulated by the state-owned marketing board Cocobod. Cocobod has a monopoly, through its subsidiary Cocoa Marketing Company, over the marketing of Ghanaian cocoa beans.

Cocobod, via its marketing company, obtains cheap US dollar loans on international markets, using cocoa contracts as collateral. With few exceptions, only contracts with multinational buyers qualify as collateral since domestic buyers tend to have poor credit ratings and small balance sheets. In this way, Cocobod has secured nearly US$25 billion over the past 28 years. The Bank of Ghana needs these US dollars to maintain a foreign reserve and stabilise local currency.

Ghana has increased its own cocoa processing in recent years, from 200,000 tonnes to 400,000 tonnes in 2019, but it mostly remains at the stage of semi-finished products. The major share of value in a chocolate bar is still generated abroad.

The reason is the importance of cocoa for Ghana’s foreign exchange earnings. Policies prioritise cocoa trade for foreign exchange rather than adding value domestically.

Cocoa processing companies in Ghana operate in an export zone called the Ghana Free Zones which gives incentives to firms that export a minimum of 70% of their products. They are also eligible for tax exemptions on imports of raw materials and machinery. So there’s support for domestic processing if the products are exported, but not if they are produced for the domestic market.

Chocolate production for the domestic consumer market is further discouraged by an extreme tax rate of nearly 60% on domestic sales of chocolate and semi-finished cocoa products. For example, natural cocoa butter is presently sold at an export price of around US$4,600 per tonne but sold locally at around US$7,300 per tonne.

Sales within the free zone are tax exempt, but the tax applies to domestic chocolate makers operating outside the free zone. These small players have a double hurdle: they must buy semi-finished cocoa products at an extreme tax rate and pay additional tax on sugar and milk imports. This means their chocolate products can’t compete with imported ones.

There’s another obstacle too: Ghana sells its cocoa beans in US dollars to both domestic and multinational buyers. This puts domestic buyers at a disadvantage against their multinational competitors. Multinational companies access US dollar funding via their parent companies abroad, and on a bigger balance sheet. Domestic companies rely on the domestic banking sector and export development banks, which have limited ability to extend US dollar credit.

Among the cocoa processing factories in Ghana are top global cocoa processors Barry Callebaut, Cargill and Olam. Only two Ghanaian owned factories, the state dominated Cocoa Processing Company (Golden Tree brand) and Niche Cocoa, make chocolate for the domestic consumer market. In addition and despite the tax burden, small-scale artisan chocolate makers, including 57 Chocolate, Midunu Chocolates and Omama Royal Chocolate have emerged.

Stunting their ability to add more value carries a risk. Ghana could fall into a trap where it cannot move beyond the stage of primary processing or low value addition. To truly benefit from its resource wealth in terms of income generation and job creation, Ghana has to move into higher value addition activities.

A way out of the trap

Ghana’s cocoa financing relies on offshore US dollar funding and benefits the Bank of Ghana by providing foreign reserves. It also benefits Cocobod by providing credit at lower interest rates than it could get in Ghana. We propose using the existing system to promote domestic cocoa processing.

Instead of requiring Ghanaian cocoa factories to borrow expensive US dollars to buy cocoa beans, Cocoa Marketing Company could market primary processed cocoa products to overseas buyers on behalf of domestic processors. Making sure the product is bought guarantees the US dollar income needed to pay for the cocoa beans that go into the products.

A review of the export zone tax on chocolate and semi-finished cocoa products should offer smaller confectionery makers access to cheaper semi-finished products. Niche Confectionery, for example, has shown how a tax reduction can help develop a domestic chocolate industry. The chocolate producer sources semi-finished cocoa products via its parent company Niche Cocoa, which benefits from the free zone tax exemptions.

A year ago, Ghana’s President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo made a powerful statement during his state visit to Switzerland, one of Ghana’s major trading partners. He announced that Ghana no longer wants to be dependent on the export of primary commodities, including cocoa beans. It intends to process 50% of annual cocoa domestically and, by extension, expand domestic chocolate production.

Ghana has made remarkable progress on expanding primary cocoa processing and chocolate production capacity. Now it is time to develop a vibrant domestic chocolate industry and benefit from a 1.3 billion strong market provided by the African Continental Free Trade Area.

This article was co-authored with Fuad Mohammed Abubakar, an independent researcher.

Sophie Van Huellen, Lecturer,Department of Economics, SOAS, University of London

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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Marine aids to navigation:
MENAS launches accredited training courses

Bahrain-based Middle East Navigation Aids Service (MENAS) has underlined its commitment to boosting safe navigation in the Middle East Gulf by launching an Accredited Training Course (ATO) in partnership with the International Association of Marine Aids to Navigation and Lighthouse Authorities (IALA).

The ATO accreditation was awarded after a rigorous process undertaken by Trinity House London under an existing agreement between IALA and Trinity House for training audits.

The IALA Marine Aids to Navigation Training Courses have been designed to generate a common approach to Aids to Navigation (AtoN) training and achieve a high standard approach to its implementation. The courses are delivered according to the IALA World-Wide Academy (WWA) model course syllabus.

Government and semi-government departments within the Gulf Cooperation Council member states will be targeted for the courses, which will start once the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic has eased off.

The initial delivery will be IALA Level 2 Marine Aids to Navigation Technician courses providing a framework for the training and education of personnel tasked with conducting the installation, servicing, maintenance or replacement of marine aids to navigation and their components.

Subsequently, MENAS will deliver the IALA Level 1 Marine Aids to Navigation Manager course, providing a framework for the training and education of professionals involved in the strategic and operational management of AtoN services. This course covers the fundamental principles of effective AtoN management, with a significant emphasis on the implementation of the IALA standards, to enable coastal states to have suitably qualified professionals to effectively discharge their obligations under the SOLAS Convention.

MENAS, which is a subsidiary of the London-based International Foundation for Aids to Navigation (IFAN), welcomed the move.

Mahdi Al Mosawi, General Manager for MENAS, stressed: “We are delighted to have developed a course to help provide a universal approach to ensure thorough training and standards are maintained globally.”

Peter Stanley, CEO of IFAN, added: “The IALA Marine Aids to Navigation Training Courses will help to keep safety at the forefront. It’s taken a long time to come to fruition, but we’re thrilled that we’re now able to support training for safer seas.”

 

Edited by Paul Ridgway
London

 

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BREAKING NEWS: SAMSA COO Sobantu Tilayi and two management colleagues suspended

The South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) announced tonight (Tuesday, 27 April 2021) that it has placed three executives of the organisation on “precautionary suspension” with immediate effect to allow a forensic investigation to take place.

The most senior of the three is the Chief Operations Officer (COO), the highly visible Mr Sobantu Tilayi, who for several years until recently has been the Acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the company.

The other two persons on suspension are the Company Secretary, Mr M Raphadu and Chief Human Capital Officer, Ms Lesego Mashishi.

The three executives are under precautionary suspension with pay.

It appears the surprise action taken by SAMSA is a result of whistle blowing and reports of alleged misconduct received from external and internal stakeholders.

A thorough forensic investigation will be undertaken on the range of serious allegations related to the three executives, SAMSA said.

“The precautionary suspensions will provide an opportunity for the Board to undertake an independent forensic investigation. These suspensions are necessary to ensure that the Board investigations are efficient and free of any potential interference in order to be completed within a reasonable time frame.”

In the interim, the SAMSA Board has mandated the SAMSA Acting Chief Executive Officer to appoint suitable officials to act in all three positions for the duration of precautionary suspensions in order to ensure business continuity.

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PIRACY: 15 abducted seafarers from Davide B are released

It has been reported by De Poli Shipmanagement that all 15 of the seafarers who were abducted by pirates who boarded their ship, the DAVIDE B in mid-March* have been released.

It is assumed that a ransom was probably paid to secure their release, thus once again the criminals who make up the pirates who search the Gulf of Guinea for ships to attack, together with their associates ashore, have succeeded in their activity with little fear of retribution.

The Maltese-flagged 19,800-dwt chemical products tanker was approached on 11 March by pirates who succeeded not only in boarding but in capturing most if not all of the crew before the could take refuge in a citadel on the ship.

As a result the pirates were able to abduct 15 of the crew who were taken ashore and held for over a month while negotiations were opened with the ship’s owners and management.

According to De Poli’s CEO, Chiara de Poli, the seafarers have been in contact with their families since their release. All crew members are in a relatively good condition given the difficult circumstances they have been under in the last four weeks. They will be receiving medical checks and are being repatriated to their home countries as soon as possible.

Speaking from Barendrecht, de Poli said she is relieved and delighted the seafarers are safe and can return to their families in Eastern Europe and The Philippines.

“The past weeks have been an extremely difficult period for everyone, in particular for our 15 seafarers and their families. We admire our crew members for their courage during this period and like to thank their families for their patience and resilience during a time of great uncertainty.”

* To see the report of the attack on the Davide B in Africa PORTS & SHIPS CLICK HERE

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Shipping during COVID-19: Why container freight rates have surged

UNCTAD examines the complex factors behind the unprecedented shortage of containers hampering trade’s recovery, and how to avoid a similar situation in the future

 

When the ultra-large container ship Ever Given blocked traffic in the Suez Canal for almost a week in March, it triggered a new surge in container spot freight rates, which had finally started to settle from the all-time highs reached during the Covid-19 pandemic. This was according to UNCTAD in a news item issued on 23 April

Shipping rates are a major component of trade costs, so the new hike poses an additional challenge to the world economy as it struggles to recover from the worst global crisis since the Great Depression, it is understood.

Jan Hoffmann, head of UNCTAD’s trade and logistics branch commented: ‘The Ever Given incident reminded the world just how much we rely on shipping. About 80% of the goods we consume are carried by ships, but we easily forget this.’

Container rates have a particular impact on global trade, since almost all manufactured goods – including clothes, medicines and processed food products – are shipped in containers.

Hoffmann added: ‘The ripples will hit most consumers. Many businesses won’t be able to bear the brunt of the higher rates and will pass them on to their customers.’

A new UNCTAD policy brief examines why freight rates surged during the pandemic and what must be done to avoid a similar situation in the future.

Unprecedented shortage

Contrary to expectations, demand for container shipping has grown during the pandemic, bouncing back quickly from an initial slowdown.

UNCTAD’s policy brief indicated: ‘Changes in consumption and shopping patterns triggered by the pandemic, including a surge in electronic commerce, as well as lockdown measures, have in fact led to increased import demand for manufactured consumer goods, a large part of which is moved in shipping containers. Maritime trade flows further increased as some governments eased lockdowns and approved national stimulus packages, and businesses stocked up in anticipation of new waves of the pandemic.’

The paper continued: ‘The increase in demand was stronger than expected and did not meet with a sufficient supply of shipping capacity resulting in the subsequent and unprecedented shortage of empty containers.

‘Carriers, ports and shippers were all taken by surprise. Empty boxes were left in places where they were not needed, and repositioning had not been planned for.’

Underlying causes are complex and include changing trade patterns and imbalances, capacity management by carriers at the beginning of the crisis and ongoing Covid-19-related delays in transport connection points, such as ports.

Rates to developing regions skyrocket

The impact on freight rates has been greatest on trade routes to developing regions, where consumers and businesses can least afford it.

Currently, rates to South America and western Africa are higher than to any other major trade region. By early 2021, for example, freight rates from China to South America had jumped 443% compared with 63% on the route between Asia and North America’s eastern coast.

Part of the explanation lies in the fact that routes from China to countries in South America and Africa are often longer. More ships are required for weekly service on these routes, meaning many containers are also “stuck” on these routes.

To continue with the UNCTAD policy brief: ‘When empty containers are scarce, an importer in Brazil or Nigeria must pay not only for the transport of the full import container but also for the inventory holding cost of the empty container.’

Another factor is the lack of return cargo. South American and western African nations import more manufactured goods than they export, and it is costly for carriers to return empty boxes to China on long routes.

How to avoid future shortages

To help reduce the likelihood of a similar situation in the future, the UNCTAD policy brief highlights three issues that need attention: (i) advancing trade facilitation reforms, (ii) improving maritime trade tracking and forecasting, and (iii) strengthening national competition authorities.

First, policymakers need to implement reforms to make trade easier and less costly, many of which are enshrined in the World Trade Organization’s Trade Facilitation Agreement.

By reducing physical contact between workers in the shipping industry, such reforms, which rely on modernising trade procedures, would also make supply chains more resilient and protect employees better.

Shortly after Covid-19 struck, UNCTAD provided a 10-point action plan to keep ships moving, ports open and trade flowing during the pandemic.

The organization has also joined forces with the UN’s regional commissions to help developing countries fast-track such reforms and tackle trade and transport challenges made evident by the pandemic.

Second, policymakers need to promote transparency and encourage collaboration along the maritime supply chain to improve how port calls and liner schedules are monitored.

Furthermore, it is UNCTAD’s advice that governments must ensure competition authorities have the resources and expertise needed to investigate potentially abusive practices in the shipping industry. Although the pandemic’s disruptive nature is at the core of the container shortage, certain strategies by carriers may have delayed the repositioning of containers at the beginning of the crisis.

In conclusion, UNCTAD stated that providing the necessary oversight is more challenging for authorities in developing countries, who often lack resources and expertise in international container shipping.

 

Edited by Paul Ridgway
London

 

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WHARF TALK: Maersk Varna, regular caller on Maersk Lines’ US East Coast AMEX service

Picture is by ‘Dockrat’

Report by Jay Gates

A regular caller on Maersk Lines AMEX service between South Africa and the east coast of the USA, MAERSK VARNA (IMO 9411379) was another container vessel caught up in the delays to berthing on arrival in Cape Town. She arrived from Durban on 14 April at 07h00 and went straight to the anchorage, where she remained for 4 days. On 18 April at 02h00 she berthed in Cape Town harbour at the Multi-Purpose Container Terminal (MPCT) at F Berth in the Duncan Dock. She sailed for Newark, in New Jersey, USA on 21 April at 10h00.

Built in 2011 by the Dalian Shipbuilding Industry Group at Dalian in China, Maersk Varna is 180 metres in length, has a deadweight of 26,021 tons and a container capacity of 1,810 TEU. She is powered by a single MAN-B&W 7S60MC-C main engine producing 22,341 bhp (16,660 kW).

One of four sister ships built at this shipyard for the Maersk Line, with all of the sisters being named after European places beginning with ‘V’, with Varna (Bulgaria), Visby (Sweden), Vilnius (Lithuania) and Vallvik (Sweden). She is owned by AP Moller of Singapore and managed by Maersk Line Vessel Management of Rotterdam.

The rotation of the Maersk AMEX service is Newark, Baltimore, Norfolk, Charleston (all USA east coast), Freeport (Bahamas), Ngqura, Durban and Cape Town.

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Bolloré Ports & partners order 36 electric tractors for Abidjan’s second container terminal

As part of the project on the second container terminal in the Port of Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire Terminal has placed an order for 36 electric towing tractor vehicles from the manufacturer Gaussin. The new cargo handling machines will equip the future container terminal, construction work on which was launched in October 2020 by Côte d’Ivoire Terminal.

The order, for a total of €9.9 million (6.5 billion CFA francs), is one of the commitments made by the leading
shareholders of Côte d’Ivoire Terminal, Bolloré Ports and APM Terminals as part of the public-private partnership signed with the Côte d’Ivoire authorities. It is notably part of the objective to make the new port a pioneer in eco-responsibility.

The electric towing vehicles, to be delivered in late 2021, are 100% electric and emit no CO2 emissions or noise pollution and will reduce the cost of energy consumed at the terminal by 70%. Powered by LMP® batteries by Blue Solutions, the new handling machines offer top-level reliability, range and safety.

A result of the synergies between Bolloré Ports, Blue Solutions and Gaussin, the electric tractor vehicles will
reduce the environmental footprint of the future container terminal. Côte d’Ivoire Terminal plans to promote eco-responsible logistics solutions on the West African coast that are more respectful of people and their environment and which contribute to the Green Terminal certification programme.

“This electric equipment, combined with the efforts to protect biodiversity, will shrink the carbon footprint of South Africa’s business activities. This is a priority for us. The aim of Côte d’Ivoire Terminal is to innovate and accelerate its energy transition with the support of the Autonomous Port of Abidjan. The success of the initial electric towing vehicles rolled out by Gaussin at other port terminals in Africa bears out the relevance of our choice,” said Koen De Backker, Managing Director of Côte d’Ivoire Terminal.

About Côte d’Ivoire Terminal

Following an international call for bids, the Bolloré Ports and APM Terminals consortium won the contract on the construction and management of the second container terminal in the Port of Abidjan. Through an investment of over 262 billion CFA francs, work on the construction of the future Côte d’Ivoire Terminal will be completed in 2022. With a surface area of 37.5 hectares, the new container terminal will be able to process over 1.5 million TEU containers a year and welcome ships with a draught of 16 metres on 1,100 metres of wharves. The terminal will generate 450 direct jobs and thousands of indirect jobs. It will contribute to the upskilling and training of young Ivorians in the port professions and the handling of latest-generation equipment.

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IMO introduces National Maritime Transport Policies

Readers wishing to find out more about the NMPT concept are invited to see both video animation above [2:49]

IMO is continuing to introduce countries to the concept of National Maritime Transport Policies (NMTPs).

Officials from ten countries, including Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Islands Developing States (SIDS) took part in the 4th Advanced Maritime Leaders’ Programme held remotely on 20 April.

IMO and World Maritime University experts covered the development, formulation and content of an NMTP. The objective is to achieve the maritime vision of a country and ensure the sector is governed in an efficient, sustainable, safe and environmentally-sound manner.

It was reported that the session included an example of a sample policy decision made at an IMO body, allowing participants to better understand the context and issues to consider before transposing such a decision into their own NMTP. It also gave the opportunity for those who attended to intervene with specific questions related to NMTP.

The event was organised by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore Academy (MPAA).

Also see the following YouTube video ‘What is a National Maritime Transport Policy?’ [5:03]

 

Edited by Paul Ridgway
London

 

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WHARF TALK: Chesapeake, former Lykes Line vessel, revisits Durban and Cape Town

report by Jay Gates

Arriving in Cape Town from Durban on 21 April at 11h00 was the CHESAPEAKE BAY (IMO 9238765), which took the berth vacated 30 minutes earlier by Maersk Varna (see report above), namely F berth at the Multi-Purpose Container Terminal in the Duncan Dock.

Built in 2003 and carrying a name well remembered in Southern African shipping circles, but sadly now long gone, Chesapeake Bay was launched as Lykes Adventurer at the Samsung Shipbuilding and Heavy Industries shipyard in Geoje in South Korea. She is 260 metres in length, has a deadweight of 50,790 tons and a container capacity of 4,253 TEU.

 

Operating on the Ocean Network Express (ONE) AIM service, which plies between Africa, India and the Middle East, hence the AIM acronym, Chesapeake Bay has been owned and operated by Eastern Pacific Shipping of Singapore since 2019. She is powered by a MAN-B&W 8K90MC-C main engine producing 48,920 bhp (36,991 kW) which drives the vessel along at a service speed of 24.5 knots.

On 29 March 2017, whilst on a voyage between Cape Town and Singapore, under her previous name of Thuringia, she requested urgent medical assistance via the MRCC at Cape Town. The Pan Medico call was due to a crewmember receiving a serious work-related injury below deck, whilst 60 miles off Port Elizabeth. The decision was made by the MRCC Duty Doctor to evacuate the injured seaman to hospital and the MRCC tasked the NSRI base at Port Elizabeth to effect the rescue, requesting Thuringia to alter course and divert towards Port Elizabeth.

The NSRI launched the Eikos Rescuer IV from Port Elizabeth with EMS rescue paramedics aboard and rendezvoused with the vessel 11 miles from Port Elizabeth. The injured seaman was stabilised onboard Thuringia and transferred safely, by stokes rescue stretcher, to the NSRI vessel who made their way back to Port Elizabeth. He was transferred directly to a local hospital in a serious, but stable, condition and made a full recovery.

The current ONE AIM service route of Chesapeake Bay links Jebel Ali (Dubai), Mundra, Nhava Sheva (India), Colombo (Sri Lanka), Durban, Cape Town, Tema (Ghana), Lagos (Nigeria), Cape Town, Durban and Jebel Ali.

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Deadlock over Transnet wage negotiations

Transnet announced on Friday (23 April 2021) that wage negotiations between itself and the recognised labour unions had reached a deadlock, following a lack of agreement during the second round of talks.

The negotiations took place with the South African Transport and Allied Union (SATAWU) and the United National Transport Union (UNTU) on behalf of the bargaining unit employees, under the Transnet Bargaining Council.

“The difficult economic climate and the resultant decline in the operational and financial performance of the company means Transnet is not in a position to accede to the demands made by the unions in the Bargaining Council,” Transnet said.

“In the current context, Transnet believes its offer is reasonable and realistic.”

The state-owned company said it is important to note that for the nine months to December 2020, Transnet reported a decline in volumes transported, resulting in lower revenues – primarily as a result of the economic downturn.

“The company’s priority focus is to ensure improvements in operational and financial performance, in order to get the company back on a positive growth path, and to sustain jobs.”

According to Transnet the next step is for the Transnet Bargaining Council to schedule a conciliation process in terms of the Labour Relations Act.

“Transnet will continue to address this matter in the best interests of the company, its shareholder, employees, customers and the economy.”

Unions declare a dispute, strike possible

In a joint statement issued by Steve Harris, General Secretary of the United National Transport Union (UNTU), and Jack Mazibuko, General Secretary of the South African Transport and Allied Workers Union (SATAWU), it was announced that Organised Labour in Transnet has declared a dispute after reaching the deadlock in negotiations with Transnet.

“Transnet wants workers to bear the brunt of the decade of state capture and the years of irregular expenditure and mismanagement. Organised Labour are prepared to fight our battle in the streets if we must.”

As a result the dispute will now be referred to the Transnet Bargaining Council (TBC) and if the parties cannot manage to reach agreement at the TBC after conciliation, a certificate of non-resolution will be issued which will allow Transnet employees to embark on a protected strike.

According to the unions, the deadlock is a result of Transnet management proposing a 3% non-pensionable allowance on basic salary as a wage increase. It added that Transnet was refusing to guarantee no retrenchments.

“This offer is so bad that Organised Labour can’t even present it to their constituents to obtain a revised mandate. It is rejected in totality,” said Harris.

Added 25 April 2021

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ONE increases African Rainbow Express to weekly frequency

Ocean Network Express (ONE) has announced further improvements to their West Africa services by increasing the frequency of the African Rainbow Express service (ARE) from fortnightly sailings to weekly sailings.

The express service, which offers port calls at Tangiers and Dakar will begin its weekly sailings from week commencing 17 May 2021.

This increase in frequency will greatly improve the transit times to Dakar for shipments to/from North Europe (Hamburg and Antwerp) when utilising the recently enhanced ARS service and transshipping in Tangiers.

Further details are available from the nearest ONE agent.

Added 25 April 2021

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IMO regional webinar targets increased safety for fishing industry

Decision-makers from maritime administrations and fishery authorities were active participants in a webinar exploring the challenges and benefits of the 2012 Cape Town Agreement as a tool to drastically improve fishing safety.

Organised by IMO this two-day event on 13 and 14 April saw stakeholders from the Middle East, North Africa and Mediterranean States share their progress towards ratification of the Agreement, which is yet to come into force.

The 2012 Cape Town Agreement – see HERE: 2012 Cape Town Agreement Explained – sets outs minimum safety standards for vessels of 24-metres loa and greater that are flagged with a signatory country. It will come into force 12 months after being ratified by at least 22 States, with an aggregate 3,600 fishing vessels meeting the length requirements operating on the high seas.

It is understood that at the time of this regional webinar, 13 / 14 April, it had been ratified by 16 Parties.

IMO reported that speakers highlighted the numerous benefits of ratifying the Agreement, including the ability to create a level playing field, as Parties to the Agreement have the power to request any vessels fishing in their territorial waters to implement the same safety standards, that is to say there is no favourable treatment. Additionally, the Agreement also sets out provisions for harmonised inspections of the fishing fleet.

Ratification urged

Attending Member States were strongly urged to ratify the Agreement irrespective of the size of their qualifying fishing fleet. Here it was explained that many fishing vessels can fall below the 24-metre loa requirement and being a Party to the Agreement would enable them to contribute to, and shape, the global discussion. Furthermore, countries could choose to use the wording of the Agreement as a template to create national regulation that would boost the safety for their fishing fleet.

At the event speakers stressed the importance of ratification of the Agreement as this has the potential to curb the alarmingly high number of fishing vessel crew fatalities and of fishing vessels reported lost every year.

IUU fishing

Those taking part in the webinar went on to point out that global, uniform and effective implementation of the Agreement would not only address these issues, but would create an unfavourable environment for illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, which is often linked to unsafe operating and poor labour conditions.

Entry into force of the Agreement would give individuals in signatory Member States the means to report violations, not only increasing transparency and giving national authorities a tool to keep substandard players in check, but also to prevent the exploitation of ocean resources.

The Middle East, North Africa and Mediterranean States webinar, which was organised by IMO in cooperation with The Pew Charitable Trusts, is the third in an ongoing series of regional webinars on the topic*. The series aims to promote and provide insight into the Agreement and provide a platform for information sharing by States that have already ratified the Agreement – or are currently in the process of doing so. The webinars also feature speakers from the FAO and ILO.

A statement from the participants of the regional webinar can be read HERE

Europe and Western Asia next

Additional webinars will be held over the coming months. The next in the series, for participants from Europe and Western Asia will be held on 21-22 June 2021.

Frequently asked questions about the 2012 Cape Town Agreement can be found by CLICKING HERE

* See here: Regional Webinars on Fishing Vessel Safety

 

Edited by Paul Ridgway
London

 

Added 25 April 2021

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WHARF TALK: Cape Town’s Standby fleet of Offshore Guard Ships & Seismic Escorts

by Jay Gates

Vessels that support the oil and gas industry around Africa are well known visitors to the three major repair ports of South Africa and Namibia. These offshore vessels are obvious to the casual viewer either by their unusual design, their complicated array of deck equipment and, often, by sporting a raised helideck.

One of the most numerous offshore support vessels that is never recognised as such is the Standby Vessel, of which the vast majority of fixed rigs, FPSOs, mobile drillers, pipelayers and seismic survey vessels have one in attendance at all times.

Often called Guard Ships or Seismic Escorts, the role of the Standby Vessel is to act as the watchdog and protector of the mother platform she is accompanying. Her normal role, in the case of a fixed rig or FPSO, is to warn off ships that are approaching too close and may present a collision risk, or in the case of mobile units and subsea construction vessels, to ensure that bottom trawlers do not drag their gear across the seabed where work is taking place.

As Seismic Escorts, they protect the streamers that are deployed from the survey ship, and which may be trailed as far as 5km astern of the ship, to ensure that any crossing vessels do not pass over the streamers and damage them. In all cases, they also provide the necessary fast response element for the mother platform by responding to any man overboard incidents, acting as ditching guard ship whenever helicopter operations are being undertaken and, crucially, for providing quick rescue facilities in any abandonment scenario.

Most standby vessels are often repurposed from their original design, often ex fishing vessels, which is why they easily slip in and out of port without a backward glance from the ship spotter.

In the Northern Hemisphere, two of the biggest North Sea standby vessel providers are Van Laar Maritime of Ijmuiden, and Rederij Groen BV of Den Haag, both of Holland. Currently alongside in Cape Town harbour are four standby vessels, all of which have a previous pedigree with these two companies, but are now all owned and managed by a South African based company with links to one of the country’s great maritime families.

One other standby vessel of the same company has recently sailed on another guard ship contract in West Africa.

Carina Offshore is a privately owned Ship Management Company with its operational base in Cape Town, South Africa. The Company manages and operates a fleet of offshore standby vessels, consisting of the vessel that recently sailed being OLGA (IMO 8964393), and the four of which that are currently in harbour between contracts are CARINA (IMO 7922362), RAMBLER (IMO 8709470), MARY ANN (IMO 7211842) and CHRISTINA DEBORA (IMO 7931064).

All of the vessels arrived back in Cape Town at various times in previous months, after providing standby vessel support to various offshore assets on both the west coast, and the east coast, of Africa.

Arriving from Walvis Bay on 1 March, Olga is a Seismic Escort vessel built in 2000 at A&B Industries Shipyard in Morgan City, Louisiana, in the USA. She is 40 metres in length and has a gross tonnage of 378 grt. She is powered by two Cummins KTA38M6049 engines producing 2,434 bhp (1,815 kW) driving two fixed pitch propellers. She has three auxiliary engines, which includes a Caterpillar 3306 generator, a Caterpillar 3408 generator and a Volvo Penta TAMDI 165A generator.

On April 18th, Olga sailed from Cape Town destined for a contract in the Congo offshore oilfields.

The namesake ship of the management company, Carina (IMO 7922362) had also previously arrived from Walvis Bay. Built in 1980 by Bijlholt Shipbuilders of Hoogezand in Holland, she is 40 metres in length and has a gross tonnage of 396 tons. She is powered by a Stork Werkspoor 9FCHD240 engine providing 2,000 bhp (1,491 kW). She has three auxiliary engines, which include a Scania DS11 generator of 120 kVA, a Motori 4 cylinder generator of 40 kVA and a Motori 6 cylinder generator of 80 kVA.

The three smallest vessels in the laid up fleet were all products of the Scheepswerft Visser shipyard of Den Helder in Holland, where Christina Debora (IMO 7931064) was built in 1981. She is 39 metres in length with a gross tonnage of 347 grt. She is powered by a Stork Werkspoor 9F/SW240 engine producing 1,100 bhp (820 kW).

Another Visser product, Rambler (IMO 8709470) was built in 1988. She is 43 metres in length with a gross tonnage of 499 grt. She is powered by a Bolnes 16VDNL190/600 engine producing 2,602 bhp (1,940 kW). On September 28th 2015 Rambler developed severe engine problems when 5 miles east of Port Alfred, off the KZN/Eastern Cape coast, en route from a contract in Madagascar and heading back to Cape Town, and had to be towed into Port Elizabeth by the Transnet tug SHIRAZ. She proceeded safely back to Cape Town after affecting repairs in port.

The smallest, and oldest, vessel in the standby fleet is Mary Ann (IMO 7211842). Also built by Visser back in 1972, she is 33 metres in length and has a gross tonnage of 177 grt. She is powered by a Stork Werkspoor engine providing 877 bhp (654 kW) driving a single fixed pitch propeller. She has two auxiliary engines, both of which are DAF 75/65kW generators.

Other than the obvious given reasons why any offshore asset would require a standby vessel, it was not always so. On 27 December 1965 the drilling rig SEA GEM had a double leg failure that resulted in the loss of live of 13 of its crew who were thrown into the North Sea when it collapsed.

As a result of this tragedy the UK government passed the Minerals Workings Act which, among other things, required that every offshore installation be supported by a standby vessel, in case of further misfortunes of a similar nature.

The inquiry results of the catastrophic disaster that befell the Piper Alpha oil platform in the North Sea on 6 July 1988, where 167 oil workers lost their lives, further strengthened the specifications for the mandatory requirements of standby vessels attending offshore installations.

Story by Jay Gates
Pictures by ‘Dockrat’

Added 22 April 2021

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Commitment to sustainable marine biofuels as Samskip drives forward

Global multimodal logistics company Samskip has increased its commitment to greener shipping through a new formal agreement with sustainable cargo initiative GoodShipping to run part of its fleet on marine biofuels and significantly reduce carbon footprint.

It is understood the initial use of biofuels will enable a CO2-reduction of up to 45%, with plans to scale up to a CO2-reduction of up to 80% for any given voyage later in 2021. This initiative underlines the company’s longstanding dedication to take a leading role in reducing CO2 emission within the sea freight industry.

Samskip Endeavour, an 800-TEU capacity containership which normally runs on traditional fuels, commenced operating with the partnership by using sustainable biofuels in its recent sailings. By bunkering sustainable biofuels, Samskip enables cargo owners to reduce their ocean carbon footprint significantly in their supply chains, it is reported.

Two years ago Samskip Endeavour was the first vessel to be biofuel-bunkered through the GoodShipping initiative, demonstrating the viability of biofuels as a marine alternative to fossil fuels. Made from sustainable waste streams, the fossil-free bio-residual fuel equivalent product has proved to be a successful substitute for conventional marine fuels as part of the vessel’s scheduled sailings between the Netherlands and Ireland.

Under the renewed agreement, also in partnership with GoodShipping, biofuels supplier GoodFuels is supporting Samskip’s plan to rapidly extend the use of biofuels on more of its vessels this year. GoodFuels’ second-generation sustainable biofuels consist of certified feedstock, labelled as waste or residue. It is understood that there are no land-use issues, no competition with food production or deforestation during the production process.

In the words of Ásbjörn Gíslason, Chief Commercial Officer and Deputy CEO at Samskip: “Sustainability runs through Samskip as a core value from every perspective. Therefore, we take great pride in, and welcome, the collaboration with GoodShipping to strengthen our deep partnership, becoming one of their fulfilment and innovation partners.

“We always aim to build a better future and to leave a positive footprint on our planet. By playing a forward-thinking and pioneering role in the energy transition, our customers can now benefit from a simple and easy means of decarbonising their cargo streams. We get to pioneer advanced marine biofuels, and the environment benefits from an immediate carbon reduction.”

Katarin van Orshaegen, Commercial Lead at GoodShipping said the announcement marks yet another important milestone in Goodshipping’s journey beyond the fossil default.

“Reducing fuel emissions and consumption is a vital next step for the maritime transport industry, so we are extremely pleased to have found a stable fulfilment outlet for our sustainable cargo streams with Samskip, deepening a long-term partnership that is helping to change the way our market thinks about future fuels.”

About Samskip

Samskip offers pan-European, environmentally responsible combined transport services via shortsea, road, rail and inland waterway routes. It is committed to cost-effectiveness, operational excellence and best practice in sustainable transport. High frequency services connect destinations across Europe, the Baltic States, Iceland and Faroes Island, and Russia, both door-to-door (including collection) and quay-to-quay, transported using a wide range of owned vessels, containers, trucks and trailers. To match equipment to cargoes shipped, options include a full range of ISO containers and reefers, including 33-pallet capacity 45ft units.

About GoodShipping

GoodShipping is claimed to be the first sustainable shipping initiative in the world that offers companies the opportunity to make container shipments less polluting by offering a way to substitute fossil fuels with clean, climate-neutral and truly sustainable fuels. This is done in collaboration with GoodFuels, pioneer in the field of sustainable bio-based fuels.

 

Edited by Paul Ridgway
London

 

Added 25 April 2021

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Kenya and DRC agree on maritime cooperation & use of Mombasa as gateway

Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta and the Democratic Republic of Congo’s President Felix Tshisekedi met earlier in April during President Kenyatta’s three-day State Visit to the DRC during which the two country’s signed several general cooperation agreements, one of which included maritime transport.

Kenya and the DRC are near neighbours via Uganda. Lake and river travel play important roles for both countries.

Three other agreements involved economic matters, security and defence.

The maritime agreement target’s the repositioning of the port of Mombasa as eastern DRC’s main import and export gateway and involves streamlining the handling of the country’s transit cargo through Mombasa.

To facilitate these actions Kenya will establish a consulate at Goma in eastern DRC and an honorary consulate at Lubumbashi.

According to President Kenyatta, the Goa and Lubumbashi consulates will accelerate cooperation between the two countries.

Kenyatta called for the harmonisation of visa regimes between Kenya and DRC to help ease the movement of people, goods, and services in the region.

He welcomed DRC’s application to join the East African Community (EAC) saying this will strengthen the bonds of the people of the region and help accelerate regional integration and progress.

The DRC’s President Tshisekedi said the DRC would work with Kenya on creating a seamless transport corridor from the Port of Mombasa through Uganda into DRC.

Added 25 April 2021

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WHARF TALK: Aframax LR2 tanker Captain Spiro pays Cape Town a call

by Jay Gates

The majority of South African, and in general African ports, are severely limited to the size of fully loaded product tankers that can safely enter the port and discharge their precious cargo. The vast majority of these tanker visits are to deliver much needed domestic and industrial fuel products required to grease the wheels of any vibrant economy.

With the exceptions of Durban, which has an offshore SBM capable of handling the largest Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC 160,000-319,999 dwt), and the west coast port of Saldanha, which handles VLCC tankers at a berth on the end of the ore jetty, all other South African ports are generally limited to handling the specialised smaller Handymax Medium Range 1 (MR1 35,000-44,999 dwt) and Medium Range 2 (MR2 45,000-54,999 dwt) products tankers, with the occasional arrival of a Panamax Long Range 1 tanker (LR1 55,000-79,999 dwt).

Very rarely, due to a mixture of their sheer size and the lack of suitable berthing facilities, are Aframax Long Range 2 tankers (LR2 80,000-159,000 tons) seen in many of the Southern African ports.

On 15 April at 10h00 the LR2 tanker CAPTAIN SPIRO (IMO 9692856) arrived at the Cape Town anchorage from the ATB Oil Terminal at Tanjung Telepas in Malaysia. The next day, 16 April at 18h00, she came into port and berthed at the Tanker Basin, on Berth 1, to begin discharging her refined products cargo. Berth 1 is designed to handle tankers of up to 250 metres in length.

Built in 2014 by Hyundai Heavy Industries at Samho in South Korea, Capitan Spiro is 252 metres in length and has a deadweight of 113,796 tons. At this length, she only just fits onto Berth 1 at the Cape Town Tanker Basin, being just over the maximum length of vessel designed for this berth by a short 2 metres margin. As an LR2 tanker she has 12 cargo tanks with a total capacity of 130,357 m3 of refined products.

Owned by Latsco Shipping of Athens, Captain Spiro is managed by Consolidated Marine Management, also of Athens, both of which companies belong to the great Latsis shipping empire, embodied by the large ‘L’ on her funnel. Her visit to Cape Town appears to be a ‘one off’ spot market charter, as she has no recent history of port visits to Southern Africa over the last 18 months.

Powered by a single HHI MAN-B&W 6G60ME-C9.2, 2 stroke 6 cylinder main engine, producing 21,869 bhp (11,760 kW) driving a single Hyundai mono-block fixed propeller, Captain Spiro also has three auxiliary HHI Himsen 5H21/32 generators, producing 900 kW each, and five Alfa Laval Aalborg AS boilers, of which two are oil fired, and the other three are heated by exhaust gases.

Captain Spiro sailed from Cape Town on the morning of 24 April 2021, destination Lomé in Togo, when most of these photographs were taken.

Story by Jay Gates
Pictures by ‘Dockrat’

Added 25 April 2021

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Future World: Hydrogen 101: the lowdown on maritime’s fuel of the future

A growing array of ocean industry stakeholders are throwing their hats in the hydrogen ring, identifying the potential of a fuel that, they believe, could help industry, and society, move successfully towards our shared climate goals. With a breakthrough global conference on the horizon – Nor-Shipping Hydrogen Blue Talks – Fuelling the Future – leading experts gather in a virtual roundtable talk to deliver insights, intelligence and the latest news on innovations. The topics discussed here lay the foundations for the new online and physical conference, taking place as part of the Ocean Now initiative at Nor-Shipping’s Nova Studios in Lillestrøm, Norway, on 2 June.

 

Why is hydrogen such an attractive fuel for the maritime industry?

Stein Kvalsund (hereafter SK), CEO Hub for Ocean/Ocean Hyway Cluster: While a battery might be an excellent ‘green’ solution for shorter distances, it has limitations when it comes to high tonnage and long-range operations. Many maritime applications require a great deal of energy, and that’s where hydrogen has enormous potential.

Kai Stoltz (KS), Business Development Manager, GCE Ocean Technology: I’ll borrow a quote from our partner SINTEF: “Hydrogen has the power to lift NASA space shuttles, but is so climate-friendly its only emission is water.”

In short, it is a key piece of maritime’s future energy puzzle, with real potential to help us meet the Paris Agreement and limit global warming.

Hege Økland (HØ), CEO, NCE Maritime Cleantech: Hydrogen can be produced from renewable energy, with tried and tested production technology, and is well suited as a zero-emission alternative for larger vessels that demand more energy. I believe liquid hydrogen can be a cost-competitive green fuel, when produced at volume, and offered through an efficient logistics chain with safe, robust bunkering operations.

What stage are we at in the development of vessel technology to utilise the fuel?

Ingebjørg Telnes Wilhelmsen (ITW), General Secretary, Norwegian Hydrogen Forum: Hydrogen and Fuel Cells (FCs) for maritime transport have been demonstrated in numerous pilot vessels over the last two decades. Recently, the power range of the fuel cell systems has increased from a few hundred KiloWatts (kW) to MegaWatts (MW), making these systems suitable for car ferries and smaller cruise ships.

Interestingly, Ballard Power Systems Europe is currently in the final steps of approval for their 200-kW maritime FC module, a suitable building block for MW-sized FC propulsion systems. Such innovations have the potential to really accelerate developments and adoption.

What stage are we at in the development of the infrastructure needed to supply it?

SK: There are numerous developments in all parts of the chain to improve efficiencies, scale and reduce the price. Internationally, government hydrogen strategies will soon lead to an explosion in investment that will result in rapid improvements in hydrogen technology.

Bjørn Saltermark (BS), General Manager Maritime Forum South and Project manager GCE NODE: Governments have to work, both nationally and internationally, to come up with a concrete plan for an adequate infrastructure to serve the maritime industry. That is lacking so far. Similarly, IMO needs to exert pressure on member states to do the same. A failure of collective planning will lead to a failure to realise the huge potential of hydrogen.

HØ: Several initiatives are underway, however there is a real need for stronger and more explicit efforts, both from individual states and the wider international community.

What support does the maritime industry need to help facilitate the adoption of hydrogen?

Knut Linnerud (KL), CEO, H2 Cluster:  It’s safe to say that an enormous amount of money is needed. At the moment it’s a typical ‘chicken and egg’ situation. However, after several false starts I believe we’re now seeing positive moves by many authorities and leading companies, with large budgets set aside and financial incentives throughout the value chain, for example in the EU. This trend should enable private companies to dare to invest in long-term adoption. In this respect, I think the egg might be about to hatch.

KS: Public funding must be tailored to support the hydrogen roadmap. Moreover, governments must ensure that important social and political frameworks are developed in collaboration with technical, economic, legal and social science expertise. A commitment to hydrogen will create new jobs, value and major opportunities for businesses, but governments must also invest in more R&D within hydrogen security, ensuring that safety follows rapid development within this field.

ITW: Public procurement should be used as an accelerator. As an example, here in Norway public agencies procure goods and services for close to 58 billion Euros a year. The Norwegian government has strong ambitions to phase in low- and zero-emission technology in the transport sector in general, and in public maritime transport in particular. They have stated that they will contribute to the requirement for zero and low emissions in future tenders for ferries and high-speed passenger boats. Hydrogen development can benefit from this approach.

Key elements include: greater cooperation across private and public stakeholders – Public-Private partnerships (of which we have several in Europe) have shown to be viable platforms to provide for rapid technology development and the deployment of innovative solutions; Public funding for risk sharing could help facilitate early movers; support to scale up the supply of hydrogen and thereby reduce the cost; working together to identify best practice, both nationally and internationally.

And this is really just the tip of the iceberg!

How important is ammonia as an alternative and why?

HØ: Hydrogen and ammonia are not competitors, they are supplementary. For vessels with higher speed and shorter regular routes hydrogen fuel cells are the best option. However, for vessels with lower speed covering longer distances, such as deep-sea vessels, ammonia will be a better choice.

ITW: Ammonia has a significantly higher energy density than pure hydrogen. That means fuel storage of ammonia will take up less space than hydrogen on-board, and/or ammonia will provide for longer periods between refuelling. For medium and larger ships, ammonia will become an attractive zero emission fuel.

SK: Ammonia (NH3) is seen by many industry players as very promising. Production of NH3 has a long history in Norway, primarily for use in the fertiliser industry. That means there’s significant existing infrastructure and competence here to build a zero carbon NH3 value chain capable of powering the ships of the future.

How can hydrogen and ammonia work with existing fuels and technology to enable the green maritime transition?

ITW: Ammonia can be converted in internal combustion engines, so retrofitting existing vessels to utilise ammonia can enable significantly reduced emissions. Some larger maritime engine and propulsion system suppliers, like Wärtsilä, have now developed ammonia powered combustion engines.

What do you see as the major challenges on the horizon?

KL: The main challenge is that the ‘power economy’ is still overwhelmingly controlled by those with the largest reserves/ownership of fossil fuels. So, there are enormously influential forces associated with the oil and gas sector, now and into the foreseeable future. This impacts upon democracies through lobbying and propaganda, while dictatorships are unwilling to turn their backs on major sources of wealth. There is an iron grip upon energy that, somehow, needs to be broken.

BS: Put simply, establishing an infrastructure for fuelling the short-sea fleet ASAP, then doing the same for the deep-sea fleet in the future.

HØ: The transition is moving too slowly to reach the ambitious goals set for shipping. It is also a major challenge to ensure the availability of new fuels such as hydrogen, building the necessary value chains. And of course, this question of availability creates an understandable uncertainty for shipowners.

From your personal perspective, why are you backing hydrogen as the fuel of the future?

KL: I think it is the best solution with the potential for large-scale adoption in connection with the development of renewable energy and power grids. Batteries, I think, will also have a role to play, but not nearly as crucial in the long-term as we look to solve the climate crisis.

KS: Hydrogen is central to achieving emission-free and sustainable energy systems. For Norway, and other nations, hydrogen can contribute to both increased competitiveness, safe jobs, value creation, and reaching climate goals.

What will be your key messages for the audience at Nor-Shipping Hydrogen Blue Talks – Fuelling the Future?

HØ: The transition is challenging and we need collaboration across multiple sectors and value chains – the shipping industry must work closely with the energy sector, amongst others. In short, we have to accelerate developments, so a collective effort is imperative.

KL: Be honest with yourself when trying to find short-term energy solutions. Which solution do you genuinely believe would be best for your grandchildren…and the planet’s future?

ITW: New, zero emission propulsion solutions are now being scaled up and introduced for maritime transport. This includes both the replacement of fossil fuels and the introduction of new energy conversion technologies like fuel cells. The maritime sector is taking an active role in the transition towards zero emission operations, and we all have a part to play.

BS: To meet our ambitious climate change goals we need action now. The train has left the station! This is the future!

source: www.nor-shipping.com

Added 24 April 2021

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Piracy: Contship New boarded northwest of Sao Tome

The container ship CONTSHIP NEW (IMO 9373905) while underway, has been attacked and boarded by pirates on Friday 23 April at between 09h00 and 10h30 UTC.

The 148-metre long, 23.5m wide vessel was en route from Port Owendo in Gabon bound for Lomé in Togo and was in position 01° 29N – 004° 38E, 130 nautical miles northwest of Sao Tome island when attacked.

According to Dryad Global the crew of the vessel sounded the alarm and assembled in the ship’s citadel where the position was last reported as ongoing.

This incident follows reports of two sightings of vessels suspected of involvement in piracy on Thursday, 21 April. One of these vessels was tracked into Nigerian TTW 9 n.miles east of the SEA EAGLE Terminal (a stationery FPSO).

Second ship attacked

Dryad on Saturday 24 April reported a second vessel coming under attack by pirates this time on Saturday at around 02h20 UTC, some 270 n.miles south of Lagos.

It appears from AIS analysis that this vessel may have had AIS switched off at the time of the attack.

Details of this later approach or attack by pirates are unclear but the ship is reported to be safe and under escort at present.

Dryad Global says this is the 4th incident in the past 5 months to occur just outside of the edge of the Nigerian EEZ, and advises all vessels to avoid the area and exercise maximum vigilance and report any suspicious activity to watchkeepers@mdat-gog.org

Added 24 April 2021

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Cyclone Jobo 29S heading for Dar es Salaam

A seasonally late cyclone named Jobo is currently over the northern reaches of the Mozambique Channel and on a heading that suggests it will make landfall over central Tanzania.

UPDATE 24 April 2021

At 14h00 Reunion time on Saturday the epi-centre of Cyclone Jobo was situated less than 50 kilometres from the Tanzanian coast which it is expected to cross within hours a short distance to the south of Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar. Both places will come under the effects of the storm.

Large parts of central and southern Tanzania can also expect heavy falls of rain, which will also fall across the far northern Mozambique region south of the Rovuma river in the Cabo Delgado province. This could include the harbour town of Palma and possibly Mocimboa da Praia.

Wind speeds of 45 km/h gusting to 65 km/h are expected. The minimal-strength tropical storm was moving at 8 knots towards the coast and will move inland while dissipating in strength, though heavy rain is likely with some flooding of low-lying areas.

Earlier Report 23 April 2021

At 12h00 on Thursday, 22 April, Jobo was in position 9.9S 45.1E, approximately 558 nautical miles north-northwest of Antananarivo in Madagascar after tracking westward at 6 knots over the previous six hours.

Maximum sustained winds of 45 knots were recorded, gusting to 55 knots

The cyclone has continued tracking westwards over the previous 12 hours under the steering influence of subtropical ridging to the south. Sea surface temperatures remain high (28-29C). The moderate storm is expected to continue west-northwestwards until it makes landfall in central Tanzania, close to or directly over Dar es Salaam on late Saturday evening/early Sunday morning local time (24-25 April), based on the anticipated course.

Although it will begin weakening after making landfall, significant rain may still be expected. Wave height at noon on 22 April was 17 feet (5.2 metres

Added 22 April 2021
Updated 24 April 2021

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EXPECTED SHIP ARRIVALS and SHIPS IN PORT

Port Louis – Indian Ocean gateway port

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

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

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

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CRUISE NEWS AND NAVAL ACTIVITIES

QM2 in Cape Town. Picture by Ian Shiffman

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

Naval News

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

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THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK

“Perhaps he knew, as I did not, that the Earth was made round so that we would not see too far down the road.”

― Isak Dinesen (pen name for Karen Blixen) Out of Africa

 

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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