Africa PORTS & SHIPS maritime news 12-13 August 2021

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TODAY’S BULLETIN OF MARITIME NEWS

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FIRST VIEW:   MSC MARINA

EARLIER NEWS CAN BE FOUND HERE AT NEWS CATEGORIES…….

The Monday masthead shows the Port of Richards Bay Coal Terminal
The Tuesday masthead shows the Port of Richards Bay
The Wednesday masthead shows Port Harcourt in Nigeria
The Thursday masthead shows the Port Elizabeth Manganese Terminal
The Friday masthead shows the Port Elizabeth Container & Car Terminals
The Saturday masthead shows the Port of Walvis Bay
The Sunday masthead shows the Port of Ngqura

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FIRST VIEW:   MSC MARINA

MSC Marina departing Durban in May 2021, picture by Trevor Jones and featured in Africa PORTS & SHIPS maritime news
MSC MARINA.   Picture by Trevor Jones

The container ship MSC MARINA (IMO 9275971) was built in 2003 for her nominal owner, Xiang International which is registered as care-of MSC Geneva, Switzerland, almost certainly her real owner. The 85,806-dwt ship has a container capacity of 6,408 TEU and when introduced into service in 2003 would have been one of the larger container ships around. Over the years since then we’ve featured this fine ship calling at Durban on a number of occasions.

MSC Marina is 304 metres in length and 40m wide and flies the flag of Panama. She is the second vessel to have the name of Marina, the other being one being a container vessel built in 1970 of just 8425 gross tons and which was also a regular visitor to Durban and the other South Africa container ports of Port Elizabeth and Cape Town – Ngqura did not exist at that time.

This picture of MSC Marina departing Durban in May this year was taken by Trevor Jones

Added 9 August 2021

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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 welome.

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NEWS

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Covid-19 jabs to seafarers at no charge

Port of Ghent. Picture: www.northseaport.com ©, featured in Africa PORTS & SHIPS maritime news
Port of Ghent. Picture: www.northseaport.com ©

Crew services specialist Boers has launched seafarer vaccination programmes at German and Belgian ports, as shipping executives warn of onboard Covid-19 outbreaks as it is reported that seafarers are not getting vaccines quick enough.

Seafarers arriving at ports in Antwerp, Ghent and Zeebrugge can get one-shot Covid-19 jabs through Boers’ scheme, which is being launched to protect key workers in the shipping industry.

The Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) vaccine will be available free of charge until further notice to all mariners of any nationality arriving in Belgium for crew changes. There is a fee for the medical services provided by the port authorities.

Vaccination is absolutely vital

In the words of Hans Boers, Co-CEO of Boers, the Netherlands-based shipping crew transport services operator for Northern Europe: ‘Getting as many seafarers as possible vaccinated is absolutely vital to supply chains and global markets.

‘We have seen with the crew change crisis the challenges shipping companies face in hiring seafarers for their vessels, creating a shortage of available mariners which in turn has led to rising prices for goods, food and petrol as demand outstrips supply.

‘For us, the most important thing is making sure crew members entering Belgian ports have access to free Covid-19 jabs. Protecting seafarers from the virus is paramount – and we have the means to help do that. The more mariners who have the vaccine, the quicker shipping and life in general can return to normal.’

Boers recently began offering free jabs to mariners at German ports in Hamburg and Bremerhaven. The company also provides vaccinations at ports in the Netherlands, albeit for just Dutch-flagged or Dutch-owned vessels but it plans to extend this service to all seafarers, it is reported.

While Boers is supporting efforts to vaccinate all seafarers, maritime executives such as Esben Poulsson, Chairman of the International Chamber of Shipping, say the new delta strain of Covid-19 has hampered the shipping industry.

Poulsson added that crew changes were not happening quickly enough to satisfy increased demand for products, especially from the US and Europe in the lead up to Christmas, putting more pressure on already strained global supply chains. He also criticised government figures for continuing to stick their heads in the sand.

Stephen Cotton, General Secretary, International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF), expressed similar concerns about the crew change crisis. He commented: ‘The situation is going from bad to worse,” he said. “We need more than lip service from governments; we need concrete action that allows crew changes to be carried out in a safe manner.’

IMO SG’s comment

Meanwhile, IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim has urged IMO member states to support a fair global distribution of Covid-19 vaccines, to ensure seafarers have access to jabs.

He said: ‘No seafarers should be left behind or forced to forgo their careers because of limited resources in their home country.’

He added that shipping companies needed to provide testing, appropriate PPE and access to medical and sanitation facilities, to protect crew members and prevent the virus spreading.

How to apply

At Belgian ports, seafarers who want the Covid-19 vaccine must apply at least 48 hours before their ship is berthed. Application forms, which should include the vessel information, expected time of arrival and details of the mariner wanting the vaccination, must be sent to info@boers-crewservices.nl

On receiving the application, the port’s maritime medical centre will either confirm or refuse the request. Vaccinations on vessels are available for five or more crew members, with groups of four or fewer having to go to the medical centre. Any Covid-19 jab will be recorded in the seafarer’s vaccination booklet.

In Germany, Boers offers around 30 shots on Tuesdays and Thursdays and approximately 40 shots on Saturdays to seafarers at Hamburg’s port. Details for the number of vaccines available in Bremerhaven and on what days are being finalised.

Shipping companies wanting vaccines for their seafarers at German ports need to provide Boers with a crew list, vaccination passport, the vessel’s contact details and a patient agreement and information sheet signed by the crew member.

<p> News continues below <p> <p> <a name="4004"></a><span style="color: #ff0000;"><span style="font-size: xx-large;"><b>Covid-19 jabs to seafarers at no charge</b></span></span> <p> <li class="p"><a href="#4004" class="ablue">Covid-19 jabs to seafarers at no charge</a></li> <p>Picture: www.northseaport.com © Crew services specialist <a href="http://www.africaports.co.za/"> <b>Boers</b></a> has launched seafarer vaccination programmes at German and Belgian ports, as shipping executives warn of onboard Covid-19 outbreaks as it is reported that seafarers are not getting vaccines quick enough. <p> Seafarers arriving at ports in Antwerp, Ghent and Zeebrugge can get one-shot Covid-19 jabs through Boers’ scheme, which is being launched to protect key workers in the shipping industry. <p> The Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) vaccine will be available free of charge until further notice to all mariners of any nationality arriving in Belgium for crew changes. There is a fee for the medical services provided by the port authorities. <p> Vaccination is absolutely vital <p> In the words of Hans Boers, Co-CEO of Boers, the Netherlands-based shipping crew transport services operator for Northern Europe: ‘Getting as many seafarers as possible vaccinated is absolutely vital to supply chains and global markets. <p> ‘We have seen with the crew change crisis the challenges shipping companies face in hiring seafarers for their vessels, creating a shortage of available mariners which in turn has led to rising prices for goods, food and petrol as demand outstrips supply. <p> ‘For us, the most important thing is making sure crew members entering Belgian ports have access to free Covid-19 jabs. Protecting seafarers from the virus is paramount – and we have the means to help do that. The more mariners who have the vaccine, the quicker shipping and life in general can return to normal.’ <p> Boers recently began offering free jabs to mariners at German ports in Hamburg and Bremerhaven. The company also provides vaccinations at ports in the Netherlands, albeit for just Dutch-flagged or Dutch-owned vessels but it plans to extend this service to all seafarers, it is reported. <p> While Boers is supporting efforts to vaccinate all seafarers, maritime executives such as Esben Poulsson, Chairman of the International Chamber of Shipping, say the new delta strain of Covid-19 has hampered the shipping industry. <p> Poulsson added that crew changes were not happening quickly enough to satisfy increased demand for products, especially from the US and Europe in the lead up to Christmas, putting more pressure on already strained global supply chains. He also criticised government figures for continuing to stick their heads in the sand. <p> Stephen Cotton, General Secretary, International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF), expressed similar concerns about the crew change crisis. He commented: ‘The situation is going from bad to worse,” he said. “We need more than lip service from governments; we need concrete action that allows crew changes to be carried out in a safe manner.’ <p> IMO SG’s comment <p> Meanwhile, IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim has urged IMO member states to support a fair global distribution of Covid-19 vaccines, to ensure seafarers have access to jabs. <p> He said: ‘No seafarers should be left behind or forced to forgo their careers because of limited resources in their home country.’ <p> He added that shipping companies needed to provide testing, appropriate PPE and access to medical and sanitation facilities, to protect crew members and prevent the virus spreading. <p> How to apply <p> At Belgian ports, seafarers who want the Covid-19 vaccine must apply at least 48 hours before their ship is berthed. Application forms, which should include the vessel information, expected time of arrival and details of the mariner wanting the vaccination, must be sent to <a href="mailto:info@boers-crewservices.nl">info@boers-crewservices.nl <p> On receiving the application, the port’s maritime medical centre will either confirm or refuse the request. Vaccinations on vessels are available for five or more crew members, with groups of four or fewer having to go to the medical centre. Any Covid-19 jab will be recorded in the seafarer’s vaccination booklet. <p> In Germany, Boers offers around 30 shots on Tuesdays and Thursdays and approximately 40 shots on Saturdays to seafarers at Hamburg’s port. Details for the number of vaccines available in Bremerhaven and on what days are being finalised. <p> Shipping companies wanting vaccines for their seafarers at German ports need to provide Boers with a crew list, vaccination passport, the vessel’s contact details and a patient agreement and information sheet signed by the crew member. <p> Edited by Paul Ridgway<BR> London <p> <p> Added 12 August 2021 <p> <p> <h3 style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #3366ff;">♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦</span></h3>aul Ridgway, London Correspondent for Africa PORTS & SHIPS maritime news

 

 

 

Reported by Paul Ridgway
London

Added 12 August 2021

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WHARF TALK: Cape Town call for large trailing suction hopper dredger GATEWAY

The cutter trailing suction hopper dredger Gateway on the maintenance berth at the Port of Cape Town. Picture by 'Dockrat' and feature in Africa PORTS & SHIPS maritime news
The trailing suction hopper dredger Gateway on the maintenance berth at the Port of Cape Town. Picture by ‘Dockrat’

Story by Jay Gates
Pictures by ‘Dockrat’

Of all the vessel types that call into South African ports, one type is so infrequent as to be considered to be a rare visitor, notwithstanding the fact that TNPA operate a small number of them. However these visiting vessels are truly ocean going, and operate all over the world on large harbour construction projects, reclamation projects and shipping channel maintenance.

On 10th August at 13h00 the large trailing suction hopper dredger (THSD) GATEWAY (IMO 9448994) arrived at Cape Town, from Soyo in Angola, and proceeded directly to berth 502 in the Ben Schoeman Dock. She berthed entirely without assistance from harbour tugs. Berth 502 is assigned as a permanent repair berth for Dormac, and Gateway had arrived at Cape Town for a minor period of maintenance, prior to proceeding to her next dredging contact.

Gateway arrived in in Cape Town from the port of Soyo, on the Angolan bank of the Congo River. Picture by 'Dockrat', featured in Africa PORTS & SHIPS maritime news
Gateway arrived in in Cape Town from the port of Soyo, on the Angolan bank of the Congo River. Picture by ‘Dockrat’

Built in 2010 by IHC Merwede Scheepswerf at Hardinxveld-Giessendam in Holland, Gateway is 137 metres in length and has a deadweight of 21,200 tons. She is powered by two Wärtsilä 12V32 12 cylinder 4 stroke main engines providing 8,046 bhp (6,000 kW) each, driving twin fixed pitch propellers, housed in nozzles, to give her a transit speed of 15.4 knots.

Owned by Boskalis Baggermaatschappij BV of Papendrecht in Holland, and operated by Royal Boskalis Westminster NV, also of Papendrecht, Gateway is suitable for dredging operations resulting in land reclamation, beach replenishment, harbour construction, waterway and channel cutting.

The stern of the dredger. Picture by 'Dockrat' and featured in Africa PORTS & SHUOS maritime news, featured in Africa PORTS & SHIPS
The stern of the dredger. Picture by ‘Dockrat’

As a trailing suction hopper dredger, Gateway is different in that she has two separate hoppers with a combined capacity of 12,000 m3. Her single 1200mm suction pipe, together with her underwater pumps, allows her to dredge down to a depth of 62 metres. The suction pipe ends in a drag head. The drag head moves slowly over the seabed collecting the sand like a giant vacuum cleaner. The mixture of sand and water is pumped into the hopper and excess water flows out through the hopper overflows. Dredging stops when the hopper capacity is reached.

For discharging the load, Gateway has a variety of methods she can utilise, depending on the project specifications. One such discharge method is rainbowing. Rainbowing is used when the vessel can get close to the discharge location, and the previously reclaimed sand body is above or almost above the water surface. The sand is sprayed through a nozzle in the bow rainbowing in an arch through the air.

... and the front or bows of the vessel. Picture by 'Dockrat'featured in Africa PORTS & SHIPS maritime news
… and the front or bows of the vessel. Picture by ‘Dockrat

Another discharge method consists of pumping the sand ashore, via a bow connection, by using floating or sunken pipelines. This approach is used in land reclamation, or coastal protection projects, where the sand is pumped through floating pipelines and deposited into the reclamation area.

The contents of the hopper can also be deposited through doors located in the bottom of the hull of the vessel, where Gateway has four hopper doors. A further method is simple shore discharge, where the dredged contents of the hopper are discharged via a shoreside crane into a stockpile for use elsewhere.

The arrival of Gateway from Soyo was on the completion of a third maintenance contract awarded to Boskalis to maintain both the access channel to Soyo LNG Port and the turning basins within the port. Soyo LNG port was built in 2010 and is located on the southern side of the Congo River. Boskalis originally widened and increased the depth of the main 4.5 km long shipping channel into the port from the Baia de Diogo Cão.

Picture by 'Dockrat' featured in Africa PORTS & SHIPS maritime news
Picture by ‘Dockrat’

Original harbour dredging works also included Boskalis dredging out the Kwanda Basin, located in the original Soyo port, which lies adjacent to the new Soyo LNG port, and the dredging of the new LNG Port turning basin. Since the completion of the new LNG port, Boskalis have been contracted three times to return with a THSD to maintain the main shipping channel and turning basins. The latest contract was awarded in 2017, for a five year duration, and Gateway was the THSD chosen to fulfill the contract requirements on this occasion.

Gateway's bows - picture by 'Dockrat' and featured in Africa PORTS & SHIPS maritime news
Gateway’s bows – picture by ‘Dockrat’

Once she has completed her short period of maintenance in Cape Town, Gateway will sail for the Philippines, where she will join other fleet mates of Royal Boskalis Westminster NV and begin work on dredging, and land reclamation, for the new Manila Airport. This huge contract, at EUR1.5 billion (ZAR25.8 billion), is the largest single contract ever awarded to Boskalis in their entire 110 year history.

Boskalis has around 21 trailing suction hopper dredgers in their fleet, including two of the world’s largest, the QUEEN OF THE NETHERLANDS and the FAIRWAY, with hopper capacities of 35,000 m3.

Added 12 August 2021

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AVIATION & AIRFREIGHT: Qatar Airways new link from Doha to Lusaka and Harare

Qatar Airways A350 aircraft, featured in Africa PORTS & SHIPS maritime news
Qatar Airways A350 aircraft.  Picture Qatar

In news just released, Zambia and Zimbabwe have been added to Qatar Airways expanding list of destinations in Africa with a new linked service between Doha and Lusaka and Harare.

The new route was scheduled to be operated with a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, however it was an Airbus A350-900 featuring 36 seats in the Qsuite business class and 247 seats in economy class that has inaugurated the service.

Qatar Airways now operates to Lusaka’s Kenneth Kaunda International Airport (LUN) for Zambia and Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport (HRE) in Zimbabwe.

The aircraft was greeted on arrival at both airports by traditional water cannon salutes.

The airline has demonstrated its commitment to Africa throughout the pandemic having significantly grown its network by adding four routes to Accra, Abidjan, Abuja, Luanda and restarting services to Alexandria, Cairo and Khartoum. With the addition of these two new routes the carrier will operate over 100 weekly flights to 27 destinations in Africa.

Earlier this month, Qatar Airways also signed an interline agreement with RwandAir giving customers greater access to the combined networks of both airlines.

The flights to Zambia and Zimbabwe take place on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays of each week.

“Africa continues to be an area of strong growth for Qatar Airways and launching this service will support the development of the economy and tourism sector in both countries,” said Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, Mr Akbar Al Baker said.

“Not only do we continue to rebuild our network after the pandemic, but we are actively expanding it with the addition of these two key destinations. These are the fifth and sixth new destinations in Africa added to our network since the start of the pandemic, taking our total new destinations added across the globe to 10.”

He said Qatar Airways has ambitious plans for Africa “which is one of the fastest-growing economic regions of the world, with rising consumer demand and an abundance of natural resources.

“We see enormous potential in not just outbound travel from Zimbabwe and Zambia, but also inbound traffic from India, UK, and Americas.

“We look forward to strengthen trade and tourism links between Zimbabwe and Zambia, and destinations on the Qatar Airways network, and steadily grow these routes to support the recovery of tourism and trade in the region.”

Air Cargo

The launch of Lusaka and Harare also supports increased demand for trade between Zambia and Zimbabwe and destinations on the Qatar Airways network such as London, Frankfurt and New York and from multiple points in China. With a total of 30 tonnes of cargo capacity on the aircraft per flight, Qatar Airways Cargo will play a key role in facilitating key exports from Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Added 12 August 2021

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IN CONVERSATION: Insights for African countries from the latest climate change projections

Victor Ongoma, Université Mohammed VI Polytechnique

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) – a body of the UN tasked with providing scientific information on climate change – has released a major new report, pulling together evidence from a wide range of current and ancient climate observations. It’s the most up-to-date understanding of climate change, bringing together the latest advances in climate science.

It is crucial that we have a good understanding of the findings as they give an indication of what our future could look like.

According to the report global warming is evident, with each of the last four decades being successively warmer than any decade that preceded it since 1850. Average precipitation on land has also increased since the mid-20th century. In addition, there is high confidence that mean sea level increased by between 0.15 and 0.25m between 1901 and 2018.

The major concern is that as warming continues, more extreme climate events, such as droughts, are projected to increase in both frequency and intensity. This warming is mainly driven by greenhouse gas emissions from human activities such as burning fossil fuels (coal, natural gas, and oil) and coal production.

When it comes to African countries, the report projects an increase in average temperatures and hot extremes across the continent. The continent will likely experience drier conditions with an exception of the Sahara and eastern Africa.

Alarmingly, the rate of temperature increase across the continent exceeds the global average. In addition, as warming continues, the frequency and intensity of heavy rainfall events are projected to increase almost everywhere in Africa. Maritime heatwaves and sea level rises are also projected to increase along the continental shores.

Looking into the future, global warming could lead to an increase in hot extremes, including heatwaves. It could also lead to a decrease in cold extremes.

The projected dry and hot conditions will have a devastating impact on a continent where the economies of most countries, and the livelihoods of most people, are dependent on rain-fed agriculture. In fact, changes to the climate will affect almost all parts of our lives.

Regional impacts

In a scenario where global warming will reach at least 2°C by mid-21st century (as predicted by the report), southern Africa is highly likely to experience a reduction in mean precipitation (water vapour that falls, such as rain or drizzle or hail). This will adversely affect agriculture. Specifically, the region is likely to witness an increase in aridity, and droughts. We are already seeing this in Madagascar and South Africa.

This has serious implications for all sectors including agriculture, water and health. Drought would also likely reduce hydroelectric generation potential, adversely affecting energy dependent sectors. We are already seeing this at the Kariba dam which sits between Zimbabwe and Zambia.

In addition, there will be more tropical storms in the region. In southern Africa there’s been a southward shift in the occurrence of tropical cyclones. This is due to sea temperatures increasing as a result of global warming. The concern is that these events will be particularly destructive as seen in Madagascar and over Mozambique.




Read more:
Rising sea temperatures are shaping tropical storms in southern Africa


In relation to eastern Africa, the report projected an increase in mean precipitation that favours agriculture. However, increases in the frequency and intensity of heavy precipitation and flooding may cause a counter effect in some areas, such as arid and semi-arid lands.

There has been some conflicting information regarding rainfall in eastern Africa. This follows observations that the general circulation models, used in preparation of IPCC reports, do not simulate the observed rainfall well over the region. Most models project increase in rainfall while observations report the opposite. This has been termed ‘the paradox of east Africa climate’. This observed shortening of rainfall season that is not captured by the models explains the paradox.

Besides rainfall, the recorded and projected temperature which is expected to increase will decrease the snow and glaciers in the region. A rise in temperatures will result in a rise in malaria cases especially in highland areas within the region.

Northern Africa is a climate change hotspot. The report anticipates with high confidence increase in temperatures in the region,causing extreme heatwaves. Projected drying will increase aridity that already begun to emerge in the region and worsen water scarcity.




Read more:
A worsening water crisis in North Africa and the Middle East


Further, the situation will increase the risk of forest fires, a threat to ecosystems. As is currently seen in Algeria where, so far this year, more than 100 fires have been reported across 17 provinces, killing over 40 people.

The report also anticipated that there will be a reduction in mean wind speed over northern Africa. The wind speed is dependent on temperature and consequently atmospheric pressure changes. This will limit the region’s wind power potential, however – on a positive note – it will equally reduce dust storms that cause health impacts, such as causing and aggravating asthma, and bronchitis.

Similarly, west and central Africa are projected to record a reduction in mean precipitation and experience more agricultural and ecological droughts. All these cast a dark cloud on agriculture and water in the region.




Read more:
Lagos is getting less rain, but more heavy storms. What it can do to prepare


Along the African coastlines, the relative sea-level rise is likely to contribute to an increase in the frequency and severity of coastal flooding in low-lying areas, like the recent cases in Lagos, Nigeria. This causes massive destruction to delicate coastal ecosystems and will displace communities that live in coastal towns. The sea level rise equally causes saltwater intrusion, limiting availability of fresh water.




Read more:
Climate change is affecting agrarian migrant livelihoods in Ghana. This is how


Which way for Africa?

Despite the projection of decrease in mean precipitation over nearly all the regions of Africa, heavy precipitation and pluvial flooding is likely. The increase in wet extremes has far reaching effects on nearly all socioeconomic sectors, from agriculture, water, environment to infrastructure. These are some of the key sectors in socioeconomic development.

This – compounded by growing populations – gives a worrying picture of the challenges that lie ahead. This is likely to widen the existing development gap, calling for concerted effort to strengthen response mechanisms to future challenges posed by climate change.The Conversation

Victor Ongoma, Assistant Professor, Université Mohammed VI Polytechnique

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

Added 12 August 2021

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NYK wood chip carrier Crimson Polaris breaks in two off Japan

The wood chip carrier Crimson Polaris, eaarlier today (Thursday). Picture courtesy Japan Coast Guard, features in Africa PORTS & SHIPS maritime news
The wood chip carrier Crimson Polaris, earlier today (Thursday). Picture courtesy Japan Coast Guard

The Japanese wood chip carrier CRIMSON POLARIS (IMO 9370783) has broken in two after the ship ran aground off Hachinohe in the Aomori prefecture of Japan’s north-east.

The 199-metre long vessel, owned by MI-DAS Line S.A. and on charter to NYK (Nippon Yusen Kaisha) was at anchor when strong winds blew her away, which resulted in the ship running aground about two nautical miles off the coast at approximately 07h35 on Wednesday local time.

With the hull taking damage from the grounding a portion of the cargo of wood chips was lost overboard. At that stage there were no reports of oil pollution but the Japanese Coast Guard and other maritime authorities were monitoring the situation.

Crimson Polaris which broke in two on Thursday 12 August off the coast of Japan. Picture courtesy Japan Coast Guard, featured in Africa PORTS & SHIPS maritime news
Crimson Polaris which broke in two on Thursday 12 August off the coast of Japan. Picture courtesy Japan Coast Guard

With the aid of Japan’s Coast Guard all crew were evacuated from the vessel.

At 04h15 this morning (Thursday 12 August 2021) the ship’s hull split in two and oil from the vessel began spilling into the ocean. The amount is currently under investigation from on-site patrol boats, tugboats, etc, said NYK.

Crimson Polaris in happier times. Picture courtesy topic maritime / Shipspotting and featured in Africa PORTS & SHIPS maritime news
Crimson Polaris in happier times. Picture courtesy topic maritime / Shipspotting

NYK has organised a crisis management centre to address the situation and NYK said it will provide necessary support to the shipowner and Misuga Kaiun Co. Ltd, the ship-management company.

Crimson Polaris has an overall length of 199 metres and a beam of 32m and a deadweight of 49,549 tons. The ship had a crew of 21 seafarers, consisting of Chinese and Filipino nationals. She is carrying a cargo of 44,000 tons of wood chips loaded in Thailand.

Added 12 August 2021

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Hurtigruten Expeditions to cruise West Africa destinations

Hurtigruten Expeditions, one of the leading cruise lines involved with exploration travel, will be the only expedition cruise line to explore the African West Coast next year when they introduce four new countries to their busy 2022/23 season.

This is in response to guest demand for more warm water destinations – the addition of the West Coast of Africa and its unique archipelagos – the Bissagos Islands and Cape Verde – to its constantly growing list of new destinations. The 13-day itinerary includes four countries: Cape Verde, The Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, and Senegal, with MS SPITSBERGEN based out of Dakar, one of Africa’s most bustling cities.

The expansion follows the cruise line’s recent launch announcement of year-round expedition cruises to the Galapagos Islands starting early 2022. Besides its first-ever African expedition cruises, Hurtigruten will also introduce a series of itineraries to the Canary Islands and Madeira for the 22/23 seasons.

Hurtigruten Expeditions CEO Asta Lassesen, appearing in Africa PORTS & SHIPS maritime news
Hurtigruten Expeditions CEO Asta Lassesen

“2022 will be one of the most adventurous years for Hurtigruten Expeditions,” said Hurtigruten Expeditions, CEO Asta Lassesen. “We will start the year by launching our Galapagos operations in January, and at the end of the year, we will introduce our first African cruises. We are very excited about expanding to new unique destinations, which complements our Caribbean and South American expedition cruises and strengthens our global position.”

“We know our guests want to explore many different parts of the globe, and our ambition is to offer the world’s most exciting destinations that can best be explored by our small ships. With the Bissagos Islands and Cape Verde, we offer a truly unique and off-the-beaten-track destination that is perfect for an expedition adventure like no other,” said Lassesen.

Hurtigruten Expedition’s first-ever African adventure will depart on 27 November 2022, and will be the first in a series of expedition cruises to visit Cape Verde and the Bissagos Islands. One of the world’s most untouched destinations, the Bissagos Islands will offer guests a combination of distinctive wildlife and diverse landscapes as they enjoy four days exploring the 88-island archipelago that is home to hippos, dolphins, crocodiles, sea turtles, manatees, and 500 species of birds.

Guests will explore Cape Verde and the Bissagos on board the extremely popular MS Spitsbergen, the best small cruise ship in Cruise Critic Cruisers’ Choice awards 2018. With fewer than 200 guests, the small expedition cruise ship entered service in 2016, providing an intimate and exclusive setting onboard. The ship also features Hurtigruten Expedition’s signature state-of-the-art Science Center. The industry-leading Science Program includes a wide range of Citizen Science research projects that guests are encouraged to participate in during their trip.

MS Spitsbergen, appearing in Africa PORTS & SHIPS maritime news
MS Spitsbergen.  Picture Hurtigruten

Cape Verde offers a distinctively different scenery compared to the Bissagos. Hurtigruten Expedition’s itineraries will spend four full days visiting ports and destinations that no other cruise ships include. The ten rugged volcanic islands that make up the country boast a unique blend of African and Portuguese influences. Besides colonial churches, palatial mansions, and old forts in many of the cities and towns spread out across the archipelago, the islands are also a birdwatcher’s haven with many migratory and endemic species crisscrossing the islands. Other wildlife includes whales, dolphins, and sea turtles.

The itinerary also includes a day in Banjul, the capital of The Gambia, the smallest country in mainland Africa. All cruises out of Dakar include land-based adventures as part of the itinerary. Before departure, guests will explore the impressive island of Gorée, where they will experience the colorful colonial houses, baobabs, and palm trees and immerse in the dark history of this former slave island. A city tour of Dakar is included on the disembarkation day, where guests will experience the charming multi-faceted city while discovering its historical moments and driving along the corniche.

Hurtigruten Expedition’s new African cruises will depart Dakar on 27 November, 9 and 21 December 2022, and 2 and 14 January 2023.

Further details and bookings can be made at www.Hurtigruten.com, +866.552.0371 or contact your travel agent.

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New US Lighthouse stamps

US postage stamp pane featured in Africa PORTS & SHIPS maritime news

Philatelists, of which there will many in our readership, will doubtless be interested in the latest stamp issue from the US Postal Service.

America’s lighthouses have been guiding mariners to safety for 300 years. Their styles, locations, and construction methods differ, but their purpose is the same: to light the way through treacherous waters. Recognising man’s fascination with these historic structures, the US Postal Service released on 6 August Mid-Atlantic Lighthouses, the seventh and final issue in the Lighthouse series. A first day cover is also available.

Each stamp shows a close-up view of one of five lighthouses that captures not only the beauty of the tower but also the qualities that makes it unique. The late Howard Koslow (1924–2016) was the artist for these stamps and the previous issues in the Lighthouse series. The stamps feature original acrylic paintings by Koslow based on photographs of the lighthouses. Mid-Atlantic Lighthouses were the last stamps he illustrated for the Postal Service.

USPS Mid-Atlantic Lighthouse stamps, featured in Africa PORTS & SHIPS maritime news

Located in the Chesapeake Bay south of Annapolis, Maryland, the Thomas Point Shoal Lighthouse has withstood the elements since 1875. The only cottage-style, screw-pile lighthouse in the country still intact and operating in its original location, it was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1999.

Authorised by George Washington and completed in 1796, Montauk Point Lighthouse still stands in its original location. The lighthouse is the oldest in New York State and one of the oldest in continuous operation in the U.S., which earned it a designation as a National Historic Landmark in 2012.

The Harbor of Refuge Lighthouse stands at the mouth of the Delaware Bay near Lewes, Delaware. Its new tower, completed in 1926, stands on a cast-iron caisson supported on a heavy block of concrete that lies within the breakwater. The 76-foot-high conical lighthouse is built of cast-iron plates and is lined with bricks.

One of only seven stations in the country to feature two lighthouse towers, Navesink, in New Jersey, became the first light station in the U.S. to have Fresnel lenses installed. The current lighthouses were built in 1862 of local brownstone, and the keepers’ quarters and storage rooms link the two non-identical towers. It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 2006.

At the east end of the channel leading to Presque Isle Bay, the Erie Harbor Pierhead Lighthouse has been guiding sailors for more than 150 years. Its design is unique; the tower tapers from its base to its midsection, then rises straight from there to the top, the only lighthouse tower with this shape in the US.

Greg Breeding was the art director.

The Mid-Atlantic Lighthouses stamps are being issued as Forever® stamps. These Forever stamps are always equal in value to the current First-Class Mail® one-ounce price.

The stamps are printed in a pane of 20 and the issue will total 40,000,000 stamps.

It is understood that orders may be placed HERE

 

 

 

Reported by Paul Ridgway
London

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WHARF TALK: Offshore construction support vessel NORMAND FRONTIER

The offshore construction support vessel Normand Frontier is unmistakingly in the port at Cape Town, with that backdrop of Table Mountain. Picture is by 'Dockrat' featured in Africa PORTS & SHIPS maritime news
The offshore construction support vessel Normand Frontier is unmistakingly in the port at Cape Town, with that backdrop of Table Mountain. Picture is by ‘Dockrat’

Story by Jay Gates
Pictures by ‘Dockrat’

The South African major ports get to see most every type of vessel there is at some point, and always the ones that turn the most heads, because of their sheer size, the complexity of their design and the staggering amount of specialised deck gear on show, are those offshore vessels that support the initial development, the field construction and the ongoing maintenance and inspection of offshore oil and gas infrastructure, especially subsea infrastructure.

On 8 August at 07h00 the offshore construction support vessel NORMAND FRONTIER (IMO 9687241) arrived at the Table Bay anchorage from Batu Ampar in Indonesia. She remained in the bay for just over 24 hours and entered the Duncan Dock on 9 August at 13h00, proceeding to go alongside the Eastern Mole. Due to the complex set up of her propulsion, manoeuvring and dynamic positioning capabilities, she berthed without any aid from any harbour tug.

The impressive looking support vessel is manoeuvring by herself to the berth, using her own complex navigational equipment to eliminate the help of tugs. Picture is by 'Dockrat' and featured in Africa PORTS & SHIPS maritime news
The impressive looking support vessel is manoeuvring by herself to the berth, using her own complex navigational equipment to eliminate the help of tugs. Picture is by ‘Dockrat’

Built to a VARD 303 design, Normand Frontier was launched in 2014 at the VARD Shipyard at Tulcea in Romania. Her incomplete hull and accommodation block were then towed from the Black Sea port, across the Mediterranean Sea, and up to the North Sea, where she was completed by the VARD shipyard at Aukra in Norway. She is 121 metres in length and has a deadweight of 4,750 tons.

She has diesel electric propulsion with power provided by two Wärtsilä 6L32 engines providing 3,300 kW each, and two Wärtsilä 8L32 engines providing 4,400 kW each. She has DSG 125 L1/10W generators producing 4,767 kVA. Her emergency generator is a Scania DI12 62M producing 335 kW, and she also has a CAT C32 harbour generator producing 994 kW.

Now on her berth we get to see a close-up of the ship's massive bows. Picture by 'Dockrat' featured in Africa PORTS & SHIPS maritime news
With the ship now on her berth we get to see a close-up of the ship’s massive bows. Note also the giant deck crane.  Picture by ‘Dockrat’ 

Her complex propulsion and dynamic positioning requirements are provided by two Rolls-Royce bow tunnel thrusters producing 1,900 kW each, a single Rolls-Royce Azimuth Bow Thruster producing 1,500 kW, two Rolls-Royce stern tunnel thrusters producing 1,200 kW each, and two Rolls-Royce Controllable Pitch Propellers, supported by two Rolls-Royce flap rudders. Her standard transit speed is 9.2 knots.

Owned and operated by Solstad Rederi AS of Skudeneshavn in Norway, Normand Frontier has a deck cargo capacity of 1,400 m2, serviced by a large 250 ton deck crane. For subsea work she has an internal 7.2×7.2 metre moonpool, and she carries two Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROV), three Unmanned Surface Vehicles (USV) and five Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUV).

A very complex vessel, Normand Frontier is capable of undertaking marine construction surveys, MetOcean data collection, passive acoustic environmental monitoring, seismic survey support, seabed site survey and mapping, plus underwater surveillance operations.

Here's an even closer inspection of the large bow section, a typical Vard design and in use with many other design yards. Picture by 'Dockrat' ad featured in Africa PORTS & SHIPS maritime news
Here’s an even closer inspection of the large bow section, a typical feature of the Vard design and in use with many other design yards. Picture by ‘Dockrat’

Arriving in Cape Town on completion of a three month support contract on the Australian Northwest Shelf natural gas fields, based out of the Western Australian port of Broome, Normand Frontier had demobilised in the small Indonesian port of Batu Ampar, which is located just south of Singapore. On her voyage across to Cape Town, she had made a 24 hour stop at Male, the capital of the Maldives, for reasons unknown.

She is expected to remain in Cape Town for around one week, whilst preparing to mobilise for her next contract, and conduct important equipment tests. Her next contract is to Brazil, where Normand Frontier will spend a minimum of three months supporting an ultradeep subsea offshore oil and gas project.

One final look at the offshore vessel Normand Frontier, with the LPG tanker BW Odin which was highlighted in yesterday's news edition, in the background. Picture is by 'Dockrat' and appearing in Africa PORTS & SHIPS maritime news
One final look at the offshore vessel Normand Frontier, with the LPG tanker BW Odin which was highlighted in yesterday’s news edition, in the background. Picture is by ‘Dockrat’
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NSRI Gqeberha Sea Rescue crew medivac seriously injured seaman from bulk carrier

NSRI Station 6's Spirit of Toft, featured in Africa PORTS & SHIPS mariime news
NSRI Station 6’s Spirit of Toft.   NSRI

According to Justin Erasmus, NSRI Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth) station commander, on Monday, 9 August, the Station 6 duty crew was requested to launch their sea rescue craft Spirit of Toft to rendezvous with a bulk carrier arriving from the Indian Ocean with a seriously injured seaman on board.

The NSRI crew were accompanied by an Eastern Cape Health EMS rescue paramedic.

It appears a 23 year-old Chinese seaman on board the bulk carrier received his injuries while the ship was in the deep-sea shipping lanes south of Madagascar. After reporting the accident the bulk carrier headed for Gqeberha and rendezvoused with the NCRI rescue craft 8 nautical miles offshore.

On arrival at the vessel the EMS rescue paramedic and NSRI rescue swimmers were transferred onboard where the patient, secured into a Stokes basket stretcher, was transferred onto the sea rescue craft.

The injured man was taken to the sea rescue station in Port Elizabeth harbour from where he, in the care of EMS paramedics, was transported to hospital by ambulance in a serious but stable condition.

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US Coast Guard commissions 44th Fast Response Cutter Glen Harris

Members of the Coast Guard Cutter Glen Harris man the rail during the vessel’s commissioning ceremony at Coast Guard Sector Field Office Fort Macon in Beaufort, North Carolina on 6 August. Picture by Petty Officer 2nd Class Paige Hause US Coast Guard Atlantic Area. Photo USCG ©, featured in Africa PORTS & SHIPS maritime news
Members of the Coast Guard Cutter Glen Harris man the rail during the vessel’s commissioning ceremony at Coast Guard Sector Field Office Fort Macon in Beaufort, North Carolina on 6 August. Picture by Petty Officer 2nd Class Paige Hause US Coast Guard Atlantic Area. Photo USCG ©

It was reported by USCG from Atlantic Beach, North Carolina on 6 August that USCGC Glen Harris (WPC 1144) became the US Coast Guard’s newest fast response cutter during a commissioning ceremony at Coast Guard Sector Field Office Fort Macon.

Glen Harris will be homeported in Manama, Bahrain, and serve at US Patrol Forces Southwest Asia.

Admiral Linda Fagan, the Vice-Commandant of the US Coast Guard, presided over the ceremony: “Coast Guard Cutter Glen Harris is one of six fast response cutters that will relieve the 110-foot patrol boats which have boldly stood the watch in the Fifth Fleet AOR since 2003.

Crest of USCG Glen Harris. Picture: Wikipedia Commons, featured in Africa PORTS & SHIPS maritime news
Crest of USCG Glen Harris. Picture: Wikipedia Commons

“It is clear the Coast Guard is poised now more than ever to seamlessly integrate with the Navy and Marine Corps team to support the advantage at sea and the Tri-Service Maritime Strategy. We are poised to be a key part of that strategy.”

The cutter’s namesake is Chief Petty Officer Glen Livingston Harris, a native of North Carolina. He acted as a landing craft coxswain during the landing of Tulagi, which took place from 7 to 9 August 1942. Along with three other US Coast Guard coxswains, Harris landed the first US Marines on Tulagi. Over the next three days of conflict, he made repeated trips under heavy enemy fire to deliver ammunition and other supplies to US forces. In September of the same year, he landed against forces at Taivu Point, Guadalcanal Island, thereby materially contributing to the enemy’s eventual defeat. Harris was awarded the Silver Star Medal for gallantry by Admiral Chester Nimitz.

Admiral Fagan added: “The Coast Guard will build 64 fast response cutters, name each for an enlisted hero like Glen Harris, and each dedication uncovers a little-known story, and each story adds volumes to our understanding of our own Coast Guard history.”

Ms Stacy Howley, Harris’s eldest granddaughter, was present and ship’s sponsor was Ms Madison King, Harris’s eldest great-granddaughter.

The Glen Harris crew is already credited with saving lives. While in pre-commissioning status, the crew was first on scene and essential in the response, rescuing a member of the 175-foot lift boat capsizing eight miles south of Port Fourchon, Louisiana, on 13 April. The USCG and many good Samaritan vessels responded to the capsized vessel and searched for missing people in the water. “Clearly, this crew is already inspired by Glenn Harris and the cutter’s motto Gallantry Abroad,” said Admiral Fagan.

USCG Glen Harris, Picture: Wikipedia Commons, featured in Africa PORTS & SHIPS maritime news
USCG Glen Harris. Picture: Wikipedia Commons

Glen Harris is the 44th fast response cutter in the US Coast Guard fleet and the third of six FRCs planned for service in Manama, Bahrain. Stationing FRCs in Bahrain supports US Patrol Forces Southwest Asia, the Coast Guard’s largest unit outside the US, and its mission to train, organise, equip, support, and deploy combat-ready US Coast Guard forces in support of US Navy Fifth Fleet, US Central Command, and national security objectives.

The Sentinel-class is a key component of the Service’s offshore fleet capable of deploying independently to conduct missions, including port, waterways, coastal security, fishery patrols, search and rescue, and national defence. They are 154 feet loa, of 25 feet beam, and 353 long tons displacement. They have a top speed of more than 28 knots, a range of 2,500 nautical miles, an endurance of up to five days, and can hold a crew of up to 24. These new cutters are replacing the aging Island-class 110-foot patrol boats in service since 1985.

USCGC Glen Harris will steam to Bahrain later this year in company with sister ship, Emlen Tunnell delivered on 1 July.

 

 

 

Reported by Paul Ridgway
London

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Retail operations under threat from vessel delays and rising rates

Increased Vessel Delays and Rising Transportation Costs Threaten Last-Mile Retail Operations Going Into Critical Black Friday and Holiday Seasons…
For Many Businesses, Issues Now Go Beyond Rising Transportation Costs To Include Poor Customer Experiences and Potential Increases in Lost Revenue

Recent vessel-tracking data from project44 reveals substantial year-over-year increases in vessel and shipment delay times across most major trade lanes connecting China to the rest of the global economy. These longer lead times cast a spotlight on already overburdened transportation networks and ongoing supply chain disruptions.

For many businesses, the unrelenting supply-side bottlenecks and increasing transportation costs are impacting their ability to meet customer demands and forcing them to pass costs on to their customers, causing upward pressure on global inflation.

While select China-US West Coast routes schedules have improved significantly over the past months, data gathered by project44 shows that along many critical routes, multi-day delays remain high, or are even rising in the face of recent outbreaks of the COVID variant in southwestern China. This indicates that global supply chains remain fragile and far from quickly return to pre-COVID levels.

project44 chart 1 displayed in Africa PORTS & SHIPS maritime news

Shipping delays by route

There were substantial delays for ships operating on routes between China and US non-West Coast ports, where ship delays increased from 0.6 days on average in July 2020 to 2.44 days in July 2021. For example, year-over-year, median delays for ships traveling from Tianjin to New York increased from 0.96 to 7.29 between June 2020 and 2021.

Delays in other ports of US were steady from last quarter of 2019 until August 2020 when they started rising to a peak in February 2021. Moderate improvements have been made with delays working their way down as of June 2021.

project44 chart 2 displayed in Africa PORTS & SHIPS maritime news

For China-EU maritime traffic, delays increased from an average of 0.51 days in July 2020 to 2.18 days in July 2021.

As of June 2021, Shanghai-Hamburg and Shenzhen-Hamburg were representative of other modern, high-volume China-EU port pairs, seeing median ship delays extending more than a week, at 8.44 and 7.86 days, respectively. For ships travelling from Tianjin to Antwerp in June, the median delay was 11.42 days.

Delays in EU trade started increasing from December 2019 when the first impact of COVID-19 was felt in China. Delays peaked in March 2020 but dropped in May 2020, possibly due to China coming out of COVID-19. They started rising again from July 2020, peaking in February 2021 when the rest of the world was battling with COVID-19. The delays were working their way down as of July 2021, but still at levels higher than the 2020 peak.

project44 chart 3 displayed in Africa PORTS & SHIPS maritime news

For the rest of the world (ROTW) as a category, YOY delays increased from 1.08 days to 2.78 days between July 2020 and 2021. While not as extensive as the worst-hit EU and US ports, this suggests that most trade lanes are affected.

Delays in the ROTW trade started increasing from December 2019 when the first impact of COVID-19 was felt in China. It peaked in February 2020 but dropped in May 2020, possibly due to China coming out of COVID-19. Delays started rising again from June 2020, possibly due to the ROTW feeling the impact of COVID-19, with the numbers peaking in July 2021. It is currently at its highest level since August 2019.

project44 chart 4 displayed in Africa PORTS & SHIPS maritime news

“The fact that ships remain delayed and now COVID variant outbreaks in major Chinese manufacturing hubs are on the rise, indicates that there may be far-reaching down-stream consequences going into Black Friday and holiday shopping seasons,” said Josh Brazil VP Marketing project44.

“We’re seeing a lot of variation in delay times between months, and routes such as US West Coast versus East Coast ports, making supply chains particularly challenging for shippers to manage.

“One of the few givens in 2021 is endemic delays, and the fact that conditions can change almost overnight,” Brazil said. “These latest numbers along with COVID variant outbreaks are a warning to shippers that they won’t be able to mitigate losses associated with delays and bottlenecks unless they have a complete and real-time view of vessel delays, ports, and carrier performances.”

For more insight into delay times across the world’s busiest shipping routes and to learn how project44 is helping shippers regain control of their supply chains, contact Josh Brazil at jbrazil@project44.com

Disclaimer: The data referenced here reflects a statically significant sample size to draw conclusions. For more details visit www.project44.com

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USS Herschel ‘Woody’ Williams (T-ESB 4) deploys to Nigeria

USS Herschel 'Woody' Williams arriving in Cape Town in February 2021. Picture is by ';Dockrat' snf festured in Africa PORTS & SHIPS maritime news
USS Herschel ‘Woody’ Williams arriving in Cape Town in February 2021. Picture is by ‘Dockrat’

The US Expeditionary Sea Base USS Hershel ‘Woody’ Williams (ESB 4) arrived in Lagos last week and has participated in a maritime interoperability planning event with leaders from the Nigerian Navy.

According to a statement from the US Embassy in Nigeria, the vessel will participate in a three-day at sea training exercise with Nigerian offshore patrol vessels and members of Ghana’s Special Boat Squadron (SBS).

Shortly after arrival in Lagos, Capt. Chad Graham, Hershel ‘Woody’ Williams’ commanding officer, also met with the chief of operations for the Nigerian Navy Western Naval Command (WNC), Commodore Daupreye Franklin Matthew, to discuss their shared commitment to a peaceful, well-policed Gulf of Guinea.

“Maritime engagements that include many navies working together really improve our interoperability and collective capability, which are absolutely necessary for a busy area such as the Gulf of Guinea,” Graham said. “We’re happy to be working with our Nigerian partners to plan our at-sea multinational engagements, and we’re looking forward to a successful event that demonstrates our commitment to maritime security in the region.”

While visiting Lagos, sailors from the US ship will also help paint Lagos State Model Nursery and Primary School Achakpo Ajegunle, as well as play sports with members of the Nigerian Navy.

“We greatly appreciate Nigeria, and the city of Lagos, for welcoming our crew to their country,” Capt. Graham said. “Nigeria is the lynchpin for Gulf of Guinea maritime security; our sailors are excited to be working with their counterparts at sea and to engage with Nigerian communities ashore.”

Nigeria maintains the largest navy in the Gulf of Guinea region and is critical to security and stability in Africa.

Among the Nigerian Navy ships are two former US Coast Guard cutters, NNS Okpabana and NNS Thunder, that were transferred to the West African country as part of the US$559 million in US investments and donations to the Nigerian military.

USS Herschel 'Woody' Willimas at sea in the US Navy picture, featured in Africa PORTS & SHIPS maritime news
USS Herschel ‘Woody’ Willimas at sea in the US Navy picture.  This class of ships used to be referred to as Dock Landing Ships 

Permanently assigned to U.S. Africa Command

USS Hershel ‘Woody’ Williams is the first warship permanently assigned to the U.S. Africa Command area of responsibility. The embassy said the U.S. shares a common interest with African partner nations in ensuring security, safety, and freedom of navigation on the waters surrounding the continent, because these waters are critical for Africa’s prosperity and access to global markets.

Lagos is not USS Hershel ‘Woody’ Williams’first port of call in Africa. On 8 February this year she called at Mombasa in Kenya – see that report in Africa PORTS & SHIPS   HERE.

Then on 20 February she called at Cape Town.

Another of 'Dockrat' pictures of the US ship during her February 2021 Cape Town visit, featured in Africa PORTS & SHIPS maritime news
Another of ‘Dockrat’ pictures of the US ship during her February 2021 Cape Town visit

ESB Class of US Navy ship

The ESB class of ship is a highly flexible platform that may be used across a broad range of military operations. Acting as a mobile sea base, they are part of the critical access infrastructure that supports the deployment of forces and supplies to support missions assigned.

The crest of USS Herschel 'Woody' Williams ESB-4, featured in Africa PORTS & SHIPS maritime news
The crest of USS Herschel ‘Woody’ Williams ESB-4

The ship is the first in the Navy named after Hershel Woodrow ‘Woody’ Williams, a US Marine who received the Medal of Honor for his actions in the Battle of Iwo Jima during World War II.

The vessel is one of the Expeditionary Sea Base Ships derived from the MONTFORD POINT – class Expeditionary Transfer Docks. This class of ships was until 4 Septtember designated as Mobile Landing Platform Ships (MLP).

Her keel was laid on 18 December 2015 and the ship launched on 19 August 2017 with delivery on 22 February 2018. USS Hershel Woodrow ‘Woody’ Williams was built at the National Steel and Shipbuilding Company, San Diego, California.

Powered by a diesel-electric system driving two propellers for a speed of 15 knots, the ship is 239 metres in length and 50 metres wide with a 9m draught. She displaces approximately 39,900 tons and requires a crew of 34 MSC personnel plus about 250 military personnel as required by any mission.

–  trh

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WHARF TALK: LPG tanker named BW ODIN

The LPG tanker BW Odin entering port in Cape Town. Picture by 'Dockrat', featured in Africa PORTS & SHIPS maritime news
The LPG tanker BW Odin entering port in Cape Town. Picture by ‘Dockrat’

Story by Jay Gates
Pictures by ‘Dockrat’

There are some designs of vessels that trade worldwide, but are rarely seen in South African ports due to the lack of import and export facilities required to service them. Changes to receiving infrastructure are beginning to change that, although occasionally such vessels call for other reasons.

On 9th August at 15h00 the LPG tanker BW ODIN (IMO 9387762), classed as a Very Large Gas Carrier (VLGC), arrived at Cape Town harbour from Richards Bay. The arrival of an LPG tanker in Cape Town is a very unusual occurrence and all was explained when she went directly to the Repair Quay, which strongly suggested a minor maintenance requirement.

BW Odin had arrived at Cape Town from the port of Richards Bay where the tanker had delivered her cargo of LPG to the new Bidvest terminal. Picture by 'Dockrat', featured in Africa PORTS & SHIPS maritime news
BW Odin had arrived at Cape Town from the port of Richards Bay where the tanker delivered her cargo of LPG to the new Bidvest terminal. Picture by ‘Dockrat’

Built in 2009 by Hyundai Heavy Industries at Ulsan in South Korea, BW Odin is 225 metres in length and has a deadweight of 58,551 tons. She is powered by a single HHI MAN-B&W 6S60MC-C 6 cylinder 2 stroke main engine producing 18,184 bhp (13,560 kW), to drive a fixed pitch propeller to give her a service speed of 14 knots.

Her auxiliary machinery includes three Himsen 8H31/32 generator sets providing 1,280 kW each, and a Doosan ADL086 emergency generator providing 130 kW. She has been retrofitted with a Kwangsung exhaust scrubber unit which gives her that top-heavy look so typical of vessels that have received a retrofitted scrubber. She has eight cargo tanks with a liquid gas carrying capacity of 80,797 m3.

Her call at Cape Town aroused some interest and she proceeded to the berth usually used for maintenance repairs. Picture by 'Dockrat' featured in Africa PORTS & SHIPS maritime news
Her call at Cape Town aroused some interest and she proceeded to the berth usually used for maintenance repairs. Picture by ‘Dockrat’

Nominally owned by BW VLGC Limited of Hamilton in Bermuda, BW Odin is operated by BW LPG limited of Singapore and managed by Wilhelmsen Ship Management of Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia. The origins of her parent company formed in 2005, BW Group, are the initials of the great Norwegian bulk shipping company Bergesen of Stavanger, and Worldwide Shipping of Hong Kong, both of which were amalgamated together in 2003.

An LPG tanker is quite distinct from an LNG tanker, where LNG (Liquid Natural Gas) comes directly from natural gas reserves located thousands of feet below the surface of the earth, whereas LPG (Liquid Petroleum Gas) is a byproduct of the oil refining process, with examples being Butane and Propane, which is used to heat domestic households, or used for cooking appliances.

The vessel has a retrofitted Kwangsung exhaust scrubber unit which dominates the appearance of the tankers accommodation and bridge block. Picture by 'Dockrat' featured in Africa PORTS & SHIPS maritime news
The vessel has a retrofitted Kwangsung exhaust scrubber unit to the rear of the funnel which dominates the appearance of the tankers accommodation and bridge block. Picture by ‘Dockrat’

The arrival of BW Odin from Richards Bay is a result of a brand new LPG storage facility that has been built in the port to handle imports of LPG cargoes. Operated by Bidvest Tank Terminals, the Mounded LPG Storage Facility has four tanks, each 60 metres in length, by 16 metres in diameter, and which are the largest LPG storage tanks in the world.

The requirement to build such a large facility to serve the LPG needs of South Africa were due to unreliable supply, a situation that has not been helped by the extended closure of two of the country’s largest oil refineries in Cape Town and Durban.

These are the four giant LPG tanks arriving in Richards Bay to make up the storage facility for LPG at the port. Picture courtesy Bidvest, featured in Africa PORTS & SHIPS maritime news
These are the four giant LPG tanks arriving in Richards Bay to make up the storage facility for LPG at the port, the largest LPG storage tanks in the world.   Picture courtesy Bidvest Tank Terminals

The arrival of the BW Odin from Richards Bay is therefore not unusual, and this has been her second visit to the KZN port this year. On this occasion she spent two spells out in the Richards Bay anchorage in July, over a combined period of almost 11 days, and her two visits to discharge LPG in Richards Bay was over a combined 5 day period.

On both occasions her LPG cargo had been loaded at the Enterprise Hydrocarbons Terminal at Houston in the USA. On her previous voyage to Richards Bay in May, BW Odin had also discharged a parcel of LPG at Port Louis in Mauritius.

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ABB Azipod propulsion for Orange Marine cable-laying & repair ship

New Orange cable layer featured in Africa PORTS & SHIPS maritime news
Picture: Orange Marine

Eco-friendly Orange Marine cable ship contract
Norwegian design, Sri Lanka newbuild
Azipod® propulsion marks 300th vessel milestone

Integrated ABB power and propulsion package win from Colombo Dockyard brings milestone Azipod® installation for advanced cable-laying and repair vessel that will support offshore wind farms

This high-tech vessel (illustrated above by computer generated imagery) will be delivered by Sri Lanka’s leading shipbuilder in 2023, joining an Orange Marine France fleet which now accounts for 15% of the world’s specialised cable laying and repair ships. At 100-metres loa the vessel will feature a full power, propulsion and automation package from ABB, including the landmark Azipod® system. Financial details of the contract were not disclosed.

It is understood that this vessel, needed for both cable laying and cable repair, has been developed by Norway’s Vard Design, a Fincantieri Company, to meet specific priorities on power consumption and performance. Station-keeping accuracy and manoeuvrability are essential for what are complex cable laying and repair operations, while the ship also needs relatively high speed to achieve rapid or urgent deployment.

In the words of DV Abeysinghe MD & CEO, Colombo Dockyard: “We look forward to working with ABB on this highly advanced, modern vessel that will no doubt set new standards for cableships in term of superior performance and eco-friendly operations.”

The twin 1.8 megawatt Azipod® units selected to meet the shipowner’s requirements for high transit speeds with maximum fuel efficiency while providing the 360-degree manoeuvrability to ensure station-keeping performance even in challenging weather and sea conditions. Integral to the package is an ABB energy storage system enabling electrical power back-up using 500 kWh batteries, which will reduce fuel consumption during cable work and ensure continuity in the event of an unexpected shutdown.

Said Emmanuel Décugis, New Building Project Manager, Orange Marine: “Azipod® combines optimal manoeuvrability with reduced power requirements and low emissions. At the same time, being able to integrate different energy sources provides a flexible and future-proof system that will ensure the most efficient vessel operation for many years to come.”

It has been reported that the overall power setup will be controlled by ABB’s Power and Energy Management System (PEMS™), which will also increase fault tolerance and provide a high degree of reliability while ensuring the maximum lifetime for the batteries.

This integrated power and propulsion contract comes as ABB celebrates 30 years of Azipod® propulsion and offers the latest example of how the concept’s ingenuity continues to combine with progressive enhancements to expand its client base, three decades after launch.

On the business Juha Koskela, Division President, ABB Marine & Ports commented: “After 30 years of Azipod® propulsion, it is especially pleasing that the 300th ship will be a pioneer in the world’s energy and communications sector. We are also delighted to be working on our second project with Colombo Dockyard, following an earlier cable layer project in 2017.”

Azipod® technology is claimed to offer owners documented fuel savings of 20% over conventional shaftline power transmission, reduced emissions and full integration with high efficiency hybrid energy arrangements. As well as freeing up space in the vessel for other uses, the Azipod® unit’s external position permits naval architects to optimise hull form performance. Connecting the propeller directly to the propulsion motor eliminates gears and other auxiliary equipment, reducing maintenance costs, it has been shown.

Vessel types for which advanced Azipod® propulsion systems offer significant efficiency gains include cable layers, offshore construction vessels, wind farm support ships, icebreakers and ice-breaking commercial ships including LNG carriers, cruise ships and expedition vessels.

Once in commission the new Orange Marine vessel will accommodate 76 personnel and will be remotely monitored and supported by experts from ABB’s global network of ABB Ability™ Collaborative Operations Centres. It is reported that remote support and connectivity, together with advanced data analytics enabled by the ABB Ability™ Remote Diagnostics System, will enhance operational safety and performance, while helping to detect and correct faults promptly on board.

Orange Marine

Operating since 1860, the cable ship branch of the French Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications became a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Orange Group in 1999.

In 2010, Orange acquired Elettra, a Telecom Italia subsidiary operating in the same activity. Orange Marine is specialised in works related to submarine cables, from the study, engineering phase and surveys, to the installation of regional or inter-continental connections and the maintenance of existing cables. Orange Marine operates six cable ships and one survey ship.

 

 

 

Reported by Paul Ridgway
London

Added 10 August 2021

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IPCC report shows that climate change is rapid, widespread and intensifying

Featured in Africa PORTS & SHIPS maritime news
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UN Climate Change News

A landmark new report by hundreds of the world’s top climate scientists is a clarion call for immediate action to slash greenhouse gases in the face of unprecedented and accelerating climate change, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said in a statement on 9 August.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC*) Working Group I report, Climate Change 2021: the Physical Science Basis, provides the clearest and most comprehensive assessment to date of warming of the atmosphere, oceans and land.

The document at nearly 4000 pages and 250MB in size may be downloaded through the link to be found HERE

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres described the evidence as: “a code red for humanity…The internationally agreed threshold of 1.5 degrees Celsius is perilously close.”

Of the IPCC Working Group I report WMO Secretary-General Prof. Petteri Taalas said: “The harsh reality of climate change is playing out in real time before our very eyes. It is a foretaste of what faces future generations. Some of the negative changes are already locked into the climate system but others still can be addressed if we make strong, rapid and sustained reductions in emissions now. However, greenhouse gas concentrations, especially carbon dioxide, remain at record levels.

“As co-founder of the IPCC, WMO pays tribute to the remarkable achievement of the scientists involved for their dedication and tireless work. We are united in our science. Science has spoken. Now it’s time to act.”

Featured in Africa PORTS & SHIPS maritime news

More Extreme Weather

The IPCC report projects that in the coming decades climate changes will increase in all regions. For 1.5°C of global warming, there will be increasing heat waves, longer warm seasons and shorter cold seasons as well as changes in precipitation patterns affecting flooding and drought occurrences. At 2°C of global warming, heat extremes would more often reach critical tolerance thresholds for agriculture and health, the report shows.

Professor Taalas added: “The extreme heat we have witnessed in 2021 bears all the hallmarks of human-induced climate change. British Columbia in Canada IPCC Working Group I report recorded an incredible temperature of 49.6°C – breaking all previous records – as part of an intense and extensive heatwave in North America.

“Fires in North America stoked by heat and drought have sent plumes of smoke across the Atlantic. In recent days, we have seen devastating fires in Turkey and Greece amid an intense and long-lasting heatwave in the Mediterranean. Siberia – a region traditionally associated with permafrost – has once again seen huge wildfires after exceptional heatwaves, fires and low Arctic sea ice in 2020.”

Professor Taalas concluded by saying: “Many countries this year are bearing witness to this. For example, in the month of July alone, up to two months’ worth of rainfall fell in two days in Germany, whilst parts of the central Chinese province of Henan received more accumulated rainfall in the space of four days than the annual average. This resulted in hundreds of casualties and many millions of dollars in economic losses.”

A transcript of Prof. Taalas remarks is available if you CLICK HERE

Featured in Africa PORTS & SHIPS maritime news

Regional emphasis

A major advance of this report, of recent climate science, is the new information on regional climate change, both what is being seen now and what will be seen in the future with additional warming. This helps us understand how the effects of global warming play out on a regional scale, helping policymakers make more regionally informed decisions about climate.

More detailed regional climate impact information has been published in a new AR6 WG1 Interactive Atla

A Summary for Policymakers of the Working Group I contribution to the Sixth Assessment Report (AR6) as well as additional materials and information are available at HERE

The report was based on input from 234 authors from 66 countries (31 coordinating authors, 167 lead authors, 36 review editors plus 517 contributing authors).

* The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is an intergovernmental body of the United Nations that is dedicated to providing the world with objective, scientific information relevant to understanding the scientific basis of the risk of human-induced climate change, its natural, political, and economic impacts and risks, and possible response options.

Founded in 1988 with HQ in Geneva, Switzerland its parent organisations are the World Meteorological Organization and the United Nations Environment Program.

 

 

 

Reported by Paul Ridgway
London

Now see related report IN CONVERSATION, next

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IN CONVERSATION: IPCC climate report: Profound changes are underway in Earth’s oceans and ice – a lead author explains what the warnings mean

 

Robert Kopp, Rutgers University

Humans are unequivocally warming the planet, and that’s triggering rapid changes in the atmosphere, oceans and polar regions, and increasing extreme weather around the world, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change warns in a new report.

The IPCC released the first part of its much anticipated Sixth Assessment Report on Aug. 9, 2021. In it, 234 scientists from around the globe summarized the current climate research on how the Earth is changing as temperatures rise and what those changes will mean for the future.

We asked climate scientist Robert Kopp, a lead author of the chapter on Earth’s oceans, ice and sea level rise, about the profound changes underway.

What are the IPCC report’s most important overall messages in your view?

At the most basic level, the facts about climate change have been clear for a long time, with the evidence just continuing to grow.

As a result of human activities, the planet is changing at a rate unprecedented for at least thousands of years. These changes are affecting every area of the planet.

Line chart showing influence over time of different sources of warming. Only human-caused emissions are on the same trajectory as the actual temperature rise.
Humans produce large amounts of greenhouse gas emissions, primarily through fossil fuel burning, agriculture, deforestation and decomposing waste.  IPCC Sixth Assessment Report

While some of the changes will be irreversible for millennia, some can be slowed and others reversed through strong, rapid and sustained reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.

But time is running out to meet the ambitious goal laid out in the 2015 international Paris Agreement to limit warming to well below 2 degrees Celsius above preindustrial levels (2 C equals 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit). Doing so requires getting global carbon dioxide emissions on a downward course that reaches net zero around or before 2050.

What are scientists most concerned about right now when it comes to the oceans and polar regions?

Global sea level has been rising at an accelerating rate since about 1970, and over the last century, it has risen more than in any century in at least 3,000 years.

In the years since the IPCC’s Fifth Assessment Report in 2013 and the Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate in 2018, the evidence for accelerating ice sheet loss has become clearer.

Over the last decade, global average sea level has risen at a rate of about 4 millimeters per year (1.5 inches per decade). This increase is due to two main factors: the melting of ice in mountain glaciers and at the poles, and the expansion of water in the ocean as it takes up heat.

Ice sheets in particular are primarily responsible for the increase in the rate of sea level rise since the 1990s. There is clear evidence tying the melting of glaciers and the Greenland Ice Sheet, as well as ocean warming, to human influence. Sea level rise is leading to substantial impacts on coastal communities, including a near-doubling in the frequency of coastal flooding since the 1960s in many sites around the world.

Since the previous reports, scientists have made substantial advances in modeling the behavior of ice sheets. At the same time, we’ve been learning more about ice sheet physics, including recognizing the potential ways ice sheets can become destabilized. We don’t well understand the potential speed of these changes, but they have the potential to lead to much more rapid ice sheet loss if greenhouse gas emissions grow unchecked.

These advances confirm that sea level is going to continue to rise for many centuries to come, creating an escalating threat for coastal communities.

Sea level change through 2050 is largely locked in: Regardless of how quickly nations are able to lower emissions, the world is likely looking at about 15 to 30 centimeters (6 to 12 inches) of global average sea level rise through the middle of the century.

But beyond 2050, sea level projections become increasingly sensitive to the world’s emissions choices. If countries continue on their current paths, with greenhouse gas emissions likely to bring 3-4 C of warming (5.4-7.2 F) by 2100, the planet will be looking at a most likely sea level rise of about 0.7 meters (a bit over 2 feet). A 2 C (3.6 F) warmer world, consistent with the Paris Agreement, would see lower sea level rise, most likely about half a meter (about 1.6 feet) by 2100.

Line charts showing sea level rise accelerating the most in higher-impact scenarios.
The IPCC’s projections for global average sea level rise in meters with higher-impact pathways and the level of greenhouse gas emissions. IPCC Sixth Assessment Report

What’s more, the more the world limits its greenhouse gas emissions, the lower the chance of triggering instabilities in the polar ice sheets that are challenging to model but could substantially increase sea level rise.

Under the most extreme emissions scenario we considered, we could not rule out rapid ice sheet loss leading to sea level rise approaching 2 meters (7 feet) by the end of this century.

Fortunately, if the world limits warming to well below 2 C, it should take many centuries for sea level rise to exceed 2 meters – a far more manageable situation.

Are the oceans or ice nearing any tipping points?

“Tipping point” is a vague term used in many different ways by different people. The IPCC defines tipping points as “critical thresholds beyond which a system reorganizes, in a way that is very fast or irreversible” – for example, a temperature rise beyond which climate dynamics commit an ice sheet to massive loss.

Because the term is so vague, the IPCC generally focuses on characteristics of changes in a system – for example, whether a system might change abruptly or irreversibly – rather than whether it fits the strict dynamic definition of a “tipping point.”

One example of a system that might undergo abrupt changes is the large-scale pattern of ocean circulation known as the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation, or AMOC, of which the Gulf Stream is part. Paleoclimate evidence tells us that AMOC has changed rapidly in the past, and we expect that AMOC will weaken over this century. If AMOC were to collapse, it would make Europe warm more slowly, increase sea level rise along the U.S. Atlantic coast, and shift storm tracks and monsoons. However, most evidence indicates that such a collapse will not happen in this century.

Map showing ocean current now and in the future, slower
The Gulf Stream is part of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation. A slowdown would affect temperature in Europe and sea level rise along the U.S. East coast. IPCC Sixth Assessment Report

There is mixed evidence for abrupt changes in the polar ice sheets, but clear evidence that changes in the ice sheets can be locked in for centuries and millennia.

If the world succeeds in limiting warming to 1.5 C (2.7 F), we expect to see about 2-3 meters (7-10 feet) of sea level rise over the next 2,000 years; if the planet continues to warm and reaches a 5 C (9 F) increase, we expect to see about 20 meters (70 feet) over the next 2,000 years.

Some people also discuss summer Arctic sea ice – which has undergone substantial declines over the last 40 years and is now smaller than at any time in the past millennium – as a system with a “tipping point.” However, the science is pretty clear that there is no critical threshold in this system. Rather, summer Arctic sea ice area decreases roughly in proportion to the increase in global temperature, and if temperature were stabilized, we would expect sea ice area to stabilize also.

What do scientists know now about hurricanes that they didn’t realize when the last report was written?

Since the last IPCC assessment report in 2013, there has been increasing evidence that hurricanes have grown more intense, and intensified more rapidly, than they did 40 years ago. There’s also evidence that hurricanes in the U.S. are moving more slowly, leading to increased rainfall.

However, it’s not clear that this is due to the effects of greenhouse gases – reductions in particulate pollution have also had important effects.

The clearest effect of global warming is that a warmer atmosphere holds more water, leading to more extreme rainfall, like that seen during Hurricane Harvey in 2017. Looking forward, we expect to see hurricane winds and hurricane rains continue to increase. It’s still unclear how the overall number of hurricanes will change.

The report involved 234 scientists, and then 195 governments had to agree on the summary for policymakers. Does that broad range of views affect the outcome?

When you’re writing a report like this, a key goal for the scientists is to accurately capture points of both scientific agreement and scientific disagreement.

For example, with respect to ice sheet changes, there are certain processes on which there is broad agreement and other processes where the science is still emerging and there are strong, discordant views. Yet knowing about these processes may be crucially important for decision-makers trying to manage risk.

That’s why, for example, we talk not only about most likely outcomes, but also about outcomes where the likelihood is low or as-yet unknown, but the potential impacts are large.

The IPCC uses a transparent process to produce its report – the authors have had to respond to over 50,000 review comments over the three years we’ve spent writing it. The governments also weigh in, having to approve every line of a concise Summary for Policy Makers that accurately reflects the underlying assessment – oftentimes making it clearer in the process.

I’m very pleased that, as with past reports, every participating government has signed off on a summary that accurately reports the current state of climate science.




Read more:
The water cycle is intensifying as the climate warms, IPCC report warns – that means more intense storms and flooding


The Conversation


Robert Kopp, Professor, Department of Earth & Planetary Sciences, and Director, Rutgers Institute of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences, Rutgers University

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

Added 10 August 2021

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Transnet reports further cargo handling disruptions because of IT network

Ngqura Container Terminal. Eastern Cape port affected by weather conditions as NAVIS IT systems disruote other port operations, featured in Africa PORTS & SHIPS maritime news
Ngqura Container Terminal.  Eastern Cape ports affected by poor weather conditions as NAVIS IT systems disrupt other port operations    Picture: Transnet

Transnet said on Tuesday is currently experiencing disruptions in some of its IT applications, resulting in some cargo working operations having been affected.

The company has activated its business continuity plans and work is underway to reduce the downtime.

Container terminals have been affected specifically with the NAVIS system on the trucking side, but Freight Rail, Pipelines, Engineering and Property divisions were reporting normal activity.

However, in the Eastern Cape, inclement weather conditions have halted terminal operations, and operations will continue manually only once it is safe to do so.

The Ports Authority (TNPA) at the various ports continues to operate, but vessels moving in and out of the ports are being recorded manually.

Customers have been made aware of the disruption and are being engaged throughout the process, Transnet said.

Added 10 August 2021: 15h00

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Mozambique insurrection: LATEST: Rwandan forces recapture Mocimboa da Praia

Joseph Hanlon reports on the latest (Monday night, 9 August) news from Cabo Delgado in northern Mozambique.

Rwandan forces captured the key port town of Mocimboa da Praia yesterday (Sunday 8 Aug). They say they control the town, government buildings, port and airstrip. The action was done pointedly before the arrival of SADC forces, and with Mozambican forces kept at arms length. Mocimboa had been held by insurgents for a year and the Mozambican military had made no serious attempts to recapture it.

Rwandan forces moved on the two paved roads. The main force went south from Palma to Mocimboa da Praia. A smaller force moved east from Mueda and Awasse toward Mocimboa da Praia. Mozambican forces moved from the south in Macomia toward “the Messalo River to blockade the enemy,” Maj Nicolas Kato, an operations officer, told New Times (7 Aug). If correct, Rwandan troops are doing the fighting, and Mozambican troops are being kept south of the river and 30 km south of the battle.

There are no reports of casualties or captured insurgents and weapons, which suggests that many of the insurgents melted away into the bush during the previous week when the oncoming attack was obvious. They probably split into small groups and some may have returned to family and supporters to await instructions.

It is also possible that small groups have moved further afield – elsewhere in Cabo Delgado, or to Nampula where strange movements have been noted.

War news now comes from Rwanda and the semi-official [Rwandan] New Times. They published Saturday (8 Aug) that Mocimboa was surrounded, and on Sunday afternoon that it has been taken, with video footage. A New Times correspondent is with the troops. Mozambique provides no similar reporting, and a very brief statement late Sunday afternoon said less than the Rwandans had already reported.

This report, received on Monday evening at 21h00 updates the report immediately below.

Joseph Hanlon / ‘Mozambique News Reports and Clippings’
This report is dated Monday 9 August
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Mozambique insurrection update: Joseph Hanlon reports…..

The South African Navy Offshore Patrol Vessel SAS Makhanda seen in the bay at Pemba, featured in Africa PORTS & SHIPS maritime news
The South African Navy Offshore Patrol Vessel SAS Makhanda seen in the bay at Pemba

Mocimboa da Praia encircled

Rwandan and Mozambican forces have surrounded Mocimboa da Praia, which has been held by insurgents for the past year. This is the largest town in the war zone, with the only port on the northern Cabo Delgado coast, and an airstrip.

Road and sea access to the town have been cut off, military sources claim. The two forces have recaptured five insurgent-held villages near Mocimboa, and hold key positions around the town. Pinnacle News (3 Aug) reports Rwandan and Mozambican forces moving east on the N380 road from Awasse, captured from insurgents two weeks ago. Smaller insurgent camps have been captured and aerial bombardment is reported by Pinnacle. Thus an attack on Mocimboa seems imminent.

In response to attacks by better trained and equipped Rwandan troops, the insurgents have followed the standard guerrilla tactics and abandoned large bases and split into smaller groups. The groups have attacked villages in Muidumbe, Nangade, Mocímboa da Praia, Palma and Macomia districts.

The Rwanda Defence Force did a very good televised briefing on 29 July on its first week in battle on Mozambique. Rwanda claims no casualties so far, while Rhula (30 July) says “sources agree that the Rwandan forces have already sustained considerable casualties.” CaboLigado (3 Aug) reports “that flights left Afungi for Kigali on 25 and 26 July carrying Rwandan casualties from fighting near Awasse.”

SANDF Special Forces arriving at Pemba Airport by C130 Hercules aircraft of the SAAF, featured in Africa PORTS & SHIPS maritime news
SANDF Special Forces arriving at Pemba Airport by C130 Hercules aircraft of the SAAF

Foreign troops are now arriving in force

Troops from South Africa, Botswana and Tanzania are already in Mozambique as part of the SADC force. Mozambique wanted the Rwandan troops in action first, and the SADC force only began arriving last week.

On 1 August SAS Makhanda, a Warrior-class strike craft of the South African Navy, currently configured as an Offshore Patrol Vessel, arrived in Pemba Port. A squadron of South African Rooivalk attack helicopters was reported in Pemba on 3 August. An Air Force Cessna Caravan light aircraft arrived in Pemba and will presumably be used for aerial reconnaissance.

The first contingent of armoured vehicles from special forces 43 Brigade was visible as it moved through the border post of Ressano Garcia at Komatipoort at first light on 1 August. The convoy contained the first of South Africa’s mechanised infantry battalion vehicles. Two South African Air Force Hercules C130 cargo aircraft have been flying regular flights between Waterkloof Air Force Base in Pretoria and Pemba in the past two weeks transporting soldiers, equipment, ammunition and a contingent of Special Forces. South African has authorised the deployment of up to 1,495 troops.

Without announcement, a Tanzanian military aircraft was seen in Pemba airport for several trips on 1-3 August. The Soviet era Yak-8 was unloading Tanzanian troops and military equipment. President of Tanzania Samia Suluhu Hassan visited Rwanda on 4-5 August, and the deployment of troops from both countries to Cabo Delgado is believed to have been one of the topics on the agenda of meetings with Paul Kagame.

On 26 July, Botswana’s first contingent of 296 soldiers flew to Mozambique. A long convoy of armoured assault vehicles and other support trucks were seen on 30 July as it crossed the border between Zimbabwe and Mozambique at Gondola.

Angola has authorised a 20-person deployment along with a transport plane. Zimbabwe will send 303 military instructors to train Mozambican forces. This is in addition to Zimbabwean training efforts already ongoing in Mozambique.

Joseph Hanlon / ‘Mozambique News Reports and Clippings’
This report is dated Friday 6 August, consequently events may have changed in the interim

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WHARF TALK: The interesting story behind a reefer named TAGANROGSKIY ZALIV

The reefer vessel Taganrogskiy Zaliv in Cape Town harbour, featured in Africa PORTS & SHIPS maritime news
The reefer vessel Taganrogskiy Zaliv in Cape Town harbour.   Picture is by ‘Dockrat’

Story by Jay Gates
Pictures by ‘Dockrat’

Often one spots a vessel whose outline looks familiar, but the vessel name doesn’t ring any bells. Sometimes the vessel name looks familiar, but the vessel outline itself doesn’t ring any bells.

On 29th July at 06h00 the reefer TAGANROGSKIY ZALIV (IMO 9152181) arrived at the Table Bay anchorage from Busan in South Korea, and remained offshore for just over a day before entering Cape Town harbour on the 30th July at 11h00. Her outline, and her overall colours, was all very familiar and the thought that she might be the latest arrival for one of the scheduled citrus fruit reefer services to Europe or the USA sprang to mind.

However, she was piloted not to the FPT in the Duncan Dock, but rather she went to J Berth, which is the berth normally assigned to reefers that are connected to the fishing industry, and not the fruit industry, and where frozen fish normally landed by the Far Eastern fishing fleets, or from reefer transshipments, is either stored or reloaded for export.

Taganrogskiy Zaliv berthed at J Berth in the Duncan Dock, confirming her role as a fish reefer vessel. Picture by 'Dockrat', featured in Africa PORTS & SHIPS maritime news
Taganrogskiy Zaliv berthed at J Berth in the Duncan Dock, confirming her role as a fish reefer vessel rather than one that carries fruit or other perishables. Picture by ‘Dockrat’

As is often the case with fish reefers, Taganrogskiy Zaliv sailed from Cape Town on 4th August at 16h00 and headed out into the South Atlantic Ocean, with no known or given destination, and only ‘to orders’ being broadcast on her AIS.

Closer inspection shows she was not a regular Seatrade vessel, and her very Russian name, Taganrogskiy Zaliv, was one once used by a Soviet fish carrier that accompanied the Soviet trawler fleet off Namibia and in Antarctica.

The ship's accommodation and bridge section with funnel. Picture by 'Dockrat'
The ship’s accommodation and bridge section with funnel. Picture by ‘Dockrat’

Built in 1997 by Kitahinon Shipbuilders at Hachinohe in Japan, Taganrogskiy Zaliv actually was the Seatrade reefer SOUTHERN BAY up until 2019, and a regular caller at South African ports during the fruit export season. She is 143 metres in length and has a deadweight of 9,638 tons. She is powered by a single Mitsubishi Akasaka 7UEC50-OLS2 7 cylinder 2 stroke main engine producing 13,090 bhp (9,628 kW), driving a fixed pitch propeller to give a service speed of 18 knots.

Her auxiliary machinery includes three generator sets providing 800 kW each, and a small emergency generator providing 32 kW. She has one Miura CHR exhaust boiler, and one Miura CHO oil fired boiler. Her four hold refrigerated capacity is 535,093 ft3, or the equivalent of 5,924 m2. She has a container carrying capacity of 202 TEU, for which 73 reefer plugs are provided.

Whilst no longer a regular caller at South African ports, Taganrogskiy Zaliv had previously paid two visits to another African port in February this year, and in November 2020. She had visited the small port of Socope, which is situated some 90 miles up the Congo River in the DRC.

The aft section of the vessel. Picture by 'Dockrat' featured in Africa PORTS & SHIPS maritime news
The aft section of the vessel. Picture by ‘Dockrat’

Nominally owned by Delia Navigation Corporation of Athens, Taganrogskiy Zaliv is operated by Baltmed Reefer Services Limited, of the same Athens address, and she is managed by Frigoship Chartering GmbH of Hamburg, who operate Taganrogskiy Zaliv as one of the Alpha Reefer Transport GmbH pool, also of Hamburg. Baltmed is a subsidiary of the Laskarides Group.

Her arrival in Cape Town directly from Busan in South Korea is a good indication that she is a regular reefer used by the deepsea fishing fleets, as Busan is the only port in South Korea where deepsea frozen tuna catches are allowed to be landed as transshipped cargo.

In Feruary 2020 activists from Greenpeace boarded the refrigerated reefer Taganrogsky Zaliv linked to Laskaridis Shipping Ltd. in order to run an inspection on February 28 when the vessel was on its way to do a transhipment. The inspection confirmed the vessel was carrying unregulated fishery. Featured in Africa PORTS & SHIPS maritime news
On 28 February 2020 activists from Greenpeace boarded the refrigerated reefer Taganrogsky Zaliv linked to Laskaridis Shipping Ltd. in order to run an inspection when the vessel was on its way to do a transshipment. The inspection confirmed the vessel was carrying unregulated fishery.   Picture:  Greenpeace

Confirmation of this activity is that Taganrogskiy Zaliv is, or has recently been, registered with transshipment authority by all of the major International Commissions that regulate fisheries activities in the Pacific Ocean, namely the North Pacific Fisheries Commission (NPFC), the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) and the South Pacific Regional Management Organisation (SPRMO).

Closer to African shores, Taganrogskiy Zaliv is also registered with the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT), the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC) and the Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR). It is her operations in the CCAMLR region of Antarctica that has made Taganrogskiy Zaliv newsworthy.

On 28th February 2020 Taganrogskiy Zaliv was boarded (illegally some might say) on the high seas by activists from the Greenpeace organisation when she entered CCAMLR Antarctic waters at 60 degrees South. Greenpeace were carrying out a campaign in Antarctica against IUU fishing and requested to inspect the vessel and its cargo, a request which was denied by the Captain of Taganrogskiy Zaliv. At the time the she was en-route from the Patagonian Shelf region, having transshipped a cargo of frozen squid, and was heading south to the Antarctic Peninsula to carry out a scheduled transshipment from a trawler operating in the area.

On 5th May 2017 another of the Baltmed Reefer fleet, Uruguay Reefer (IMO 9017264), struck a growler iceberg when operating 100 nautical miles off Elephant Island in the Antarctic Peninsula. The collision breached her hull and she started taking on water. The vessel headed for the safety of the Falkland Islands, but the water ingress became so great that she could not be saved and the crew were forced to abandon the vessel. All 42 crewmembers were rescued by Taganrogskiy Zaliv, who had arrived to escort her fleetmate north. The slow flooding of the Uruguay Reefer continued unabated and she finally sank on 16th May 2017 in a position 210 nautical miles from the Falkland Islands.

Added 9 August 2021

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ONE launches Marine Safety and Quality Campaign 2021:
Global self-inspection

ONE APUS on which some 1,900 containers were lost at sea before the ship could arrive at Kobe, featured in Africa PORTS & SHIPS maritime news
ONE APUS on which some 1,900 containers were lost at sea before the ship could arrive at Kobe.  Picture: Twitter

On 1 August Ocean Network Express (ONE) launched its Marine Safety and Quality Campaign due to run until 31 October 2021, to emphasise once again marine navigation safety practices.

This announcement comes at a time when we have seen an increasing number of fires in containers on board ships as well as loss of containers o’erside while under way.

Earlier in the year there was the loss of X-Press Pearl off Colombo after a catastrophic container fire in which the vessel burnt for several days before sinking. Lately we reported in our edition of 3 August of fire and chemical spill risk involving the Hapag-Lloyd operated Seaspan Lahore with a container on board carrying nitric acid in drums. According to Sri Lankan news reports this container was to be discharged at its next port of call, Durban, and disaster was averted by the professional approach of ship’s staff and port authority and other shoreside experts.

Evergreen Machine, a containership, encountered bad weather in December last off the coast of Japan. The ship lost 36 containers and suffered damaged to several others. The previous month ONE Apus lost around 1,900 containers at sea before arriving at Kobe. Apart from those lost at sea, many had also collapsed on deck. Such losses may be the result of bad weather, bad stowage and improper supervision and handling.

Global self-inspection

As the Covid-19 pandemic continued to affect global shipping operations, ONE remained facing difficulties conducting ONE’s Vessel Quality Standard (ONE-VQS) physical inspections on board their operated vessels.

Following the success of last year’s rigorous self-inspection campaign, ONE is confident in maintaining the same meticulous self-inspection practice for a second year, assuring that ONE constantly provides a safe and reliable service to their valued customers.

It is understood that the ONE–VQS self-inspection will be carried out by ships’ staff to focus on three areas with the aim of encouraging crew to proactively conduct thorough checks to mitigate associated risks.

ONE ship at sea featured in Africa PORTS & SHIPS maritime news
Picture: ONE

The focused areas identified are: (i) Cargo Stowage & Securing (Heavy Weather); (ii) Collision/Contact, and (iii) Port State Control (PSC) Inspections & Fire. These three areas have been identified based on the analysis of past incidents both within and outside the ONE fleet and following the results of last year’s campaign.

All vessels under ONE’s operation must complete the self-assessment, identifying and rectifying any potential defects or areas of risk.

Through this campaign and in cooperation with ships’ crew and concerned parties, ONE aims to further raise safety awareness and quality standards of their vessels. The Group is committed to continuously deliver a reliable and quality service to their valued customers.

Marine Safety and Quality Campaign Workflow needs

According to a media brief on 30 July ONE’s Marine Safety and Quality Campaign Workflow indicated the following needs to:

Understand
• ONE Key Performance Indicators
• Important items listed in each of the focused areas

Identify
• Shortcomings
• Defects
• Potential Risks

Review & Rectify
• Related Circulars
• Checklist/Feedback

Report to ONE
• Rectified Items (Before/After )
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Reported by Paul Ridgway
London

Added 9 August 2021

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R500 million cocaine drug bust made at Durban harbour

The Port of Durban Container Terminal from where a major drug bust took place at the end of July 2021, featured in Africa PORTS & SHIPS maritime news
The Port of Durban Container Terminal from where a major drug bust took place at the end of July 2021.  Picture: Transnet

A major drug bust took place at the end of July when a containerised consignment of cocaine worth R500 million at street value was seized at the Port of Durban.

And that’s not all – according to the Hawks an estimated two tonnes of cocaine has been seized at the harbour since March this year.

The latest haul of drugs was hidden in a container of truck parts addressed for the firm of Scania SA, according to the Hawks spokesperson, Colonel Katlego Mogale.

There were up to 999 one kilogram bricks of cocaine carried in the shipping container. These, said Col Mogale, would most likely have been removed from the container clandestinely and the container seal immediately replaced before final delivery to Scania.

The cocaine bricks were hidden in a number of black canvas bags wrapped in plastic at the front of the container. Also found in the container was a duplicate seal that would probably have been used once the drugs had been removed by the smugglers. The rest of the container was filled with truck cabs destined for the consignee.

No arrests had been made, it was reported.

“This case is believed to be linked to a similar drug seizure on 9 July 2021, of 715 kg in Aeroton, Johannesburg, Gauteng, coming from Durban Port, also disguised as Scania truck parts,” said Col. Mogale. “During the seizure of the said consignment, four suspects were arrested, including three police officials. Investigations have revealed that the origin of all of these consignments is the Port of Santos in Brazil.”

She said that at least four tons of cocaine have been seized in South Africa since March this year. Most were destined for the international market, with about 20% likely to remain in South Africa.

According to Col. Mogale, the Hawks are seeking help from the public in their search for a foreign national who is believed to be the mastermind behind some of these criminal activities.

Added 9 August 2021

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DP World strengthens its grip on logistics in southern Africa

Hamburg Sud's large container ship, Santa Catarina, on berth at the DP World container terminal in the Port of Maputo, featured in Africa PORTS & SHIPS maritime mnews
Hamburg Sud’s large container ship, Santa Catarina, on berth at the DP World container terminal in the Port of Maputo,   DP World

Dubai-based logistics giant DP World is strengthening its grip on logistics between Mozambique and its landlocked neighbours, writes Joseph Hanlon in his weekly news report.

As has previously been reported here (13 June) in Africa PORTS & SHIPS, DP World recently began operating a container train service between Maputo and Harare, with DP World Maputo handling all port and border documentation.

Now it is in the process of buying South African logistics giant, Imperial Logistics, and through Imperial DP World will acquire J&J Africa, a major player offering road transport along the Beira corridor to Zimbabwe. See this report in the next article below.

DP World has taken control of the Beira-based logistics group, J&J Africa, featured in Africa PORTS & SHIPS maritime news
DP World has taken control of the Beira-based logistics group, J&J Africa

DP World is already a key player in the Port of Maputo. It is one four shareholders in Maputo Port Development Company (MPDC), which manages the port, and also holds the sub-concession to manage, develop and operate the Maputo container terminal.

It is now setting up improved container movement from Maputo port inland. International container imports for South African can now be moved under bond to a terminal at Komatipoort, just across the border between Mozambique and South Africa, where full customs clearance can be provided.

Hanlon comments that this should speed up transit traffic and cut some of the corruption. Will it reduce smuggling of drugs and other goods in containers, he asks?

Added 9 August 2021

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Imperial to acquire 100% stake in the J&J Africa Group for R4.4 billion

Imperial Logistics acquires J&J Africa Group, featured in Africa PORTS & SHIPS maritime news
Imperial Logistics acquires J&J Africa Group

Imperial Logistics has announced that it is acquiring 100% of the issued share capital of the J&J Group for an enterprise value of USD300 million (c.ZAR4.4 billion).

The J&J Group operates end-to-end logistics solutions along the Beira and North-South corridor in Mozambique, specialising in the transport of break-bulk, containerised, project, fuel and out-of-gauge cargo between Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Zambia, South Africa, Malawi and the DRC.

“This acquisition is in line with Imperial’s ‘Gateway to Africa’ strategy as it will optimise and expand Imperial’s reach in Africa by providing scale in end-to-end cross border transportation services in key African countries and new industries through well-established routes on the Beira and North South corridors, port capabilities, a developed asset base including fleet and 45,000m2 of warehousing space, and an entrenched customer portfolio,” says Mohammed Akoojee, Group CEO at Imperial.

“The J&J Group’s strategic asset base will complement Imperial’s asset-right focus and will serve to further expand the Group’s access to critical trade networks, consolidating Imperial’s leverage and reach on the African continent,” Akoojee said.

The acquisition will contribute to Imperial’s geographic and capability enhancement by granting Imperial access to new regions and corridors that will offer added benefits to the Group’s logistics and market access offerings. This will position Imperial for quicker go-to-market outside of South Africa and will provide the Group with end-to-end access to certain key countries and corridors (port to customer) in Africa.

The transaction will be funded out of cash resources and existing debt facilities and will take place in three tranches, with Imperial initially acquiring 51% of the shares of the J&J Group. This will be followed by second and third tranches of 46.5% and 2.5% respectively.

Conditions for the three tranches are detailed in the regulatory SENS announcement.

J&J Africa specialising in the transport of break-bulk, containerised, project, fuel and out-of-gauge cargo between Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Zambia, South Africa, Malawi and the DRC, featured in Africa PORTS & SHIPS maritime news
J&J Africa specialising in the transport of break-bulk, containerised, project, fuel and out-of-gauge cargo between Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Zambia, South Africa, Malawi and the DRC

“We are excited for J&J to partner with Imperial and believe that the operations of these two businesses are very complementary. This combination offers existing and potential J&J clients a true gateway to Africa,” explained Carlyle and Ethos Private Equity, control shareholders of the J&J Group.

The J&J Group provides access to a management team which collectively has 95 years of industry experience and a wealth of experience in transportation services in complex African markets, using leading technologies, processes and systems. In addition, the J&J Group has implemented leading environmental, social and governance (ESG) practices in its key markets, which bodes well for Imperial’s ESG aspirations.

The acquisition of the J&J Group is subject to the fulfilment of regulatory and other outstanding conditions. In light of the recent announcement regarding the proposed acquisition of 100% of Imperial’s shares by DP World Logistics FZE (DP World), DP World’s consent to conclude the acquisition of the J&J Group was obtained.

Added 9 August 2021

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PORT WINDOW: Walvis Bay records increase in salt exports

A view across the Port of Walvis Bay, with the passenger ship jetty in the forefront and a ro-ro vessel in occupation. The new container terminal is out of view on the left featured in Africa PORTS & SHIPS maritime news
A view across the Port of Walvis Bay, with the passenger ship jetty in the forefront and a ro-ro vessel in occupation. The new container terminal is out of view on the left.   Picture: Namport

There’s been a noticeable increase in the volume of salt exported via the Port of Walvis Bay, the Namibian Ports Authority (Namport) reports. See graph below.

On Friday 6 August this trend was particularly noticeable with two ships in port both loading salt destined for the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The first vessel, the 5,000-dwt MARIA DA PAZ (IMO 9150432) was loading 4,500 tonnes of bagged salt while the second ship, UNISCOUT (IMO 9484194), was taking on 7,000 tonnes also of bagged salt.

Both ships will discharge their cargoes of salt at the DRC port of Matadi.

Maria da Paz

Maria da Paz completed her loading and departed Walvis Bay on Friday at 15h48. She is due in Matadi, the Congo River port, this Wednesday 11 August.

The feeder-type container ship was built in 1999 and flies under the flag of Antigua Barbuda. She is 110.6 metres in length and 16.5m wide and has a container capacity of 378 TEU.

Uniscout

The general cargo ship Uniscout has similarly left Walvis Bay, on Sunday 8 August at 09h44 and is due in Matadi on Thursday 12 August.

The 9,813-dwt Uniscout has an overall length of 132 metres and a width of 16m and was built in 2009. She also flies the flag of Antigua Barbuda.

Over the past four months Namport recorded a combined total (bagged and bulk salt) of 160,186 metric tons of salt exported via the Port of Walvis Bay to various destinations.

Graph showing exports f salt at the Port of Walvis Bay, featured in Africa PORTS & SHIPS maritime news
Graph showing exports of salt at the Port of Walvis Bay

An overall increase in the exportation of salt is observed on the graph above in comparison to the same period in 2020.

Worth Noting – Mediterranean Bridge

The container ship Mediterranean Bridge arriving at the port of Walvis Bay, featured in Africa PORTS & SHIPS maritime news
The container ship Mediterranean Bridge arriving at the port of Walvis Bay   Namport

Another vessel worth noting on Friday was the container ship MEDITERRANEAN BRIDGE (IMO 9461506) which sailed on Saturday 7 August at 11h43 bound for Pointe Noire where she is due to arrive on Tuesday 10 August.

During her call at Walvis Bay a total of 1,674 container moves were completed, not a record by any means but still a significant number of containers to be handled at this port.

In June 2020 Mediterranean Bridge became one of the largest ships to arrive at the then new Walvis Bay Container Terminal where she discharged 1,781 TEUs and loaded 697 TEUs for a record of 2,478 TEUs handled on a single vessel at the Port of Walvis Bay.

The 102,518-dwt Mediterranean Bridge is flagged in the Marshall Islands and was built in 2011. Her container capacity is 8,586 TEU and the ship has an overall length of 335.63 metres and a width of 42.8m – quite an impressive sight in Walvis Bay.

The ship is powered with a single Wartsila diesel 2-stroke engine model 12RT-flex96C developing a total power of 58,344-kW or 79,325HP to turn a single fixed pitch propeller.

The ship is a Seaspan-owned and managed ship which appears to be currently operated by Maersk on their Asia, South Africa, West Africa service. Interestingly, the Maersk website shows the ship as Mediterranean Brid – missing the ‘ge’.

Added 9 August 2021

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WHARF TALK: From a musical concert to a gemstone – BLUE ONYX

The prodicts tanker Blue Onyx on the bunker berth at the port of Cape Town last week. Picture by 'Dockrat' and featured in Africa PORTS & SHIPS maritime news
The prodicts tanker Blue Onyx on the bunker berth at the port of Cape Town last week. Picture by ‘Dockrat’

Story by Jay Gates
Pictures by ‘Dockrat’

In this day and age, with South African ports seeing constant arrivals of products tankers bringing in fuel to cover for its lack of local refinery production, one doesn’t usually get to see MR2 class tankers calling in that actually don’t have a refined products cargo to deliver, don’t need to come alongside the tanker berth, and are actually heading somewhere else, to a destination port on another continent.

On 5th August at 06h00 the MR2 products tanker BLUE ONYX (IMO 9258595) arrived from Fujairah in the UAE, but did not proceed to the tanker berth in the Duncan Dock, but instead went directly to the Landing Wall instead. Not only that, but she looked vaguely familiar, at the same time as not looking familiar.

The well-known Stena badge or coat of arms, not quite painted out. Picture by 'Dockrat' and featured in Africa PORTS & SHIPS maritime news
The well-known Stena badge or coat of arms, not quite painted out. Picture by ‘Dockrat’

Built in 2004 by Uljanik Brodogradiliste shipyard at Pula in Croatia, Blue Onyx is 183 metres in length and has a deadweight of 47,288 tons. She is powered by a single Uljanik MAN-B&W 6S50MC-C 6 cylinder 2 stroke main engine producing 12,873 bhp (9,480 kW), driving a fixed pitch propeller to give a service speed of 15.6 knots.

Her auxiliary machinery includes three Wärtsilä 6L20C generator sets producing 1,020 kW each, and a single MAN D2866E emergency generator. She has a single oil fired boiler and a single exhaust gas boiler. She also has a retrofitted scrubber unit installed as a major addition to the rear of her original funnel, giving her that top heavy look that such retrofits achieve. She has ten cargo tanks, with a cargo carrying capacity of 51,976 m3.

The well disguised scrubber behind the ship's bridge and funnel. Picture by 'Dockrat', featured in Africa PORTS & SHIPS maritime news
The well disguised scrubber behind the ship’s bridge and funnel. Picture by ‘Dockrat’

Her visit to Cape Town, with her going alongside at the Landing Wall, pointed to a minor maintenance issue or possibly just a quick stores and bunker stop. Taking on bunkers was definitely in the mix as the bunker tanker Al Safa came alongside Blue Onyx for a few hours during her stopover. Her stop was indeed a quick one as after a stay of only 12 hours, Blue Onyx sailed at 18H00 on 5th August for Montevideo in Uruguay.

And the not-so successful attempt at painting on the tanker's new name. Picture by 'Dockrat', featured in Africa PORTS & SHIPS maritime news
And the not-so successful attempt at painting on the tanker’s new name. Picture by ‘Dockrat’

It becomes obvious that she is a recent addition to the fleet of her owner, as close inspection clearly showed she had all the hallmarks of a tanker of the giant Swedish Stena Shipping Company. Her new owners clearly did not have the right colour of hull paint to overpaint her previous name on the bow and stern, but they did have enough red paint to obliterate the famous Stena logo from the bow, and on her funnel. Although they have left the Stena Bulk swirl of the Swedish national colours along her forward hull.

One final view of the tanker Blue Onyx before she sailed for South America. Picture by 'Dockrat' and featured in Africa PORTS & SHIPS maritime news
One final view of the tanker Blue Onyx before she sailed for South America. Picture by ‘Dockrat’

In fact Blue Onyx was until March this year one of the seven S-47 class MR tankers in the Stena Bulk fleet, and previously named STENA CONCERT. Now named after a semi-precious stone, her new owners are the semi-precious stone evoking Carnelian Shipping Corporation of Sharjah in the UAE, and she is managed by Indo Gulf Ship Management of the same address.

Just prior to her sale to her new owners, as Stena Concert she had called at both Durban and Beira in February of this year to discharge refined fuel products. In 2020 she appears to have been trading for most of the year between Europe and West African ports, with calls being made throughout the year at every major capital port in the region, including Lagos, Dakar, Banjul and Abidjan.

Added 9 August 2021

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Navigational warnings: Reporting and broadcasting hazards at sea

Copyright 2021 www.admiralty.co.uk Ministry of Defence Crown© linked HERE and featured in Africa PORTS & SHIPS maritime news
Copyright 2021 www.admiralty.co.uk Ministry of Defence Crown© linked HERE

A notice publishing information for ship owners and operators about the types of hazards that need reporting has been issued by the (UK) Maritime & Coastguard Agency (MCA).

The MCA is responsible for broadcasting the warnings issued by the UK Hydrographic Office (UKHO) to vessels at sea. Radio broadcasts are made about known and potential risks.

In its paper Navigation warnings the MCA outlines:

• How and when warnings are broadcast.

• What kind of activities require a warning.

• How to inform UKHO that a hazard requires a navigational warning.

• Broadcast charges to those responsible for the hazard that is issued as a warning.

The document was first published on 1 May 2014 and updated on 4 August this year.

Navigational warnings

The United Kingdom Hydrographic Office (UKHO) acts on behalf of the United Kingdom Government as the NAVAREA I Co-ordinator and UK National Co-ordinator for Radio Navigational Warnings within the World-wide Navigational Warning Service.

As such the UKHO is the focal point for receipt and assessment of information on potential navigational hazards and issues any necessary Radio Navigational Warnings relevant to its area of responsibility. The UKHO element of providing this service is funded by the UK Government through the Ministry of Defence.

Readers can see the MCA document Navigational Warnings HERE

 

 

 

Reported by Paul Ridgway
London

Added 9 August 2021

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THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK

 I know this world is ruled by infinite intelligence. Everything that surrounds us- everything that exists – proves that there are infinite laws behind it. There can be no denying this fact. It is mathematical in its precision.

– Thomas A. Edison

 

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Port Louis – Indian Ocean gateway port

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