Bringing you shipping, freight, trade and transport related news of interest for Africa since 2002
For a 2024 Rate Card please contact us at terry@africaports.co.za
TODAY’S BULLETIN OF MARITIME NEWS
Newsweek commencing 1 September 2024. Click on headline to go direct to story : use the BACK key to return.
FIRST VIEW: ELVIRA
- Port of East London officially welcomes two new tugs
- Brazzaville to host first ever Congo Energy & Investment Forum
- Trade News: OCIMF completes transition to SIRE 2.0 for tanker inspections
- TFR and Petredec partner to deliver LPG by rail from Richards Bay to Gauteng
- WHARF TALK: support vessel – BAD COMPANY SUPPORT 175
- Russian Navy training ship Smolny calls at Cape Town
- In Conversation: China in Africa: Kenya railway study shows investment projects aren’t a one-way street
- Third container ship loses boxes overboard along SA’s notorious east coast
- Initial efforts to salvage tanker Sounion in Red Sea fail
- Houthis target more ships in the Red Sea
- CILTSA and Vaal University of Technology Sign Historic MoU
- Transnet financial report FY ending 31 March 2024
- WHARF TALK: ONE container ship – ONE READINESS
- Kings Rest Container Park ordered by Durban court to vacate prime Bayhead site
- SANDF delegation reviews Project Hotel at Sandock Austral Shipyards
- IATA and the global air cargo market: July
- Compromise offer to defuse the Ethiopia/Somaliland port dispute
- Transnet signs R5bn loan agreement with NDB to enhance capacity & efficiency
- NEW BOOKS: Halcyon Days
- MOL’s Cerulean Ace: ClassNK awards notification for safe transportation of EVs
- Trade News: Mammoet launches world’s strongest land-based crane
- Port News and Advisories
- US$115 million upgrade of Onne’s West Africa Container Terminal (WACT) is completed
- Kotug to support ENI’s Congo LNG project
- Grindrod’s locomotives return from West Africa
- Red Sea attack on tanker Sounion: IMO S-G statement
- EARLIER NEWS CAN BE FOUND UNDER NEWS CATEGORIES…….
Africa Ports & Ships
♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦
Masthead: PORT OF CAPE TOWN
Stay Well, Stay Safe, Stay Patient, don’t become one
Advertising:– request a Rate Card from terry@africaports.co.za
Join us on our journey through 2024
and stay up to date with Africa Ports & Ships – 22 years of reporting directly from Africa (est. 2002).
SEND NEWS REPORTS AND PRESS RELEASES TO info@africaports.co.za
Africa Ports & Ships
♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦
FIRST VIEW: ELVIRA


It’s citrus season in South Africa and although it doesn’t appear that 2024 will be anything like a record year in terms of either volume or even size of fruit, though the quality is said to be very good, the reefer ships are continuing to call and gracing our citrus ports with their appeal.
One such this past week was the Elvira (IMO 9202869) shown here entering the Durban port to load fruit at the FPT berths on the T-Jetty.
Elvira was built and commissioned in 2000 at the Imabari Iwaji Zosen shipyard located in Ehime, Japan. The ship is flagged in Barbados and is owned by the Selinia Corp and managed by Seatrade Groningen BV of The Netherlands. She is 152 metres in length, 23m wide and has a gross weight of 10,532 tons and a deadweight of 10,309 tons.
Elvira is powered by a single 2-stroke Mitsubishi Akasaka diesel engine model 6UEC60LSII producing 11,916 kW or 16,201 HP and driving a single fixed pitch propeller for a speed of 21 knots. In terms of her cargo capacity, the reefer’s holds measure 549,326 cub/ft with an area space of 6,244 m2 and able to accommodate 6,650 pallets of fruit.
After completing her cargo working at the Durban fruit terminal, Elvira sailed south to Port Elizabeth where she arrived on 31 August 2024 to continue loading citrus.
Pictures by KEITH BETTS
Africa Ports & Ships
♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦
News continues below
Port of East London officially welcomes two new tugs

Africa Ports & Ships
The Port of East London officially welcomed two new tugs this week, marking the completion of Transnet National Ports Authority’s (TNPA) R1 billion investment towards the Marine Fleet Renewal Programme.
The programme is aimed at boosting tugboat availability and enhancing shipping operations and included another five new tugs entering service at the Port of Durban.
According to Transnet the TNPA Marine Fleet Renewal Programme is a key element of the overall Transnet Recovery Plan and is critical in driving shipping efficiencies and reliability, whilst positioning the ports as competitive and a catalyst for economic growth.
The two tugs, built in South East Asia and delivered by Damen Shipyards Cape Town, will replace the existing East London tug fleet that has reached its operational lifespan. The two new replacements operate with an azimuth stern drive and have an improved bollard pull of 60-tonne compared to the 43-tonne bollard pull on the existing tugs.
The procurement of the tugs adds value for the Port of East London’s expansion plan.
The plan includes the deepening and strengthening of the port’s automotive berth to address berthing challenges at the car terminal. The project hit a significant milestone in November 2023 with the commencement of the concrete works package.

Once completed, the port will be able to simultaneously berth two larger vessels with a ripple effect on increased volume throughput, a welcomed development for the port and the Eastern Cape province.
Also included in the river port’s expansion plan is the delivery of two jib cranes for the port’s dry dock facility, which will increase the ship repair facility’s capacity and volume throughput in the 2024/25 financial year.
The advanced features of the two new tugs will enable the port to respond to the anticipated shipping and volume demands.
“The journey towards the full recovery of Transnet lies in our commitment to growth and investing in fit-for-purpose equipment,” said Transnet Board Chairman, Andile Sangqu, speaking during the tug naming and christening ceremony.
The two new tugs were named Lentswe, which according to TNPA means ‘the voice of sailors’, and Kganya, meaning ‘Light’.
As with the five new Durban tugs, the East London names were chosen through a naming competition run among TNPA employees.
Added 6 September 2024
♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦
News continues below
Brazzaville to host first ever Congo Energy & Investment Forum

Africa Ports & Ships
Congo Energy & Investment Forum Confirmed for March 2025
Amid first LNG exports and revitalized oil production, the Republic of Congo (Brazzaville) will host the inaugural forum on 25-26 March 2025.
Serving as the inaugural edition, the forum underscores the Republic of Congo’s growing role in Africa’s energy landscape.
Under the leadership of Minister of Hydrocarbons Bruno Jean-Richard Itoua, the country has affirmed its commitment to maximizing its energy potential and streamlining licensing and regulatory processes, leading to a series of recent acquisitions and project developments.
As sub-Saharan Africa’s fourth-largest oil producer – with a daily output of 280,000 barrels expected by the end of 2024 – the Congo has attracted a new wave of independent explorers and investments across its energy value chain, rivaling neighbouring oil giants like Angola and Nigeria.
Congo’s national oil company Société Nationale des Pétroles du Congo (SNPC) is leading Congo’s energy growth. Among its many projects across the hydrocarbons value chain, the company holds a majority stake in the Mengo Kundji Bindi II permit, with an estimated 2.5 billion barrels of oil.
SNPC’s initiatives in this field encompass the development of 13 wells, extensive 3D seismic data acquisition and the construction of six production platforms.
TotalEnergies announced in May 2024 that it would invest a further $600 million in its projects in the Republic of Congo, where it is the largest oil producer. The company had stated the previous month that it would increase its stake in the Moho-Bilondo field by 10% to 63.5%.
TotalEnergies also operates the deepwater Marine XX permit.
In April 2024, Trident Energy entered the Congolese market through its acquisition of Chevron’s Congolese assets, including non-operated interests in the Moho-Bilondo, Nkossa and Nsoko II fields, as well as a 15.75% operated interest in the Lianzi field.
In March 2024, oil and gas independent Perenco acquired several oil permits from Eni’s portfolio for $300 million – adding to its existing in-country portfolio that includes assets in the shallow water Emeraude, Yombo, Likouala, Pointe Noire Grand Fond Sud and Baotou oil fields.
The upcoming Congo Energy & Investment Forum will provide critical insights into the country’s latest upstream developments, including perspectives from crucial service sector partners such as Baker Hughes and SLB as well as from E&P firms, and connect investors with new projects on- and offshore.
The Republic of Congo boasts over 10 trillion cubic feet of proven natural gas resources and has defined a medium- to long-term strategy for their utilization, focused on increasing production, monetizing flared gas, and developing advanced processing facilities.
The country is targeting 3 million tons of LNG per year by 2025 from Eni’s Marine XII development, which involves the installation of two FLNG units at the Nenè and Litchendjili fields. In February 2024, Congo exported its first LNG cargo from the Tango FLNG facility – phase one of the broader Congo LNG development – with a second unit expected to be operational by the end of 2025, adding a capacity of 2.4 million tons per year.
Meanwhile, Chinese company Wing Wah Oil is leading the development of the multi-phase Banga Kayo onshore project, which aims to produce 30 billion cubic metres of associated gas over a period of 25 years, transforming flared gas into dry gas, natural gas, LNG, LPG and polypropylene. The first phase of production is set to begin in 2024.
To fully leverage its untapped gas potential, the Ministry of Hydrocarbons is soon to release a new Gas Master Plan, aimed at consolidating the position of existing E&P companies and attracting new investments to the sector.
The plan will serve as a roadmap to harnessing the Congo’s gas resources for both domestic consumption and export, with a view to boosting gas utilization and diversifying crude oil revenues.
In 2024, the Ministry is also planning to establish a national gas company and adopt a new Gas Code, set to facilitate the commercialization of stranded assets and flared gas and make small-scale projects more economically viable through amended fiscal terms.
“In partnership with the Ministry of Hydrocarbons and with the support of the African Energy Chamber, we are dedicated to making this forum a landmark event”,” says James Chester, CEO of event organizer Energy Capital & Power.
“The inaugural Congo Energy & Investment Forum highlights the nation’s immense potential and latest achievements in the energy sector,” he added. “The goal is to establish a platform that not only showcases the investment opportunities within the Congo, but also promotes international cooperation and long-term partnerships.
For more information, see here
Added 5 September 2024
♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦
News continues below
Trade News: OCIMF completes transition to SIRE 2.0 for tanker inspections
Africa Ports & Ships
SIRE VIQ7 tanker inspection option withdrawn
The Oil Companies International Marine Forum (OCIMF) has successfully transitioned the marine industry to its digitalised version of the Ship Inspection Report Programme (SIRE 2.0).
Vessel operators are now only able to request tanker inspections that use the SIRE 2.0 Compiled Vessel Inspection Questionnaire (CVIQ) which are completed on a tablet device by accredited SIRE 2.0 inspectors.
The move to the digitalised inspection programme means that every tanker inspection will be tailored to the individual vessel and its risk-profile. These inspections will require vessel operators and their crew to be prepared to respond to any potential inspection questions from the SIRE 2.0 Question Library.
SIRE 2.0 inspection reports contain marine assurance data and provide feedback on all aspects of vessel safety including hardware, processes and human factors. As a result, these inspection reports will enable….
Read the rest of this report in the TRADE NEWS section available by CLICKING HERE
Added 5 September 2024
♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦
News continues below
TFR and Petredec partner to deliver LPG by rail from Richards Bay to Gauteng

Africa Ports & Ships
Transnet and Petredec have partnered in the establishment of a groundbreaking rail solution to transform LPG bulk distribution in South Africa.
This was announced jointly by Transnet and Petredec yesterday (Wednesday 4 Sept) in which it was revealed the project will become operational in the first half of 2028 and will involve a dedicated railing system from the port terminal at Richards Bay to the modern LPG intermodal hub and storage facility at Sentrarand in Benoni, Gauteng province.
Transnet said this marks a significant milestone and investment in the country’s energy infrastructure and serves as a much-needed staging post for South Africa’s economic heartland and the broader SADC region and to meet the growing demand for LPG over the coming decades.
The hub will receive bulk LPG via rail from the initial load point at the Richards Bay LPG terminal in KwaZulu-Natal, developed in partnership with Bidvest Tank Terminals in 2020.
Through the project, Petredec will introduce South Africa’s first scheduled LPG train system, with each 75-wagon trainset capable of transporting over 2,500t of LPG.
Initially operating up to three times per week, this enhanced logistics system will further improve the efficiency, cost-effectiveness and environmental friendliness of LPG distribution in the country.
Jonathan Fancher, CEO of Singapore-headquartered Petredec said the strategic partnership between Petredec and Transnet Freight Rail marks a significant step in improving LPG accessibility in South Africa, and ultimately making LPG more affordable to end users.
“This investment reflects our commitment to developing key LPG infrastructure and implementing more efficient, optimised logistical solutions – our goal is clear – to make clean cooking solutions like LPG more accessible to those who need it,” he said.
Transnet Group Chief Executive, Michelle Phillips, said the project enabled bulk distribution of LPG on a scale never before achieved in Africa.
“The Sentrarand LPG hub and rail freight solution is critical infrastructure that will support South Africa’s long-term energy security and developmental ambitions,” she added.
Petredec
Petredec is a leading fully integrated, LPG shipping, trading, and land-based wholesale and terminal operating platform. With a focus on the environment, Petredec has built and operates one of the youngest, most fuel-efficient fleets of LPG vessels on the water today.
Petredec’s Downstream division has focused on the development of LPG infrastructure with a series of LPG import terminals in operation, and under construction, around the Indian Ocean. The first of these was commissioned in Mauritius in 2014, followed by the Richards Bay terminal in 2020, launched in South Africa in partnership with Bidvest Tank Terminals.
In 2024, Petredec commenced operations at its largest terminal built to date, the 34,000mts import facility in Krishnapatnam, India with further developments underway in other key developing markets.
Added 5 September 2024
♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦
News continues below
WHARF TALK: support vessel – BAD COMPANY SUPPORT 175

Pictures by ‘Dockrat’
Story by Jay Gates
The role of support vessel is many and varied. There are many types of support vessel, all often having the name of what it is that they support in their description. Examples being Offshore Support Vessel, Platform Support Vessel, Seismic Support Vessel, Construction Support Vessel, and the list goes on. Most of these support vessels are employed in the offshore oil and gas industry, and are regular year round callers into South African ports, but there are some support vessels that are not so numerous and rarely, if ever, seen locally.
To demonstrate the rarity of some support vessels, the casual maritime observer can look back, with moist eyes, to the days when Cape Town still had a regular Royal Mail Ship (RMS) caller, namely the ‘St. Helena’, which retired in February 2018. Of course, she subsequently returned to Durban in December 2022 as the Extreme E SUV Motorsport Support Vessel. This year there have even been two Super Yacht Support Vessels calling at Cape Town, whilst en route to look after the squadron of Abu Dhabi Royal Yachts that are cruising the Mediterranean Sea.
On 3rd August, at 08:00 in the morning, the Support Vessel ‘Bad Company Support 175’ (IMO 9920875) arrived off Cape Town, from Madeira island port of Funchal. She entered Cape Town harbour, and proceeded into the Ben Schoeman Dock, and continued to the far end of the dock, berthing on the outer wall within the Elliot Basin, which is a general arrangement for recently commissioned vessels visiting the Cape Town and requiring the engineering support facilities of the Damen shipyard.

Launched in 2023, and commissioned in 2024, ‘Bad Company Support 175’ (BC175) was built by the Damen Shipyard at Antalya in Turkey. She is 53 metres in length, and has a gross registered tonnage of 499 tons. She is powered by two MTU 12V4000 twelve cylinder, four stroke, main engines producing 3,000 bhp (2,237 kW) each, driving two fixed pitch propellers, with twin rudders, to give a maximum service speed of 20 knots.
Her auxiliary machinery includes two Caterpillar C9 generators providing 275 kW each, and for added manoeuvrability she has a bow transverse thruster providing 202 kW. For additional comfort when at sea, or at anchor, ‘Bad Company Support 175’ is also fitted with Quantum Zero Speed Fin Stabilisers.
She was the first of the new YS53 design from the Damen Yachting Division, where YS indicates Yacht Support, and 53 indicates her length in metres. There are six of the YS53 vessels on order, or currently in service. All of the YS53 design class are to be built at the Damen shipyard in Antalya. As a Damen design ‘Bad Company Support 175’ has the Damen Sea Axe bow form, as seen on the new, Damen Cape Town built, South African Navy Inshore Patrol Vessels.

Her naval architecture, exterior design, and interior design, is all by Damen Yachting of Vlissingen in Holland. She has accommodation for up to 8 passengers, and is operated by a crew of up to 11 personnel. What makes ‘Bad Company Support 175’ slightly different from a standard Yacht Support vessel is her aft deck working arrangement.
Her forward end of her working aft deck is equipped with a telescopic crane with a lifting capacity of 20 tons, placed on the starboard side. The aft end of her working deck includes a containerised, climate controlled helicopter hangar, placed on her port side, which is designed for a Bell 505 helicopter. Her aft working deck can be cleared to become a helideck, and she is fitted with a containerised aviation fuel tank, with a pressure fueling system.
When not in use as a helideck, the aft working includes the carriage of the kind of smaller support vessel that gives the casual maritime observer a clearer idea that ‘Bad Company Support 175’ is not a Yacht Support Vessel, but actually that of a Game Fishing Support Vessel. She is also equipped with a below deck bait tank.

She has a range of 5,000 nautical miles at a transit speed of 12 knots, enabled by having a fuel tank which has a capacity of 180,000 litres. She has two onboard watermakers, which are capable of producing 4,000 litres of fresh water per day, and she is also fitted with a fresh water tank, capable of holding 32,000 litres of fresh water.
Her Game Fishing support operations are based on her ownership. Owned, operated and managed by Bad Company Fishing Adventures Incorporated, of Newport Beach in the US State of California, ‘Bad Company Support 175’ is used to support the worldwide, deepsea, game and sport fishing programme that the owners offer. The company uses a similar, but smaller, Damen YS 150 foot support vessel for operations in the Atlantic Ocean, and ‘Bad Company 175’ will be used to support operations in the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans.
On her aft working deck, and if no helicopter hangar is carried, ‘Bad Company Support 175’ is able to carry a 43 foot ‘Release’ sport fishing cruiser, named Bad Company 43 (BC43), and a 32 foot ‘Blackfin’ sport fishing cruiser, named Bad Company 32 (BC32). She also carries a 26 foot Technohull RIB fitted with Mercury 300 bhp outboard engines, and a 14 foot Standard RIB. She also carries both Seadoo Spark Jetskis, and Kawasaki standup Jetskis.

The 43 foot ‘Release’ fishing cruiser was built in 2013, and is powered by a Cummins QSC8.3 engine, producing 600 bhp (448 kW). She received a full refurbishment and refit in 2023, and has a half tower, bait tank, pulpit, fighting chair, tuna tubes, onboard V berths, shower facilities, and a toilet.
The 32 foot ‘Blackfin’ fishing cruiser was built in 1987, and was also recently refurbished. She is fitted with a Hyundai engine producing 270 bhp (202 kW). She has a flybridge, bowrail, and a pulpit. She has a particular sentimental value to Bad Company Fishing Adventurers, as she was the first fishing vessel ever owned by Anthony Hsieh, who owns Bad Company Fishing Adventures.
Many South African Game and Sport fishing enthusiasts are well versed with the deepsea fishing opportunities offered out of Sodwana Bay on the East Coast, and off Cape Point on the West Coast, but Bad Company Fishing Adventures is the world’s largest, private, sport fishing programme, which explores the globe in search of live aboard deepsea fishing adventures.

The Atlantic Ocean is well known for game fishing experiences. Not many folk are aware that four of the last six Blue Marlin World Cup winning fishes were caught in the waters of the Cape Verde Islands. Support vessels like ‘Bad company Support 175’ play a crucial role in facilitating remote fishing expeditions, as well as remote natural history expeditions around the globe.
The voyage to Cape Town from Funchal began on 17th July at Midday, and took 16 days, covering a distance of 4,574 nautical miles, at an average speed of 14.3 knots. It is not yet known when ‘Bad Company Support 175’ will have completed any shoreside maintenance support that she is currently receiving from Damen engineers, and thus is it also not yet known when it is that she will sail from the Damen facility in Cape Town.

When she does sail from Cape Town, and after the excitement of the Blue Marlin of the Madeira waters of the North Atlantic Ocean, she is expected to sail south of Cape Point in search of Sailfish, and to head for the waters of the Indian Ocean, in search of the Black Marlin. She will provide daily comfort and support on behalf of some of the top tier game fishermen in the world, and also for those adventurers looking for something a little different to spend their money on.
For the nomenclature aficionado, the ‘175’ numerical suffix in her name of ‘Bad Company Support 175’ is merely her imperial length measurement in feet, as opposed to her design metric measurement of 53 metres. The use of the imperial measurement is based on nothing more than the fact that the owner is American, and metric measurements are very rarely, if ever, used by the Americans.
Added 5 September 2024
♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦
News continues below
Russian Navy training ship Smolny calls at Cape Town
by defenceWeb
The Smolny, a Russian Navy Baltic Fleet training vessel, is alongside in Cape Town for replenishment and resupply while on what is said to be ‘an unofficial visit’ to South Africa.
She is currently on what the Russian Navy fleet press service says is a long range voyage conducting “maritime practice for cadets of naval educational institutions of Russia’s Ministry of Defence”. While in Cape Town cadets are expected to interact with SA Navy (SAN) personnel, go sightseeing and “visit the historical sights of the second most populous city in South Africa” according to the press service.
Arriving in Cape Town on 29 August, the stop is the third for Smolny on her current voyage. Previous unofficial port calls were Havana in Cuba and La Guaira, Venezuela.
She carries 300 plus cadets who will hone their communication and navigation skills.
The Russian Consulate in Cape Town said the Smolny’s visit “is aimed at strengthening naval ties between Russia and South Africa.”
The Smolny (Smolnyy) is the lead ship of the class. The 138 metre long vessel vessel has a cruising range of 9,000 nautical miles at 14 knots, and a full speed of 20 knots. Standard displacement is 6,120 tons. Armament comprises four 76 mm guns and two twin 30 mm anti-aircraft guns.
Smolny was commissioned on 30 June 1976 and since mid-2015 has made various long sea voyages to train cadets of the naval educational institutions of the Russian Defence Ministry, calling at the port of Luanda (Angola), the port of Malabo (Equatorial Guinea) and the coast of Spain (the port of Las Palmas), amongst others.
Written by defenceWeb and republished with permission. The original article can be found here
Added 4 September 2024
♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦
News continues below
In Conversation: China in Africa: Kenya railway study shows investment projects aren’t a one-way street

Africa Ports & Ships
Gediminas Lesutis, University of Amsterdam and Zhengli Huang, Tongji University
China is an important economic player in Africa. In 2021 alone, China accounted for nearly US$5 billion in foreign direct investment in African countries. The rapidly increasing Chinese presence across Africa has become a contentious issue both for Beijing and African governments.
In particular, mega projects funded by China have resulted in public controversies about the relationship between external investments and public debt. China is Africa’s biggest bilateral lender. In 2020, it held over US$73 billion of Africa’s public debt and nearly US$9 billion of its private debt. Due to this, US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has accused China of leaving countries “trapped in debt”.
Kenya has been no exception. China’s involvement in the construction of Kenya’s Standard Gauge Railway is a typical example of controversies brought by China-supported investments. These include issues of increasing socio-economic inequalities between different population groups advanced by large-scale investments, local labour mistreatment by Chinese managers, accusations of neo-colonialism, and the long-term sustainability of loans issued by the Exim Bank of China for projects.
In 2022, with a total debt of US$6.83 billion, China was Kenya’s biggest bilateral creditor. Out of this amount, US$5.3 billion was advanced by the Exim Bank of China to finance the Standard Gauge Railway.
It is against this background that our study asked if Chinese actors indeed determined how mega-infrastructures are realised in African countries. We examined the specific ways in which Chinese state-owned enterprises are involved in the construction of Kenya’s Standard Gauge Railway. We analysed how infrastructure development was realised on the ground and how Chinese construction companies shaped the process.
The study showed that the decisions of Chinese state-owned enterprises in Kenya do not necessarily present a grand Chinese strategy. Instead, they result from changing political and economic circumstances in China, and reflect both state and private Chinese interests.
Acknowledging these dynamics is important because it demonstrates how narratives about China’s involvement in mega-infrastructure development might overemphasise the power of the Chinese state. Simultaneously, this highlights that African governments have more power to influence their industrial development and the sustainability of large-scale projects than mainstream narratives acknowledge.
Flagship projects
Alongside other large projects, such as the Lamu Port-South Sudan-Ethiopia Transport Corridor, the Standard Gauge Railway is central to Kenya’s national development programme Vision 2030. This is supposed to industrialise the country and advance socio-economic development.
But the sustainability of the railway project and its contribution to government debt has been widely debated. In 2022, according to the National Treasury, Kenya’s debt stood at KSh9.15 trillion (US$74.1 billion), equivalent to 67% of the country’s GDP. There are also concerns whether Chinese contracts protect national interests.
We took a closer look at the project to see if these fears were well founded. Between May 2019 and September 2020, we conducted interviews during multiple visits to Chinese construction camps alongside the railway construction sites.
We interviewed managers and employees in construction and operational departments of China Road and Bridge Corporation, the main railway project contractor. We interviewed informants from the public sector in Kenya, including from Kenya Railways Corporation and Kenya Ports Authority. We also spoke to local government workers, private sector representatives, lawyers and scholars.
Our research is unique because we directly engaged with the Chinese actors that built Kenya’s new railway. Their perspectives have been lacking in both public and academic debates. This is because public engagement of Chinese contractors is usually strictly guarded due to the state ownership of these enterprises.
Our interviews revealed that in Kenya, China Road and Bridge Corporation constantly shifted its strategies. It also adapted to local circumstances in the country and across East Africa, rather than only imposing its strategic priorities. This compromised its own interests of economic productivity and its public image. Our finding runs counter to any grand visions of transformative infrastructure development, the lens through which Kenya’s rail project has been interpreted.
The trade-offs
We found that the Chinese entity had adopted a method called the “Early Entry Scheme” to resolve issues of delayed land compensation. This involved direct, case-by-case negotiated payments to landowners. As a result, owners vacated land for project construction before the land settlement was officially approved by the National Land Commission of Kenya. This is uncommon among international contractors. Land compensation for a national infrastructure project is usually a responsibility of national governments. But with the delayed national compensation process, the China Road and Bridge Corporation resorted to the Early Entry Scheme.
In Kenya, this scheme was driven by various concerns. Cost-saving was one. The Chinese company had learnt from the first phase of the project that the late delivery of even a small parcel of land could raise the cost of the project if labour and equipment were idle.
Another concern was political. For a flagship project funded by the Chinese government, on-time delivery was crucial to promote China’s image as an efficient development partner.
Another interesting aspect of the project was how the Chinese company became the main operator of the Standard Gauge Railway – not just the construction contractor. According to our interviews, operating the railway would not benefit the company financially. But the stakes were too high to leave it to chance. Operational challenges that a new company could experience might have affected the public image of the project, as well as the corporation itself. Therefore, the company had to balance its short-term financial interests with long-term reputational concerns.
So far, there hasn’t been clear evidence of the Standard Gauge Railway contributing to Kenya’s national economic development. The current investment in the railway between Mombasa and Naivasha (120km away from Nairobi) is not enough to boost the economy. This could only be realised if the railway connected global maritime trade to the hinterland of East Africa, to accelerate transport efficiency at a regional scale. But the Kenyan and Ugandan governments did not manage to agree on financing terms to extend the project.
For this reason, in 2018, the Exim Bank discontinued funding for extending Kenya’s railway line to Uganda. This shows that Beijing’s strategies of infrastructure development are not set in stone but change, and can even be reversed, due to shifting circumstances in overseas regions.
Still, there are clear winners. Though the long-term profitability of Kenya’s Standard Gauge Railway remains in question, China Road and Bridge Corporation managed to enhance its global market position. In Kenya alone, despite the controversies that surround the new railway, the corporation was given new tenders to complete other key national projects, such as the Nairobi Expressway.
As we show in our study, this is not necessarily an outcome of a grand strategy in Beijing. Instead, this is a result of dynamic and ever-changing efforts of Chinese companies that try to align multiple demands between their own economic interests and various political priorities in China and across Africa.
This highlights that African countries are not passive recipients of Chinese-funded projects. They have an important role to play in counterbalancing Chinese actors to shape how these projects are realised on the ground.
Gediminas Lesutis, Marie Curie Fellow, University of Amsterdam and Zhengli Huang, Post-doctoral Researcher, Tongji University
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
Added 4 September 2024
♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦
News continues below
Third container ship loses boxes overboard along SA’s notorious east coast

Africa Ports & Ships
A third container ship, the Liberian-flagged, 7,000-TEU MSC Antonia (IMO 9398216), has lost containers overboard as it navigated past the east coast of South Africa.
MSC Antonia, which is on long-term time charter to MSC, was en route from Colombo in Sri Lanka, bound for New York and was passing along the east coast of South Africa and sailing in late wintry heavy weather, when 46 containers slid and fell overboard.
In addition, another 305 containers are reported to have been damaged. This occurred on 28 August 2024 approximately 29 nautical miles northeast of Port St Johns on the aptly named Wild Coast. MSC Antonia had been slow steaming and was moving closer to the coast when the loss of containers may have occurred.
A navigational warning was issued to all ships operating in the area or further south and a search carried out together with a call to the public to report any sightings along the eastern seaboard.
In less than two months three ships have lost containers overboard while sailing along the east coast. Two of them, the CMA CGM Benjamin Franklin and CMA CGM Belem, were off the KwaZulu-Natal coast near Richards Bay when they lost 44 and 99 containers respectively and had to take shelter in Algoa Bay to assess the damage.
CMA CGM Belem remains in the Algoa Bay port of Ngqura having her onboard cargo loads adjusted and repairs as necessary while MSC Antonia has reached Cape Town and taken up a berth at that port’s container terminal to undergo similar treatment.
The South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) reports that on Friday last week, a day after MSC Antonia lost part of her cargo, the ship’s insurer representatives in South Africa launched a five hour aerial surveillance and search for the vessel’s lost containers.
This was after several sightings of floating containers along the Wild Coast area of the Eastern Cape province were reported to SAMSA.

SAMSA said that as many as 19 containers were spotted at sea in an area along the Transkei Wild Coast during the aerial search, but it could not be readily established which ship they belonged to.
“Efforts are ongoing to search for the lost containers,” SAMSA said, while reminding the public of the potential and unnecessary danger that may arise from attempting to salvage any wreckage that may wash ashore.
“We strongly urge the public to avoid handling any debris and instead contact the authorities, who will arrange for the safe salvage and disposal of the wreckage.”
Meanwhile, concern is being expressed about having two ships taking up desperately needed container berth space at the ports of Ngqura (CMA CGM Belem) and Cape Town (MSC Antonia).
In an advisory to its clients, Maersk reviewed the unexpected situation which in the case of Cape Town will see one of three container terminal berths occupied by a distressed vessel for up to 14 days or longer. Maersk warned that as a result of reducing CTCT to a two-berth operation, together with what it called Transnet inefficiencies and weather interventions, that further heavy delays at the port are now expected.
“We are reviewing all options internally to ensure minimal impact to our customers’ cargo. The situation is beyond our control and some schedule changes/contingencies may be expected in the coming weeks due to this,” Maersk wrote.
Added 4 September 2024
♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦
News continues below
Initial efforts to salvage tanker Sounion in Red Sea fail

Africa Ports & Ships
A salvage team has abandoned efforts to secure and tow away to safety the fully-loaded burning oil tanker Sounion (IMO 9312145) from near the Yemen coast after deciding it was too dangerous.
The 163,759-dwt tanker Sounion was underway in the lower Red Sea when she came under attack from Houthis who damaged the vessel with missiles before later boarding and setting charges once the crew had taken to the liferaft.
The crew of 23 Filipinos and two Russians were subsequently rescued by a French frigate operating with a European Union naval mission in the region, Operation Aspides.
After setting the tanker on fire the Houthis withdrew but have since given permission to salvage crews to approach with the intention of putting out the fires on deck and towing the tanker to safety.

The 274 metre long, 50m wide Suezmax tanker is fully loaded with crude oil and will become one of the world’s worst ecological disasters if the vessel explodes or otherwise breaks up and her cargo of 100 million barrels of oil escapes from her tanks.
According to Operation Aspides, it was not safe for the salvors to proceed and board the vessel.
“The private companies responsible for the salvage operation have concluded that the conditions were not met to conduct the towing operation and that it was not safe to proceed. Alternative solutions are now being explored by the private companies.”
There is at present no evidence of any oil leaking into the sea.
Despite the presence of US, UK and European Union naval vessels in the area and repeated attempts by US and UK aviation forces to degrade the ability of the Houthis to bombard passing merchant ships with naval drones or with aerial missiles and drones, the Houthis have continued with their attacks.
So far more than 80 merchant vessels have come number attack and four seafarers have died. Three ships have been sunk or captured and this week alone at least two other vessels have come under attack – see story below.
Added 3 September 2024
♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦
News continues below
Houthis target more ships in the Red Sea

Africa Ports & Ships
Further attacks against shipping in the lower Red Sea have been reported, though some details remain sketchy.
Initial reports said the crude oil tanker named Amjad (IMO 9779800) owned by Saudi interests, and a Panama-flagged vessel named Blue Lagoon I (IMO 9248447) were subjected to attacks from the direction of Yemen.
However, Bahri, the Saudi operator of Amjad has advised its vessel is safe and was not targeted or attacked on Monday 2 September 2024.
“At approximately 06:27 UTC, we confirm that AMJAD was transiting north in the Red Sea, near another tanker that came under attack. We unequivocally affirm that Amjad was not targeted and sustained no injuries or damage. The vessel remains fully operational and is proceeding to her planned destination without interruption,” Bahri reported on Tuesday 3 September.
Amjad has the capacity to be carrying up to 2 million barrels of oil.
The other ship mentioned in the initial reports is the Suezmax crude oil tanker Blue Lagoon (IMO 9248447) which appears to have been the vessel referred to as sailing near the Amjad.
The original sources did say the two vessels named were sailing near each other, but only one was reported as having been hit.
Blue Lagoon I is reported to have been hit by three ballistic missiles
The Joint Maritime Information Center, run by international naval forces to track Houthi attacks, said three ballistic missile attacks hit the Blue Lagoon I tanker on Monday 70 nautical miles northwest of the northern Yemeni port of Saleef. Refer also the UKMTO report four paragraphs below.
The center “assesses that Blue Lagoon I was targeted due to other vessels within its company structure making recent port calls in Israel.”
According to reports from UKMTO (United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations) two ‘incidents’ took place on Monday 2 September and another on Friday 30 August. Taking the Friday attack first, at 17:00 UTC a vessel reported two missiles exploding in close proximity to the vessel, which was then 130 nautical miles east of Aden. No damage to the ship and the crew were reported as safe while the vessel was proceeding on its voyage. The coordinates given were 122800N, 0471100E.
On Monday 2 September UKMTO reported an incident at 07:20 UTC 58 nautical miles west of Al Hudaydah, the port on the Yemeni Red Sea coast. The Master of a merchant vessel reported that the vessel was hit by an Uncrewed Aerial System (UAS). There were no casualties onboard and the vessel was proceeding to its next port of call. This was at coordinates 144500N, 0415100E.
The third report from UKMTO states that at 01:30 UTC on 2 September, UKMTO received a report of an incident 70 n.miles northwest of Saleef in Yemen. The master of this ship, which appears to have been the Blue Lagoon I, said his vessel had been struck by two projectiles, of which kind he was unable to say. Damage control was underway. He reported a third explosion in close proximity to his vessel, which remained underway and was proceeding to its next port of call. There were no casualties on board.
What remains surprising is how many ships are continuing to run the gauntlet of the Yemeni coast, with Houthis seemingly not necessarily discriminating only against Israeli-linked ships.
Another puzzling aspect (at least for us at Africa Ports & Ships) is how often these Houthi-launched missiles and drones miss their targets or fail to cause more serious damage. Perhaps someone more versed in such matters can offer an explanation?
Added 2 September 2024
♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦
News continues below
CILTSA and Vaal University of Technology Sign Historic MoU

Africa Ports & Ships
Bridging the transport logistics gap between academic and practical industry knowledge and experience
The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport: South Africa (CILTSA) and the Vaal University of Technology (VUT), have signed a groundbreaking Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), marking a significant step towards bridging the gap between academic knowledge and practical industry experience in the logistics and transport sector.
The MoU, signed on 19 August 2024 at the VUT Main Campus in Vanderbijlpark, formalises a partnership aimed at enhancing the academic and professional landscape of logistics and transport in South Africa.
The collaboration is set to revolutionise the way VUT students engage with the logistics and transport industry, providing them with invaluable practical insights and networking opportunities. The partnership will focus on developing supply chain capacity and capabilities through focused, results-oriented programmes and initiatives.
President of CILTSA, Elvin Harris, emphasised the importance of the development, saying the MoU represents a pivotal moment in efforts to nurture the next generation of logistics and transport professionals.
“By combining VUT’s academic excellence with CILTSA’s industry connections and practical expertise, we’re creating a powerful platform for students to gain real-world experience and insights that will be crucial for their future careers,” Harris said.
Prof Chengedzai Mafini, Executive Dean of the Faculty of Management Sciences at VUT and the driving force behind the MoU at VUT, echoed Harris’ sentiment.
“Our partnership with CILTSA is a game-changer for our students,” he said. “It opens doors to a world of practical knowledge, industry networks, and professional development opportunities that complement their academic studies.
“This collaboration will undoubtedly enhance our students’ readiness for the challenges and opportunities in the logistics and transport sector.”
Key aspects of the MoU include: Access to CILTSA’s internationally recognised professional certifications for VUT staff and students, enhancing their competitiveness in the job market; Joint research initiatives addressing current challenges and innovations in logistics and transport; Mentorship programmes connecting students with industry professionals; Guest lectures and site visits to provide students with first-hand industry exposure and; participation in annual VUT events, including graduation ceremonies and student conferences.
The partnership has already begun to bear fruit. At VUT’s recent Autumn Graduations, CILTSA sponsored awards for top-performing Logistics Management students, offering free memberships and year-long mentorship programmes to high achievers.
A student conference held on Friday, 23 August, showcased the immediate impact of this collaboration. Industry leaders engaged directly with VUT students, sharing practical insights and discussing real-world challenges in logistics and transport.
“Our aim is to create a seamless transition from academic learning to professional practice,” added Harris.
“The MoU is really about bridging the gap between academia and industry. While the students at VUT are already gaining academic knowledge, through CILT we hope to give them real, practical industry experience. Students will benefit from practical insights, access to the industry network and support, which will enable them to succeed in the logistics and transport industry.”
For more information about CILTSA, see here
Added 3 September 2024
♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦
News continues below
Transnet financial report FY ending 31 March 2024

Africa Ports & Ships
On Monday 2 September 2024, Transnet published its financial report for the year 2023/2024 ending 31 March 2024, in which the company reports a marginal improvement in operating environment, particularly in the rail business. This, it says, is owing to the implementation of the Recovery Plan.
Transnet’s revenue performance for the year improved by 11,6%, compared to the prior year and this was driven by weighted average tariff increases as well as marginal volume increases in the container and rail businesses, partially offset by lower pipeline volumes.
This was achieved despite various challenges that continue to impact the rail business. These include collisions, derailments, community unrest on the coal line and equipment availability on the ore line, high levels of cable theft as well as infrastructure vandalism resulting in lower volumes railed.
The entity recorded an EBITDA of R22,0 billion for the year, which was marginally below the prior year.
Net finance costs increased by 14,8% to R13,8 billion resulting mainly from the higher structural interest rate environment and the increase in total borrowings compared to the prior year.
The Group reported a R7,3 billion net loss.
However, the net prior the Natref provision is R3.8 billion (2023: R5.1 billion). For purposes of cautionary disclosure, Transnet has made a R4,8 billion provision relating to the Natref matter as a result of the High Court judgment in June 2024. Transnet has filed an appeal that could result in another court coming to a different determination than that of the Commercial Court.
Transnet says it will pursue all legal remedies up to the highest court. Therefore, the execution of the Commercial Court’s judgement is stayed.
Restatement of prior year financial statements
The prior year’s financial statements have been restated due to the following:
• Investment property fair value prior year error correction
In the current year, the Group performed an external valuation of one third of its investment property portfolio in line with the Group’s accounting policy. In assessing the change in fair value for certain developmental lease related properties, an error in the apportionment of these fair values in the prior year was identified. This resulted in an increase in fair value and investment property of R748 million for the financial year ended 31 March 2023.
• Lease smoothing prior year error correction
In the current year, the Group performed a lease smoothing assessment related to its port investment property. During this assessment, an error regarding the application of lease smoothing was identified affecting the 2023 and 2022 financial years.
This resulted in a R162 million decrease in lease revenue, a R128 million increase in fair value adjustments, a R1,3 billion decrease in investment property, a R1,1 billion increase in long-term lease smoothing debtors and a R211 million increase in short-term lease smoothing debtors for the financial year ended 31 March 2023. This also increased long-term lease smoothing debtors by R1,3 billion, increased short-term lease smoothing debtors by R176 million and decreased investment property by R1,4 billion in the financial year ended 31 March 2022.
Audit opinion
The Auditor-General of South Africa, the Company’s independent statutory external auditor, has expressed an unmodified audit opinion on the annual financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2024.
Operational outlook
The Transnet Board, together with management, has developed a multi-tiered, targeted Recovery Plan that is anchored on improving operational execution through tactical initiatives that drive operational performance improvement and volume recovery to return the Company to a financially viable and sustainable path.
The plan also requires that Transnet enhances the availability and reliability of critical equipment as a primary goal.
Initiatives around the availability of equipment has seen partnerships with customers availing much needed equipment, especially for the Ports. Transnet says cost control measures have been and continue to be implemented, along with better planning and execution of maintenance, employee training and incentives to support improved operational delivery.
Procurement optimisation, particularly for critical spares, more efficient capital allocation to drive volume throughput, and maintenance delivery are a top priority.
Improvements in operations and financial performance can already be observed, including an improvement in rail and container volumes in the 2023/4 FY, with further improvements budgeted for in the 2024/25 FY.
With the continued support of the Shareholder representative and National Treasury (in the form of the R47 billion approved government guarantee), Transnet believes it is on course to contributing positively to economic growth in the country.
Key priority – locomotive availability
A key priority will be increasing locomotive availability and returning long-standing locomotives in order to service key export flows. Most of the contracts have been signed for the return of the long-standing locos, and work has commenced. These Locos will enable additional capacity and contribute to volume growth.
Transnet Freight Rail (TFR) also implemented Outcomes-based Security solutions on 1 August 2023, which is on track to deliver expected improvements in incidents of cable theft.
Durban Container Terminal joint venture
In a bid to enhance operational and financial performance through private sector involvement, Transnet has finalised the selection process for an equity partner for its flagship Durban Container Terminal (DCT) Pier 2. International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI), an international terminal operator, has been selected for a 25-year joint venture with Transnet Port Terminals (TPT) to develop and upgrade the terminal.
An unsuccessful bidder (APM Terminals) is challenging Transnet through litigation.
Manganese exports
Transnet has achieved the construction of the Mamathwane Crossing Loop in the Northern Cape ahead of schedule by 30 days. This completion will expand rail capacity for manganese exports, facilitating a new East London rail solution from mines to the Port of East London. It is estimated that this development will divert approximately 40,540 trucks off the roads annually, with the potential to transport 1.5mt per annum.
Freight Rail & TNPA corporatisation
Transnet says it will continue to navigate an ever-changing legislative landscape on its path to recovery, including reforms that could result in the corporatisation of National Ports Authority into a wholly owned subsidiary of Transnet and the split of Freight Rail into Transnet Freight Rail Operating Company (TFROC) and the Transnet Rail Infrastructure Manager (TRIM).
TRIM, which could also become a wholly owned subsidiary of Transnet, will oversee rail network quality and reliability to deliver the highest possible tonnage for the business. These reforms are still in the process of assessment, refinement and full quantification. Transnet has set up the interim Infrastructure Manager office and plans to have initial processes and capability to offer the second phase of slots.
The Board and management remain optimistic that the Recovery Plan will return Transnet to profitability.
Summary of financial performance in the year ended 31 March 2024
• Revenue increased by 11,6% to R76,7 billion
• EBITDA (Earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation) declined by 3,6% to R21,9 billion
• Loss for the year is R7,3 billion
• Cash generated from operations after working capital changes increase by 13,6% to R28,8 billion
• Capital investment increased by 20,1% to R16,7 billion for the year
• Rolling cash interest cover (including working capital changes) is 1,9 times; and
• Gearing at 46,2%, is within debt covenant requirements of <50%.
Added 3 September 2024
♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦
News continues below
WHARF TALK: ONE container ship – ONE READINESS

Pictures by Jumaine Kruger
Story by Jay Gates
As history will record, three Japanese shipping companies, who go by the name of Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Nippon Yusen Kubushiki Kaisha, and Mitsui Osaka Shosen Kaisha, decided that the best way to compete against the container shipping behemoths of MSC, Maersk, and CMA CGM, was to consolidate their own container fleets into one joint venture shipping company.
So in July 2017 the three Japanese shipping companies, who some casual maritime observers might argue are quite possibly three of the greatest shipping companies of the 20th Century, and possibly of the modern age, and better known to most folk as K Line, NYK Line, and MOL Line, formed the Ocean Network Express (ONE) company, and the rest as they say is history.
As with the great Maersk Line, a colour scheme was chosen, and one that would only relate to the vessels of the ONE fleet, one that would make them stand out in the maritime crowd. That colour is officially known as Magenta. It is unofficially known as Cherry Blossom Magenta, as the colour was inspired by the Cherry Blossom Trees, which are a potent national symbol of Japan, from where the three partners of ONE originate.
On 24th August, at 22:00 in the late evening, the container vessel ‘ONE Readiness’ (IMO 9952684) arrived off the Durban Bluff, from Ngqura (Coega Port) in the Eastern Cape. As with just about every container vessel that arrives off Durban, she was directed to the Umhlanga anchorage to await a berth becoming available at the Durban Container Terminal (DCT).

After just over a full three days at anchor off the port, ‘ONE Readiness’ finally entered Durban harbour, at midnight on 27th August, proceeding to her assigned berth at the DCT. Built in 2023 by Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding at Shanghai in China, she is 272 metres in length and has a deadweight of 83,812 tons. She is powered by a single MAN-B&W 6G80ME-C9 six cylinder, four stroke, main engine producing 37,898 bhp (28,260 kW), which drives a fixed pitch propeller for a service speed of 21 knots.
Her auxiliary machinery includes two MAN-B&W 9L27/38 generators providing 3,060 kW each, two MAN-B&W 7L27/38 generators providing 2,380 kW each, and a single HD Hyundai Infracore V/AD180 emergency generator providing 441 kW. HD Hyundai Infracore is the new trading name for what used to be known as Doosan, a well-known name in maritime engineering circles, and a name which has now been dropped by the parent company.

For added manoeuvrability ‘ONE Readiness’ has a single bow Kawasaki KT-219B5 transverse thruster providing 1,870 kW. She has a single Kangrim Composite boiler, and a single Kangrim Economiser exhaust gas boiler. She has a container carrying capacity of 7,200 TEU, with plugs for 1,200 reefers. Her maximum deck container load is for 17 rows of containers across the vessel, loaded in 9 layers, and her maximum hold container load is for 15 rows of containers across the vessel, loaded in 8 layers.
Operating on the South Africa Rainbow Express (SRX) service for ONE, the schedule for ‘ONE Readiness’ is Rotterdam- London- Bremerhaven- Algeciras- Ngqura- Durban- Cape Town- Rotterdam.

She is nominally owned by SPDBFL No.166 Ship Leasing Company, of Tianjin in China, with ‘ONE Readiness’ being a part of the fleet of Seaspan Corporation, of Hong Kong, and operated by Ocean Network Express (ONE) Pte. Ltd., of Singapore. She is managed by Seaspan Shipmanagement Ltd., of Vancouver in Canada.
ONE have a strong presence in South Africa, with offices located in Cape Town (Foreshore), Durban (Stamford Hill), Port Elizabeth (Greenacres), East London (Berea), and Johannesburg (Woodmead). Designed by the Ship Design and Research Institute (SDARI) of Shanghai, ‘ONE Readiness’ is the lead vessel, so far, of a class of nine sisterships in the ONE fleet. The class have all been designed to be eco-friendly.

The vessels have a low-resistance design coupled with high-efficiency propellers, energy-saving ducts, and twisted rudders resulting in reduced fuel consumption. The vessels in the class have all been fitted with hybrid scrubbers, and the main engine is equipped with EGRTC, and the auxiliary engines with Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR), all meeting stringent IMO Tier III emission standards.
An easily identifiable design aspect of this class, and many other ONE container vessels, is that have been fitted with semi-enclosed bow windshields that cut wind resistance, which enable the casual maritime observer to identify them from a distance. In terms of safety, the ships have been awarded the DNV FCS fire symbol, with a deck-fixed fire cannon system, and a cargo hold water sprinkler system, that enhances the ability to detect and extinguish container fires.

Moreover, ‘ONE Readiness’ is equipped with a medium-voltage shore power device, enabling her to plug into shore power, where it is available, and thus further cut her emissions. A comprehensive automation system has been installed, adopting the DNV one-man bridge design, and integrating intelligent systems for auxiliary berthing.
After just over four days alongside in Durban, ‘ONE Readiness’ was ready to sail on her next SRX voyage sector. At 05:00 in the early morning of 1st September, she sailed from Durban, but her AIS indicated that she was going to miss out her scheduled SRX call at Cape Town, as she was displaying that her next port of call was to be direct to Rotterdam in Holland. It is interesting to note that the ONE SRX schedule allows just 24 hours at each port in Europe, including her turnaround port of Rotterdam, but allows for 3 days in Ngqura, 4 days in Cape Town, and 5 days in Durban.

Interestingly, her delayed berthing in Durban, on arrival from Ngqura (Coega), would have been a lot longer had she operated at her normal service speed whilst in South African waters on her previous voyage sector. She had departed from her previous port, Ngqura (Coega), at 17:00 in the afternoon of 18th August, which is a full six days before she arrived of the Durban Bluff.
This timeframe between these two ports is more than three times longer than it would ordinarily take a modern container vessel to complete. However, as her ONE owners were well aware of ongoing terminal and berthing delays at Durban, the voyage of 805 nautical miles from Coega was only undertaken by ‘ONE Readiness’ at an average speed of just 4.4 knots. This is yet one more sad indictment of the inefficiencies of Transnet container terminals, and all at a cost to the shipowner, the cargo shipper, and the cargo recipient.
Added 2 September 2024
♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦
News continues below
Kings Rest Container Park ordered by Durban court to vacate prime Bayhead site
Africa Ports & Ships
Transnet won a long-standing legal battle last week to evict Kings Rest Container Park from its Bayhead site in Durban.
The judgement delivered by Mr Justice AJ Nicholson in the High Court of South Africa, Durban, on 27 August 2024 followed a hearing held on 10 June this year in which Transnet sought to have Kings Rest Container Park of 10 Hamburg Road, Bayhead, evicted from the site leading off Bayhead Road in Durban.
Transnet wants to reuse the site for the construction of concrete caissons to be used with the deepening of the North Quay at Durban Container Terminal. A Transnet programme manager for the infrastructure project, Mr Zakhela, testified that in 2004 ground improvements had been made to the site to enable it to support the massive weight of the caissons.
Once manufactured at the Hamburg Road property the caissons would be slid into the water and then towed by tugs to the required location at the container terminal.
The berth deepening project commenced in 2016 with a bidding process that led to a contractor being appointed in 2018. Shortly afterwards Transnet received a report of fraudulent activities during the tender process, causing the project to be paused pending an investigation by the Special Investigating Unit.
The bidding process has recommenced and Transnet expects a contracting award will be made this year and that the site at Hamburg Road must be cleared for the project to commence in January 2025. As a consequence, Kings Rest Container Park Pty Ltd was given notice to vacate the property.
The proprietors of Kings Rest Container Park argued that they held a valid lease for the property and resisted having to move out, hence the matter going to the court.
In the judgement provided on 27 August the defendant, Kings Rest Container Park, was directed to, within three months from the date of judgement, ordered to vacate the property. The sheriff of the court was authorised and empowered, if necessary, to “do all things necessary” to carry out the order of the court.
Competition Commission rejects merger of container depots
Six weeks prior to the above court decision, on 2 July the Competition Commission issued a recommendation that the Competition Tribunal should prevent a proposed merger between Kings Rest Container Terminal and United Container Depots (UVD), a subsidiary of logistics firm Grindrod.
The Commission said it was of the view that the proposed transaction “is likely to result in significant harm to competition particularly in the logistics sector and will likely have a negative impact on public interest in logistics and associated sectors.”
The Commission’s investigation found that UCD and KRCP are the only two firms that provide reefer services in Johannesburg and that they are the largest of four firms that provide reefer services to the open market in Durban. Although there are several smaller competitors…., there are very few players that provide an integrated offering, like the merging parties do.
The Commission watchdog said it was uncomfortable about the proposed acquisition of Kings Rest Container Park by Grindrod/UCD. It is concerned that the transaction will have a negative effect on prices and costs in the logistics value chain, particularly for shipping liners who rely on the competition that exists between the merging parties pre-merger.
The merger, it said, would also eliminate a major competitor in the market for empty container storage services in the Durban area and would result in a negative effect on prices and costs in the logistics value chain. This would in particular affect shipping companies who rely on a competitive market.
Following the Commission’s recommendation, the Tribunal will, in due course, set the matter down for hearing and subsequently make a final decision on the proposed merger.
Added 2 September 2024
♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦
News continues below
SANDF delegation reviews Project Hotel at Sandock Austral Shipyards

by defenceWeb
The men and women charged with keeping the SA National Defence Force (SANDF) focussed and on track met in Durban last week for the year’s second chief of the national defence force strategic work planning session which included a visit to the shipyard where the SA Navy’s new hydrographic ship is being built.
Present at the session were the four service chiefs – Lieutenant General Wiseman Mbambo (SA Air Force), Lieutenant General Lawrence Mbatha (SA Army), Lieutenant General Peter Maphaha (SA Military Health Service) and (SA Navy) Vice Admiral Monde Lobese – alongside other Military Command Council (MCC) members including division and service planners.
SANDF Chief General Rudzani Maphwanya is reported as saying the “Journey to Greatness” vision he introduced when taking over from Solly Shoke in June three years ago is “steadily becoming reality”. This progress is thanks to “significant strides from the collective efforts of planners and leadership towards this ambitious goal”.
Session delegates took time off their agenda to call on Sandock Austral Shipyards (SAS) in Durban where the new SA Navy (SAN) hydrographic ship is taking shape. They, Defence Corporate Communication (DCC)/SA Soldier magazine reported, toured “around the construction site of the new vessel, gaining insight into its progress and future capabilities”.
Delivery of the replacement hydrographic survey vessel (HSV) for the long-serving SAS Protea (A324) has been delayed by disruption to global and local supply chains brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic and its restrictions, including social distancing. Unrest and looting in KwaZulu-Natal during 2021 and subsequent floods in 2022 exacerbated the delay, pushing the initial delivery date from September 2022 to January 2024. Photographs taken during last week’s SAS site visit show the SAS Nelson Mandela (A187) still has a way to go before launch for operational testing and evaluation (OT&E).
Sandock Austral Shipyards told defenceWeb that, “Despite the delays which are all force majeure events, the project will be completed and the South African Navy will take delivery of one of the largest most sophisticated Hydrographic Survey Vessels in the world. This will put Sandock Austral on the global map as one of the most competent shipyards in the world.”
SAS Nelson Mandela, based on Canadian/Norwegian company Vard Marine’s VARD 9 105 design, will be a significant leap forward in South Africa’s ability to map its seabed and surrounding waters. The 95-meter long vessel boasts a strengthened bow for operations in the Southern Ocean, a 10,000 nautical mile range and an 18-knot top speed. The South African version includes customized features like a helicopter hangar to enhance its operational versatility.
The vessel’s advanced survey equipment includes multi and single beam echo-sounders as well as side-scan sonar and a seabed sampler to recover material from the seafloor and underlying sub-strata for detailed analytical and testing purposes.
Project Hotel encompasses more than just the main vessel. The programme also includes acquiring smaller survey motorboats, a sea boat and crucial upgrades to the SAN’s hydrographic office infrastructure.
Survey Motor Boat (SMB) 1 has been handed over and SMB2 and SMB3 are currently placed in preservation at the Naval Dockyard, ready to be delivered with the main vessel. Sea Acceptance Trials of the Sea Boat is also complete and been placed into preservation.
The upgrade to the shore-based South African National Hydrographic Office (SANHO) is 100% complete.
Written by defenceWeb and republished with permission. The original article can be found here
Added 2 September 2024
♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦
News continues below
IATA and the global air cargo market: July
Edited by Paul Ridgway 
Africa Ports & Ships
London
At the end of August from Geneva the International Air Transport Association (IATA) released data for July 2024 global air cargo markets showing continuing strong annual growth in demand.
* Total demand, measured in cargo tonne-kilometres (CTKs), rose by 13.6% compared to July 2023 levels (14.3% for international operations). This is the eighth consecutive month of double-digit year-on-year growth, with overall levels reaching heights not seen since the record peaks of 2021.
* Capacity, measured in available cargo tonne-kilometres (ACTKs), increased by 8.3% compared to July 2023 (10.1% for international operations). This was largely related to the growth in international belly capacity, which rose 12.8% on the strength of passenger markets and balancing the 6.9% growth of international freighter capacity. It should be noted that the increase in belly capacity is the lowest in 40 months whereas the growth in freighter capacity is the highest since an exceptional jump was recorded in January 2024.
In the words of Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General: “Air cargo demand hit record highs year-to-date in July with strong growth across all regions. The air cargo business continues to benefit from growth in global trade, booming e-commerce and capacity constraints on maritime shipping. With the peak season still to come, it is shaping to be a very strong year for air cargo. And airlines have proven adept at navigating political and economic uncertainties to flexibly meet emerging demand trends.”
Two factors in the operating environment are worthy of note:
* Industrial production stayed level in July month-on-month and global cross-border trade increased 0.7%.
* Inflation remained relatively stable in July in the US, Japan, and the EU, with inflation rates of 2.9%, 2.8%, and 2.8%, respectively. Meanwhile, China’s inflation rate increased 0.3 percentage points to 0.6%, the highest level in five months.
Demand in regions relative to Africa Ports & Ships indicate:
Middle Eastern carriers saw 14.7% year-on-year demand growth for air cargo in July. Middle East–Europe trade lane performed particularly well surging 32.2%, ahead of Middle East-Asia which grew by 15.9% year-on-year. July capacity increased 4.4% year-on-year.
African airlines saw 6.2% year-on-year demand growth for air cargo in July – the lowest of all regions and their lowest recorded figure in 2024. Demand on the Africa–Asia market increased by 15.4% compared to July 2023. July capacity increased by 10.5% year-on-year.
Cargo Market Analysis
IATA’s latest five-page Cargo Market Analysis is available here
Added 2 September 2024
♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦
News continues below
Compromise offer to defuse the Ethiopia/Somaliland port dispute

by Terry Hutson
Africa Ports & Ships
In an effort to deescalate tensions between Somalia and their common neighbour Ethiopia over the controversial establishment of an Ethiopian port in Somaliland, Djibouti has suggested to Ethiopia that it could grant it ‘100 percent management’ of one of its ports.
Djibouti’s Foreign Minister Mahmoud Ali Youssouf said there is a need for compromise in the dispute in which Somalia, claiming sovereignty over the region of Somaliland (the former British Somaliland), has taken strong issue with Ethiopia for negotiating and entering into a memorandum of understanding with Somaliland leaders for the right to purchase and develop a port in that self-proclaimed country.
Ethiopia lost its own independent access to the sea after an almost 30 year war of insurgency that culminated in international recognition for the breakaway Eritrea in 1993. The actual fighting ended in 1991 having commenced in 1962 shortly after Ethiopia unilaterally annexed the former Italian colonial territory.
Talking to the BBC and to the Voice of America, Djibouti’s foreign minister Mahmoud Ali Youssouf said there was a need for maintaining regional stability and respect for national sovereignty.
Tadjoura
He said that access to the sea for Ethiopia should not be a problem. Ethiopia could have have complete “100 percent” management of a proposed port in Tadjoura, which was just 100 kilometres from the Ethiopian border.
So intent on retaining the transit trade that Ethiopia provides, it is even prepared to hand over a newly built port on a new corridor to the northern border of Djibouti, which Youssouf said will be very helpful to Ethiopia by decreasing the cost of transport.
The foreign minister said Djibouti will even consider a joint-management of the port with Ethiopia.
Referring to the situation between Ethiopia and Somalia, he said the positions of both countries remain far apart – they are asymetric.
“We need them maybe to think about compromise dialogue. I think once they sit around the table of negotiations with the help of countries like Djibouti, Kenya and others in the region, they can find a compromise.
“But something is very central in these discussions; the sovereignty of countries should be respected.”
Should Ethiopia respond favourably to Djibouti’s offer it would likely defuse the situation that has already resulted in the Ethiopian ambassador being expelled from Somalia and a threat to expel the thousands of Ethiopian troops that are stationed in Somalia.
Gateway
Djibouti already provides Ethiopia with its most crucial gateway for the landlocked country’s imports and exports, facilitated by a railway from the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa to the port of Djibouti.
The railway, which ends in the container port of Doraleh, would in itself continue to be an important factor in any such agreement. Providing Ethiopia with the “keys” to building its own port in the Gulf of Tadjoura could also provide the country with the sense of security and permanency it so desperately seeks.
Djibouti for its part faces the loss of revenue from most if not all Ethiopia’s transit trade should the planned Ethiopian port within Somaliland proceed. Similarly the railway would become largely unwanted and become just another railway in Africa for which there is no interest in running.
The tiny Gulf of Aden nation is commercially reliant on its large neighbour, despite the revenue it earns from a number of military bases it rents out to foreign non-African countries from as far away as Italy, United States, Japan and China.
Djibouti survives because of Ethiopia in other ways. Most of its water and almost all of its electricity is imported from Ethiopia. Even fresh produce, fruits and grains are trucked or railed from across the border on a daily basis.
When Ethiopia revealed that it had taken a 19 percent interest in the Somaliland port of Berbera, this was of immediate concern to Djibouti as well as to Somalia. Ironically, this was partly Djibouti’s own doing, having kicked out the UAE port terminal operator DP World from the Doraleh Container Terminal for reasons still not clear, only to see DP World enter into an agreement with Somaliland in which one of the world’s more successful port terminal operators simply moved its operation ‘next door’.
Berbera
DP World has since developed a highly successful port and terminal operation at Berbera that now threatens Doraleh’s place as an emerging hub for the region.
It is little wonder therefore that Djibouti is both concerned and helpful in putting forward a proposal that can avoid possible conflict involving Somalia with its neighbours while at the same time ensuring that its own economy and political stability remains intact.
For one of the smallest countries in Continental Africa, Djibouti, which is only a little larger than Eswatini (Swaziland), the current challenge it faces will determine its long-term economic survivability. The eviction of the container terminal operator DP World in February 2018, which saw them relocate next door to Berbera and perhaps helped convince Ethiopia that it needed something more secure than reliance on third parties, may come back to severely bite the small Gulf of Aden nation.
Added 1 September 2024
♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦
News continues below
Transnet signs R5bn loan agreement with NDB to enhance capacity & efficiency

Africa Ports & Ships
Transnet has signed a R5 billion loan agreement with the New Development Bank (NDB)* in support of the public entity’s improvement and modernisation efforts in freight rail.
The agreement was signed during the NDB’s ninth annual meeting held in Cape Town last week.
“This investment is important for Transnet, as we accelerate implementation of the Recovery Plan and economic reforms,” said Transnet Group Chief Executive, Michelle Phillips.
“The modernisation programme will enhance our operational capabilities and contribution to the growth and competitiveness of the economy. We are grateful for NDB’s support and look forward to a successful collaboration.”
NDB President Dilma Rousseff said the bank is delighted to partner with Transnet in this transformative initiative.
“This loan underscores NDB’s commitment to supporting sustainable development and economic growth in South Africa. By modernising the freight rail sector, we aim to facilitate more efficient logistics operations that will benefit the entire region and align with our goal of investing in a sustainable future,” Rousseff said.
The freight rail and logistics company explained in a statement that the agreement is aimed an enhancing efficiency and capacity for freight rail systems.
“The improvement and modernisation of freight rail sector program includes rail network infrastructure renewal, locomotive overhauls, and wagon fleet renewal.
“This program is expected to restore freight rail volumes in South Africa, improving operational performance and reliability, and contributing to a sustainable future,” Transnet said.
* The New Development Bank was created in 2015 by Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa to mobilize resources for infrastructure and sustainable development projects in the BRICS and other emerging market economies and developing countries. In 2021, the NDB began expanding its membership and admitted Bangladesh, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Uruguay as its new member countries.
Added 1 September 2024
♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦
News continues below
Authors: Nigel Hughes and Trevor Jones
Added 1 September 2024 Africa PORTS & SHIPS
♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦
News continues below
MOL’s Cerulean Ace: ClassNK awards notification for safe transportation of EVs

Edited by Paul Ridgway
Africa Ports & Ships
London
On 30 August ClassNK announced from Tokyo that it had granted its AFVC (Additional Fire-Fighting measures for Vehicle Carrier) notations to Cerulean Ace (IMO 9973872), an LNG-fuelled car carrier operated by Mitsui OSK Lines, Ltd. and managed by MOL Ship Management Co., Ltd.
This notation is for vessels equipped with additional firefighting measures for transporting electric vehicles (EVs). It is the first vessel in the ClassNK registry to receive the AFVC notations, and it marks the world’s first case of a shipping company’s voluntary and customized approach to the safe maritime transport of EVs being recognized through a notation.
Shipping companies are implementing various measures to address EV fires, which raise concerns due to difficulties in extinguishing and the risk of re-ignition.
To support these efforts, ClassNK has issued the Guidelines for the Safe Transportation of Electric Vehicles. These guidelines explain the characteristics of EV fires and provide guidance on how to respond, while also setting out five types of AFVC notations according to various safety measures.
ClassNK confirmed that the Cerulean Ace meets the requirements for three of these five notations: FD (Fire Detection), FF (Fire Fighting), and EFF (Enhanced Fixed Fire-extinguishing System) and affixed these notations accordingly.
For the FD notation, it was recognized that the installation of a system which sends an alarm to the crewmember onboard and to the onshore ship management company when the artificial intelligence detects abnormality in the images captured by camera, leads to an earlier identification of fire in the cargo.
ClassNK is committed to continuing its efforts to contribute to the safe transportation of EVs by establishing and conducting appropriate standards and evaluations.
Links to the Class NK documents Guidelines for the Safe Transportation of Electric Vehicles and List of Fire Safety Measures for the Maritime Transportation of Electrical Vehicles are available here;
here;
Added 1 September 2024
♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦
News continues below
Trade News: Mammoet launches world’s strongest land-based crane

Giant with 6,000t capacity enables faster construction methodologies across the energy sector
Mammoet, the largest global engineered heavy lifting and transport company, last week launched the world’s strongest land-based crane, the SK6000.
As populations grow, so do our energy needs. The SK6000 re-defines the scale of human construction, allowing large energy and infrastructure projects to build from bigger pieces, in parallel – reaching first power sooner, and more cost-effectively.
The SK6000 has a key role in offshore wind, where fast growth of components in recent years has led to supply chain issues. Lifting 3,000t to a height of 220m, the SK6000 ensures….
Read the rest of this report in the TRADE NEWS section available by CLICKING HERE
Added 1 September 2024
♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦
News continues below

Africa Ports & Ships
Port Advisories
FEA-SAF Trade – Service rotation
Maersk advises that in connection with the upcoming Chinese Golden Week Holidays and to balance their network to match the expected reduced cargo movement caused by this holiday, Maersk plans to remove one voyage on the M-Express service from Far East Asia to Indian Ocean Islands, voyage 443W.
Impacted Trade :
Far East to Indian Ocean Islands
*****
SAECS : Service slide
Faced with exceptional delays in the past few weeks in South Africa with extreme weather conditions and South African terminal inefficiencies, and more bad weather expected in the current week, the operators of the South Africa-Europe Container Service (SAECS) state they are unable to maintain schedule integrity.
The service will slide in Rotterdam, which will create a blank position in Rotterdam in Week 37 and Port Elizabeth in Week 41.
*****
Mirador Express 435W – Luanda Omission
The vessel Mirador Express, operating from Tanger Med to West Africa ports, will omit the Angolan port of Luanda, due to delays experienced in West Africa.
It’s been advised that all bookings currently intended to load on the Mirador Express 435W ex Luanda will be moved to the Irenes Wisdom 437W, ETA Luanda 18th September.
Unfortunately, this will delay cargo on the ground even further for delivery to its final destination, however we are hypercaring same to ensure there are no additional delays.
*****
MSC Carmen 434N – Phase Out Cancelled
MSC has advised that the MSC Spring III will no longer phase into the Amex service.
Instead, the MSC Carmen 434N will remain in the service with the following rotation:
Ngqura ETA – 9th September
Cape Town ETA – 14th September
Durban export cargo will be loaded on the MSC Spring III 434R to connect onto the MSC Carmen in Ngqura for onward connection into USA.
MSC Spring III rotation and dates:
Durban ETA – 5th September
Ngqura ETA – 8th September
Durban import cargo currently onboard the MSC Carmen will be discharged in Ngqura to connect onto the MSC Sariska V 437R into Durban.
*****
APM Terminals Apapa
APM Terminals, Port of Apapa reminds customers that starting from 1 September 2024, all Fast Track Customers will be required to submit their request for Terminal Delivery Order (TDO) exclusively through APM’s online platform.
The terminal will “no longer provide counter services for Fast Track customers from this date going forward.”
Online TDO requests are attended to from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday while Saturdays and Sundays, requests close at 3 p.m.; requests received after these times will be attended to the next day.
For online TDO account registration and access to online TDO via TERMView please visit: https://www.apmterminals.com/en/apapa/e-tools/customer-service
For further assistance, contact the terminal at +2348097627965 or via email at APPAPMTCTO@apmterminals.com
*****
Port of Apapa: Final Reminder
APM Terminals at the Nigerian Port of Apapa Container Terminal has issued a reminder that tomorrow, Saturday 31 August 2024, is the final day in which to have 2024 Letters of Authority (LOA) stamped at the Customer Care counter.
Effective Sunday, 1 September 1, 2024, the acceptance of the 2024 Letter of Authority (LOA) will be enforced, APM Terminals advises.
LOAs for 2024 can be stamped at the Apapa Customer Care counter
*****
Namibia blocks ship over Israel war-crime concerns
According to a BBC report, a vessel suspected by the Namibian authorities to be carrying military cargo intended for Israeli use in the ongoing war in Gaza was prevented from docking at the port of Walvis Bay.
According to the report, this was announced by Namibian Justice Minister Yvonne Dausab who told state media the Madeira-flagged general cargo ship Kathrin (IMO 9570620) had been barred because it was carrying “explosive material destined for Israel”.
The MV Kathrin was en route from Vietnam and Singapore and had requested permission to dock in the port of Walvis Bay, presumably for bunkers, before heading sailing north towards the Mediterranean. The ETA at Walvis Bay was set to be 25 August 2024.
Various rights groups intervened, saying that admitting the ship into port would implicate Namibia in potential human rights violations.
Minister Dausab said that a police investigation had revealed the ship was indeed carrying explosive material destined for Israel and was therefore prohibited from entering Namibia’s waters.
Added 30 August 2024
♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦
News continues below
US$115 million upgrade of Onne’s West Africa Container Terminal (WACT) is completed

Africa Ports & Ships
A US$ 115 million upgrade of the West Africa Container Terminal (WACT) at Onne in Rivers State, Nigeria, has been completed and will be commissioned this coming Wednesday by President Bola Tinubu.
WACT, operated by APM Terminals, is Nigeria’s biggest and busiest container terminal outside of Lagos (including Lekki). Work on the upgrade commenced in 2021. Managing Director of WACT, Jeethu Jose called it a milestone in the history of Nigerian ports.
He said the upgrade will prove to be a game-changer for Nigeria. “We’re thoroughly excited about it.”
Jose said the investment of $115 million in the terminal is a testament to the trust and confidence that APM Terminals has in the Nigerian economy. “It contributes to our purpose of improving lives for all while lifting global trade,” he added.
The investment has included the acquisition of three additional Mobile Harbour Cranes, bringing the total in operation to five, 20 Rubber Tyred Gantry Cranes, three Reach Stackers, 13 terminal trucks and trailers and two container empty handlers.
WACT was one of the first greenfield terminals developed under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model with the Nigerian government in 2003 and is strategically situated within the Onne Oil and Gas Free Zone near Port Harcourt. WACT caters to the greater Port Harcourt area and Eastern Nigeria, including the Nigeria Oil Industry.
Since its inception, WACT has played a pivotal role in successfully connecting East, North, West Central Nigeria and River State to the world.
The terminal has evolved into the premier gateway for accessing markets beyond the Lagos region and is a vital conduit to Eastern Nigeria’s burgeoning economy.
Added 30 August 2024
♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦
News continues below
Kotug to support ENI’s Congo LNG project

Africa Ports & Ships
Dutch towing company Kotug International BV announced on Wednesday (27 August) that it has been awarded a contract for ENI Congo to deliver marine services for the Congo LNG project.
This significant project, situated offshore the Republic of Congo, includes the Tango FLNG and the Excalibur Floating Storage Unit (FSU), with a second FLNG currently under construction.
Under the terms of the contract, Kotug will deploy three powerful Rotortugs to support a range of operations, including mooring and unmooring of vessels, handling mooring equipment, providing stand-by services, transporting pilots, and offering antipollution, oilfield goods, and passenger transport services.
The Rotortug, with its patented triangular propulsion design, ensures enhanced safety and highly accurate manoeuvring. Each tug delivers over 80 tons of bollard pull and features a unique propulsion configuration consisting of three thrusters, which provide a high level of redundancy, cost savings, and faster handling under all circumstances.
Kotug is dedicated to maximising local content by collaborating closely with local suppliers and utilising local goods and services. This initiative will promote the employment and training of Congolese nationals, contributing to the sustainable development of the local economy.
“We are proud to be part of the Congo LNG project, providing our expertise and innovative Rotortugs to ensure the safe and efficient operation of this critical infrastructure,” said Ard-Jan Kooren, President and CEO of Kotug.
He said the partnership underscores Kotug’s commitment to supporting the sustainable development of the local economy by leveraging local talent and resources, and underscores Kotug’s commitment to excellence in the LNG sector.

“We look forward to a successful collaboration with our partner ENI Congo and contributing to the project’s success.”
Congo LNG is a natural gas liquefaction (LNG) project in the Republic of Congo, implemented with a zero-flaring technological approach to reduce methane emissions.
The project’s first phase involves the nearshore development with the positioning of the Tango FLNG unit, which has already commenced LNG production and exports as of February 2024.
The second phase will include the installation of another FLNG unit offshore.
Added 30 August 2024
♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦
News continues below
Grindrod’s locomotives return from West Africa

Africa Ports & Ships
Grindrod has returned 13 of its diesel-electric locomotives from Sierra Leone. These arrived in the Durban port on Thursday, 22 August 2024.
The 13 locomotives were deployed by Grindrod Rail to the West African country to operate a heavy haul rail service during which over 18 million tonnes of iron ore was hauled from the mine in the interior to the coast over a three year period.
This successful project is a reflection of Grindrod Rail’s extended expertise in managing heavy-haul trains. The Sierra Leone project alone extends back more than 15 years. In 2012 Grindrod Rail was contracted to haul iron ore from the Tonkilili Mine in central Sierra Leone to the Pepel Port, a distance of approximately 200 kilometres from the port.
In addition to providing the locomotives and performing maintenance, Grindrod also ran the train operations including providing drivers, planners, and controllers.

In 2017 Tonkolili’s mining operations came to a halt. In 2019, in a very complex logistical operation, 24 locomotives were placed on a ship for Durban, with four of the locos taken to the DRC Port of Matadi on the Congo River, where they were to take up duty on another contract.
The remaining 20 that returned to South Africa were then redeployed. Another ten units remained in Sierra Leone in support of the country’s efforts to revive its iron ore exports.
Grindrod locomotives were also involved in operations at the Marampa Mine in Sierra Leone as from 2019. This mine, located in the Port Loko District about 150km from Freetown, is known for producing high-grade iron ore concentrate branded as Marampa Blue™.
In 2020 five of Grindrod’s 10 locomotives stationed in Freetown were deployed to haul iron ore from Tonkolili Mine to Pepel Port. This was after the new Tonkolili Iron Ore Project had recommenced operations in September of that year, led by a privately-owned Chinese company.
A year later the company announced its full-scale operation covering an area of 408 square kilometres with a resource capacity of 13.7 billion tons and equipped with a complete railway and port logistics transportation system involving Grindrod locomotives.
Grindrod Rail is one of South Africa’s privately owned heavy haul rail operators and is active within SADC and East Africa regions where its rail strategy is centred on fostering partnerships with rail authorities and operators and expanding and enabling rail growth opportunities.
Added 29 August 2024
♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦
News continues below
Red Sea attack on tanker Sounion: IMO S-G statement

Edited by Paul Ridgway
Africa Ports & Ships
London
On 28 August and following the recent attack on mv Sounion in the Red Sea Mr Arsenio Dominguez, Secretary-General of the IMO said:
“I am extremely concerned about the situation regarding the tanker MV Sounion which was targeted while transiting the Southern Red Sea. The tanker is carrying some 150,000 tonnes of oil on board, that is approximately one million barrels of crude oil.
“This is yet another unacceptable attack on international shipping, putting the lives of innocent seafarers at risk. I am grateful to all those involved in the rescue efforts for ensuring the seafarers have now all been safely evacuated.
“The risk of an oil spill, posing an extremely serious environmental hazard, remains high and there is widespread concern about the damage such a spill would cause within the region.
“IMO is in communication with national, regional and UN entities, as well as other stakeholders regarding the ongoing incident, and we are ready to offer support with any technical assistance to address the ongoing safety, security and environmental challenges posed by the stricken vessel.
“I continue to monitor the situation closely and reiterate my call for an immediate end to the illegal, cowardly and unjustifiable attacks on international shipping in the Red Sea area. Merchant ships trading essential supplies and the seafarers serving on them should be free to navigate worldwide, unhindered by geopolitical tensions.”
Added 28 August 2024
♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦
GENERAL NEWS REPORTS – UPDATED THROUGH THE DAY
in partnership with – APO
Distributed by APO Group
More News at https://africaports.co.za/category/News/
♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦
THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK
More Earlier News at https://africaports.co.za/category/News/
♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦
TO ADVERTISE HERE
Request a Rate Card from info@africaports.co.za
Port Louis – Indian Ocean gateway port
Africa Ports & Ships publishes regularly updated SHIP MOVEMENT reports including ETAs for ports extending from West Africa to South Africa to East Africa and including Port Louis in Mauritius.
In the case of South Africa’s container ports of Durban, Ngqura, Ports Elizabeth and Cape Town links to container Stack Dates are also available.
You can access this information, including the list of ports covered, by CLICKING HERE remember to use your BACKSPACE to return to this page.
News continues below
CRUISE NEWS AND NAVAL ACTIVITIES
QM2 in Cape Town. Picture by Ian Shiffman
We publish news about the cruise industry here in the general news section.
Naval News
Similarly you can read our regular Naval News reports and stories here in the general news section.
♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦
♠♠♠
ADVERTISING
For a Rate Card please contact us at info@africaports.co.za
Don’t forget to send us your news and press releases for inclusion in the News Bulletins. Shipping related pictures submitted by readers are always welcome. Email to info@africaports.co.za
Total cargo handled by tonnes during July 2024, including containers by weight
- see full report for the month in the news section here
PORT | July 2024 million tonnes |
Richards Bay | 5.945 |
Durban | 6.727 |
Saldanha Bay | 4.439 |
Cape Town | 1.146 |
Port Elizabeth | 1.209 |
Ngqura | 1.335 |
Mossel Bay | 0.146 |
East London | 0.151 |
Total all ports during July 2024 | 20.954 million tonnes |