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TODAY’S BULLETIN OF MARITIME NEWS

Newsweek commencing 17 November 2024.  Click on headline to go direct to story: use the BACK key to return.  

FIRST VIEW:   AIDAstella

• Air Force and Navy ‘hardly operational’ as SANDF performance declines
• Höegh Aurora, world largest car carrier, makes maiden call at Durban
• MSC Musica arrives in Durban at start of 2024/25 cruise season
• Big welcome in Port Elizabeth for Höegh Aurora’s maiden visit
• Cyclone to pass near Mauritius
• Mercy Ships Partners with Norwegian Maritime Sector for New Hospital Ship
• IMO Council: Secretary-General’s Address
• WHARF TALK: Ro-Pax short sea ferry – GNV POLARIS
• MSC launches Eastern Cape Express service direct to Europe
• SANDF fleet at ‘all-time low’ as the military ‘sits helpless’
• Capsize and sinking of tug – MAIB report
• ICTSI boss raises questions over value of DCT2 concession
• Mozambique’s ‘hidden debt’ tuna fishing fleet to be auctioned
• Four charts that look at the highs and lows of maritime decarbonization
• SAMSA ordered to establish Marine Court of Enquiry into fv Lepanto sinking
• Yet again more Saharan dust over the Med
• WHARF TALK: German fleet replenishment vessel – FGS FRANKFURT am MAIN A1412
• Ocean Network Express and Seaspan Corporation launch ONESEA Solutions
• Indian Register of Shipping and SeaTech: MOU on Green Tug Design
• WHARF TALK: Federal German Navy Frigate – FGS BADEN-WÜRTTEMBERG F222
• Rhenus goes BIG with state-of-the-art logistics facility in Johannesburg
• Van Oord completes major dredging project in Egypt’s Ain Sokhna port
• Kenya Railways metre-gauge locos brought back to life with RR engines
• Minister of defence hiding true state of SANDF fleet – Rise Mzansi
• Two German Navy ships visit Cape Town

• EARLIER NEWS CAN BE FOUND UNDER NEWS CATEGORIES…….

Africa Ports & Ships

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FIRST VIEW:    AIDAstella

The cruise ship AIDAstella (IMO 9601132) completed a visit to South Africa last week with a call at the port and city of Durban. Details of the vessel by Jay Gates are available in last week’s bulletin of maritime news – see here.

Let us just repeat a little of what was written in that report: “Built in 2013 by Meyer Werft GmbH at Papenburg in Germany, AIDAstella is 254 metres in length and has a gross registered tonnage of 71,304 tons.

“She is a diesel-electric vessel, and is powered by four MaK 9M43C generators producing 9,600 kW each. Power is transferred to two Siemens DTMSZ 3352-16YS electric motors, producing 12,500 kW each, which drive two fixed pitch propellers for a maximum speed of 22 knots, and a normal cruising speed of 9.5 knots.”

Refer to the Cape Town report for much more in the way of detail of this popular German cruise ship, which is on a 43-day cruise between Palma de Mallorca in Spain and Dubai in the Persian Gulf.

Pictures are by Trevor Jones

Africa Ports & Ships

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Air Force and Navy ‘hardly operational’ as SANDF performance declines

Guy Martin – defenceWeb

The South African Navy and Air Force have, due to a lack of maintenance and funding, seen key assets become less productive, resulting in a decline in time at sea and hours flown. This has resulted in a Navy and Air Force that are hardly operational, the Standing Committee on Public Accounts (SCOPA) has said.

SCOPA’s comments come after receiving a briefing on 19 November from the Auditor General (AG) on the 2023/24 financial year audit outcomes of the Department of Defence (DoD) and the Department of Military Veterans (DMV) as well as Denel.

On the decline in hours flown by the SA Air Force (SAAF) and hours spent at sea by the SA Navy, the AG presentation to SCOPA has it this impacted on training and development with the loss of aircrew currency in the Air Force. Not achieving these – and other – targets points to deteriorating capabilities.

“The SA Navy and SA Air Force have seen a decline in the number of hours their key assets have been productive, with vessels spending 2,641.47 hours at sea in 2023-24 from a high of 11,081.7 in 2013-14 and aircraft flying a total of 711.9 hours for force employment in 2023-24 from a high of 11,696.71 in 2012-13,” the Auditor General noted.

In the 2023/24 financial year, the Air Force only flew 6,904 hours instead of the target of 12,000 per year and the Navy spent 2,641 hours at sea instead of the 8,000 targeted hours, as set out in its annual performance plan. The decline in the available budget to make repairs and maintenance on the existing vessels and aircraft is one of the root causes for failure to meet the targets, which has resulted in a Navy and Air Force that is hardly operational, SCOPA said in a statement following the Auditor General briefing.

“The decline in available capabilities has had an impact on training and development, with several aircrew staff losing their currencies. The decline can be attributable to the reduction in Armscor Dockyard’s capacity as well as the challenges at Denel, which have led to a significant increase in their backlog,” the Auditor General found.

Missing targets mean the DoD, through the South African National Defence Force (SANDF), “might not meet its obligations to SADC [Southern African Development Community] and the maritime borders of the Republic might not be secure, resulting in increased illicit activities in the country’s sea border.”

At year-end, 62.5% of SANDF commitments were unfunded. This includes the deployment of SANDF personnel to the SADC mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo through Operation Thiba, the AG pointed out.

Reserve force utilisation (3.2 million achieved in 2023/24 vs 1.9 million planned) exceeded the planned reserve force man-days due to an increase in capacity to support current military operations and protection.

“The lack of funding and the deteriorating state of the department’s capabilities was evidenced in the non-achievement of planned targets on the number of flying hours and the number of sea hours.

“Procurement delays for prime mission equipment, such as drones and troop packs, that can be used as a force multiplier for border safeguarding continue to negatively impact the effective service delivery of border controls.

“Given the decline in available air capabilities, the department has had to charter private aircraft to meet some of its day-to-day activities,” the AG presentation said.

After these and other concerning findings, SCOPA said it will call Minister of Defence and Military Veterans Angie Motshekga to respond.

Written by defenceWeb and republished with permission. The original article can be found here

Added 22 November 2024

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Höegh Aurora, world largest car carrier, makes maiden call at Durban

Africa Ports & Ships

Any maiden ship call at a port like Durban is a special call, for which the port will invariably lay on a water display by the tugs as a welcome to the particular ship.

Such a welcome was made this week for the car carrier, Höegh Aurora (IMO 9962677), which as reported earlier this week in these pages, is on a maiden visit to South Africa from Europe, with calls scheduled for Port Elizabeth and Durban. See two articles below for that report.

Having successfully completed her call at Port Elizabeth Car Terminal, the world’s largest car carrier (9,100 car capacity), arrived in Durban at 09:20 on Thursday 21 November, taking a berth at the Point section of the giant Durban Car Terminal.

On arrival she was met with a water salute from several of Durban’s latest tugs that entered service themselves only months ago.

Her impressive capacity is not the only notable feature of this advanced car carrier. Höegh Aurora is considered, in the modern semi-technical parlance of the day, as a next-generation vessel – a result of her advanced green energy solutions, which signifies a new era in sustainable shipping.

The vessel is powered by Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), equipped with solar panels, and designed for future conversion to methanol or ammonia fuel once the engines are ready.

The Durban Port Manager, Nkumbuzi Ben-Mazwi, said the on-time berthing of the Höegh Aurora demonstrated TNPA’s responsiveness to ensuring volumes are efficiently handled at the Durban port.

“This operational milestone also highlights the impact of our new tug fleet,” he said, adding that the five new tugs represent a significant enhancement to the port’s marine services, “enabling us to meet the demands of global shipping with efficiency, reliability and sustainability.”

In our report on the Port Elizabeth visit of Höegh Aurora we said the ship was returning to Europe on completion of the Durban call. It appears we were misinformed – the vessel’s AIS shows her next port of call to be Fremantle in Australia, which makes more sense. Apologies for any confusion.

Added 22 November 2024

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MSC Musica arrives in Durban at start of 2024/25 cruise season

By Terry Hutson 
Africa Ports & Ships

MSC Musica, the vessel that will be based in South Africa for the 2024/2025 cruise season, has arrived in Durban, ready to commence a series of short cruises from Durban to the Mozambique resorts of Portuguese Island and Pomene.

It’s not the first time Musica has cruised in these waters, having operated from both Durban and Cape Town over several seasons.

Last year MSC Cruises staged MSC Splendida to operate the 2023/24 season. That ship could accommodate up to 3,900 passengers. That MSC Cruises now returns to the smaller Musica suggests Splendida was simply too large for the South African market.

Regardless of the reason, MSC Musica will be welcomed by the trade and passengers alike for its more intimate experience.

According to Ross Volk managing director of MSC Cruises South Africa, “MSC Musica is a great ship for the South African traveller, with plenty of bars and lounges, ample deck space and endless entertainment for everyone to enjoy.

“We are excited to welcome new and regular cruisers alike, onboard throughout the summer,” Volk said.

The cruise season now underway with the arrival in South Africa of MSC Musica, will include the popular cruise to Portuguese Island off the coast of Maputo and close to Inhaca Island, is where passengers can party on the beach or go swimming in crystal clear waters, or add a visit to the larger historic Inhaca Island.

Slightly longer voyages go to Pomene, MSC’s own resort further north along the long Mozambique coast.

An even longer cruises goes to ever popular Mauritius and Réunion and includes Madagascar.

In early 2025, MSC Musica will reposition to Cape Town, where she’ll offer cruises to Namibia’s Lüderitz and Walvis Bay, known for their remarkable coastal and desert landscapes and marine life.

“Our commitment to South Africa is unwavering and goes beyond providing great experiences and excellent service to our guests. It is also about our ongoing investments in Durban, the local economies and the country’s tourism industry,” Volk says.

Added 22 November 2024

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Big welcome in Port Elizabeth for Höegh Aurora’s maiden visit

Africa Ports & Ships

The Port Elizabeth Car Terminal marked a major milestone when it handled the newly built PCTC Höegh Aurora (IMO 9962677) on the car carrier’s first call to Africa on Tuesday, 19 November 2024.

Readers may recall we reported on the launching of this special vessel in our 6 August 2024 issue. See details below.

The advanced cargo-handling vessel, with a capacity of 9,100 vehicles, discharged 1,966 imported vehicles from the Bremerhaven and Santander ports in Germany and Spain, respectively.

“Welcoming Höegh Aurora is a proud moment for our terminal. It demonstrates our ability to manage high-volume shipments efficiently while showcasing our commitment to supporting South Africa’s automotive sector,” said Wandisa Vazi, Managing Executive for Transnet Port Terminals in the Eastern Cape region.

She added that collaborative efforts ensured seamless cargo handling and adherence to safety protocols which were essential for a vessel of this scale.

“The terminal demonstrated its readiness through meticulous pre-arrival planning with shipping line representatives and the stevedoring company,” she added.

The Port Elizabeth Car Terminal is one of three critical hubs in South Africa’s automotive port logistics chain and in the previous seven months of the 2024/2025 financial year, handled 8% more volumes than budgeted for the same period.

The terminal has consistently exceeded operational targets, handling 114,041 fully built units (FBU) against budgeted volumes of 105,596 FBU. This achievement has demonstrated the terminal’s ability to attract global automakers and foster long-term partnerships, Vazi said.

After 16 hours of offloading, Vessel Höegh Aurora departed from Gqeberha at 21:13 on Tuesday 19 November and is en route to the Durban Car Terminal where she is due to arrive at 10:00 on Thursday 21st, before returning to Europe.

According to Höegh Autoliners this is the largest and most environmentally friendly PCTC ever built, which further accelerates their decarbonization efforts and sets a new standard for more sustainable deep-sea transportation.

Further reading about this sophisticated newbuild vessel is available from here.

Added 20 November 2024

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Cyclone to pass near Mauritius

Africa Ports & Ships

Tropical Cyclone Bheki (02S) is east of the island of Mauritius and is expected to pass to the south of the island during the hours of Thursday 21 November, according to the Joint Typhoon Warning Center in Hawaii.

On Wednesday 20 November at 06:00 the cyclone was in position near 19.1S 62.5E 300 nautical miles east of Mauritius and moving south-westwards at 15 knots.

The Mauritius weather forecast is for heavy rain during Thursday 21 November and very rough seas. The heavy swells may impact Port Louis harbour arrivals and departures.

However there is no cyclone warning for the islands of Mauritius or Rodriguez.

Sustained wind strengths are reported as 45 knots, gusting to 55 knots over open water. Maximum wave height was reported at 25 feet (7.6 metres).

Mimimum central pressure at 06:00 on Wednesday 20 November was 997 MB.

Provided the cyclone holds its anticipated course the tropical cyclone should dissipate over open water later in the week.

Added 20 November 2024

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Mercy Ships Partners with Norwegian Maritime Sector for New Hospital Ship

Africa Ports & Ships

Mercy Ships has secured charity partner status with the maritime division of the Federation of Norwegian Industries (FNI), a group representing hundreds of maritime suppliers, designers, and shipyards. This partnership marks a key step in the charity’s efforts to build a new hospital ship, adding to its fleet alongside the Global Mercy and Africa Mercy.

At the FNI’s Verftskonferansen conference in Ålesund, Mercy Ships Norway’s National Director, Martin Aarflot, addressed over 400 delegates, emphasizing the importance of collaboration with the Norwegian maritime industry.

“We are eager to leverage the resources and expertise of this sector to deliver a state-of-the-art vessel,” he said, highlighting that the partnership could also serve as a prestigious reference for Norwegian suppliers.

Mercy Ships is expanding its fleet with a new 174.1-metre hospital ship, funded by the MSC Group’s charitable foundation. The vessel will feature 7,000 square metres of medical facilities, including six operating rooms, a laboratory, and training spaces, as well as accommodations for 600 crew and guests.

Construction will begin in December 2025, with steel-cutting, keel-laying, and hull launching scheduled through 2026. The ship will be outfitted in 2027, with a planned delivery in March 2028 and hospital facilities to be equipped shortly after.

Aarflot pointed out that there are still opportunities for Norwegian suppliers to join the project. “There are gaps in the makers’ list, and now is the time for Norwegian companies to participate,” he said.

He stressed the broader impact of the partnership, linking the project to Mercy Ships’ ongoing humanitarian work, which has provided over 117,000 surgeries and trained over 54,000 medical professionals since its founding in 1978.

The Norwegian maritime sector’s involvement goes beyond supplying materials. Mercy Ships also seeks to recruit a range of volunteers, from seafarers and technicians to medical staff, to join its missions.

Stål Heggelund, Head of Maritime at FNI, affirmed the humanitarian value of the partnership, stating that it aligns with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals of Health & Wellbeing and Quality Education.

Norwegian companies, such as ballast water treatment specialist Optimarin, have expressed enthusiasm for the collaboration. Tore Andersen, EVP Sales & Marketing at Optimarin, remarked, “This project offers an excellent opportunity for the maritime sector to showcase its technological expertise while contributing to Mercy Ships’ vital work.”

This partnership is seen as a win-win, providing critical support for Mercy Ships’ life-saving missions and creating new opportunities for Norwegian maritime suppliers.

Added 20 November 2024

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IMO Council: Secretary-General’s Address

Edited by Paul Ridgway 
Africa Ports & Ships
London

On 18 November IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez addressed delegates at the 133rd session of the IMO Council. We are privileged to reproduce here highlights of his opening remarks kindly provided by the IMO news service:

“It is a great pleasure to welcome you all to 133rd session of the Council.

“As this is the first Council plenary session that is being live streamed to the public, I wish to welcome all those following us live online.

“I want to express my heartfelt gratitude for the unwavering support you have shown throughout the first year of my tenure.

“First, I would like to express my deep sadness over the devastation caused by the recent natural disasters around the world and in particular, Hurricane Helene, Tropical Storm Trami, and most recently the severe flooding from heavy rainfall that hit Spain. I extend my heartfelt condolences for the tragic loss of so many lives.

“With regard to the situation afflicting the Red Sea and Black Sea, once again, I must address the pressing concern with the continued attacks on shipping in the Red Sea. These incidents not only threaten the safety and welfare of seafarers, but also carry significant implications for the stability of international shipping.

“We, as part of the IMO family, understand better than most that the global economy relies heavily on international shipping and the dedicated seafarers. These individuals, simply working to earn a living, and make our lives better, should not be subjected to any form of aggression or danger.

“The targeted attacks on seafarers are unacceptable and must end immediately. I would like to take this opportunity to reaffirm our united condemnation of these attacks.

“It has already been a year without the release of the MV Galaxy Leader and its crew. As I redouble my efforts towards their immediate release, I urge all parties to intensify your own efforts, through every available channel, to bring this deplorable situation to its rightful conclusion.

“I have recently visited several countries in the Red Sea region to discuss maritime security in the Red Sea and to facilitate ongoing communication and dialogue between all parties.

“Additionally, I am also concerned to learn of the attacks which occurred last month on ships in the Black Sea, negatively impacting seafarers and port workers. Let me repeat this, there is no justification for any attacks against international shipping regardless of motivation or cause. And I remain committed and available to facilitating dialogue among all parties involved.

“With regard to the work ahead this week, from the outset, I have emphasized my commitment to change – especially when it drives us toward our shared goals. I will continue to seek improvements and efficiencies both within the Organization and beyond, to better support you, the Member States, and all stakeholders.

“Additionally, we are making strides toward enhanced data management and preparing for a significant upgrade of GISIS*, which has been launched this September.

“Before I conclude, I would like to highlight that IMO, together with WISTA International, is currently conducting the 2024 Women in Maritime Survey. First launched in 2021 and held every three years, this global survey provides a comprehensive overview of women’s representation across various maritime sectors, capturing their roles and identifying key trends.

“The insights gathered will help shape future programs and policies to increase women’s participation in the industry and allow us to track progress toward gender equality across the maritime sector.”

* Global Integrated Shipping Information System information on which is to be found here.

Added 20 November 2024

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WHARF TALK: Ro-Pax short sea ferry – GNV POLARIS

Pictures as indicated 
Story by Jay Gates

In the past, there was little call, or anticipation, of short sea Ro-Ro passenger vessels calling into South African ports. The halcyon days of the SAECS service had a number of Ro-Con vessels operating between Northwest Europe and South Africa, with ‘Kolsnaren’, ‘Elgaren’, and ‘Ronsard’ being regular callers on the service. Coastal services were courtesy of the Ro-Con vessels of Unicorn Lines, which included Voorloper, Border and Barrier, with Mkuze and Boundary undertaking pure Ro-Ro services around the South African coast.

In recent years South Africa has seen plenty of Ro-Con vessels of the two big Italian operators, Grimaldi Lines and Linea Messina, and with a good number of Pure Car and Truck Carriers (PCTC) forming a sea road to import, and export, motor vehicles. Pure Ro-Ro cargo vessels have almost solely been limited to Cape sea route diversions, courtesy of the Houthi menace. It is for the same reason that the rarer Ro-Pax vessel has made the odd appearance.

Earlier this year the 10th brand new E-Flexer Ro-Pax vessel, ‘Ala’siunu’, called into Cape Town, on a bunkers only call, whilst en route from the Chinese shipyard to Canada, as reported in Africa Ports & Ships in the 24th March edition. Another new ‘E-Flexer’, the ‘Saint-Malo’ of Brittany Ferries recently rounded the Cape, but heading for Walvis Bay as a bunker port. As she is the 11th of the 15 E-Flexers ordered by Stena Line, it means there are still 4 more to come.

Elsewhere, back in 2021 a Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) controlled Mediterranean Sea short sea ferry operator ordered a set of four Ro-Pax vessels from another Chinese shipyard. Once again, courtesy of the Houthi idiocy, the casual maritime observer got to see one of them on her delivery voyage, as a Cape sea route diversion was the order of the day for an expensive newbuild of the type that was approaching South African shores.

On 18th November, at 08:00 in the morning, the Ro-Pax short sea ferry ‘GNV Polaris’ (IMO 9948592) arrived off the Durban Bluff, from Colombo in Sri Lanka. She entered Durban harbour, passing down the Bluff Channel and went alongside for what could only be a logistics call for bunkers, stores and fresh provisions. She had originally departed from Guangzhou, in China, and first called in at Singapore for bunkers, prior to heading to Colombo for a further uplift.

Built by Guangzhou International Shipyard, in Guangzhou in China, and launched in December 2023, ‘GNV Polaris’ was commissioned in October 2024. She is 218 metres in length and has a gross registered tonnage of 45,909 tons. Her power is derived from four MAN-B&W 9L48/60B main engines, giving her a service speed of 25 knots. She has a large environmental footprint, shown in her being fitted with a quite unique Exhaust Gas Recovery Steam Turbine which provides 900 kW of power for onboard use. For added manoeuvrability she has two bow transverse thrusters.

Her environmental design includes an Exhaust Gas Cleaning System (EGCS), better known as a Scrubber Unit, which explains the immense size of the funnel of ‘GNV Polaris’, which appears out of scale to the rest of the vessel. She is also fitted with Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR), has inverters for use with the electrical systems, and a cold-iron shore connection fitting to allow shore power to be used when alongside. All of these low emissions outcomes makes her compliant with all current, and future, IMO Tier III emissions and EEDI Phase II requirements.

Designed by the Ship Design and Research Institute (SDARI) in Shanghai, ‘GNV Polaris’ is the first large-scale Ro-Pax vessel independently developed, designed and built in China. Her design has completely independent intellectual property rights or SDARI, and her interior materials are 100% domestically produced in China. Together with her fuel-efficient bow and hull form, she is also the first Chinese built vessel to use silicone antifouling paint, as a further part of her strong environmental design.

A major ‘first’ is that ‘GNV Polaris’ is the first newly built Ro-Pax vessel, built in China, to obtain a biosafety classification notation. The designers, SDARI, have fully taken into account the prevention and control needs of having a new coronavirus (Covid) epidemic on board. Her meeting the BIOSAFE (Biosafety Ship Class) classification symbol is due to her being equipped with a special onboard isolation control area. The ability to effectively manage, and control, new epidemic emergencies on board, and play a role in the prevention and control of infectious diseases is another strength of her design and construction.

She has twelve decks, of which three are set aside for vehicles, and of which two of them are of sufficient height for the carriage of heavy goods vehicles (HGV) carrying a TEU shipping container. With a total of 3,100 lane metres, ‘GNV Polaris’ is able to carry up to 1,360 motor vehicles, or a mix of 600 motor vehicles and 200 HGV vehicles. Loading, and discharging, of her vehicular traffic is undertaken through two stern ramps.

She can carry up to 1,500 passengers, with a mix of 239 cabins, and airline style seating lounges. Her facilities include a Pizzeria, Á la Carte restaurant, self-service restaurant, café snack bar, outdoor bar, duty free shop, and children’s play area, with the passenger facilities covering an area of 6,000 m2. Her environmentally friendly design is also within the passenger accommodation and facilities, with LED lighting utilised throughout, and a maximum eternal noise level of 55dB inside the passenger cabins, and a maximum external noise level of 60 dB within the passenger facilities.

She is the first of a series of four near sisterships, all to be delivered by 2026, with ‘GNV Polaris’ being followed by ‘GNV Orion’ in 2025, ‘GNV Virgo’ in 2026 and ‘GNV Aurora’ also in 2026. The quartet differ from each other with ‘GNV Orion’ to have increased deck space given over to increased passenger accommodation and facilities, and the last pair to be dual fuel capable and to be fitted with LNG fuel tanks. The cost of building all four of the class was originally set at €uro500 million (ZAR9.52 billion), but due to the changes requested for subsequent sisters, this cost has increased to €uro600 million (ZAR11.42 billion).

Nominally owned by Compania Naviera Allegro SA, ‘GNV Polaris’ is operated and managed by Grandi Navi Veloci (GNV) SpA, of Genoa in Italy, whose initials are emblazoned along her hull. GNV was established in 1992 by Aldo Grimaldi, as a subsidiary of the famous Grimaldi Shipping Group. In 2010 the company came under the control of the Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) Group, of Geneva in Switzerland. Her call into Durban for bunkers, may well have been associated with her being ostensibly owned by MSC.

GNV operate almost exclusively within the Mediterranean Sea, with regular scheduled ferry services between ports in mainland Italy (Civitavecchia, Genoa, Naples, Bari), Sicily (Palermo), Sardinia (Olbia, Porto Torres), mainland Spain (Valencia, Barcelona, Almeria), Balearic Islands (Palma de Mallorca, Ibiza, Mahon), France (Sète), Albania (Durrës), Morocco (Tangier, Nador), and Tunisia (Tunis). It is expected that ‘GNV Polaris’ will be deployed on the scheduled service between Valencia and Palma de Mallorca when she enters service in January 2025.

There are currently 17 vessels operating in the GNV fleet, and in March 2020, with the Covid-19 pandemic already rampant in Italy, MSC donated one of the GNV Ro-Pax vessels to the local government in Genoa, for them to convert her into a hospital ship for Covid patients.

GNV charged the government the peppercorn rent of exactly €uro1 for the vessel. Her conversion from Ro-Pax vessel to hospital vessel took just ten days, with the majority of the conversion funding, materials, time, and work being donated. The vessel was not for use by seriously ill patients, or those already intubated, and placed into induced comas, but was for any Covid-19 patients who were recovering from the illness, and not considered to be critically ill.

As is always the case with bunkers only calls, ‘GNV Polaris’ spent just thirteen hours alongside in Durban, and at 21:00 in the evening of 18th November she was ready to sail. On departure from Durban her AIS reported that she was now bound for Walvis Bay in Namibia. This was likely purely for her next bunker call, prior to heading towards Europe, and her introduction into service in the New Year.

For the nomenclature aficionados the name of ‘GNV Polaris’ is almost obvious. Her prefix is that of the initials of her operating company, Grandi Navi Veloci (GNV), and ‘Polaris’ is the proper name for the North Star, or Polar Star, in the Northern Hemisphere. The next two sisterships are also named after celestial bodies (Orion and Virgo), with the final sistership named after the Northern Lights (Aurora), or the Aurora Borealis.

As long as the Houthi terrorist idiocy continues, and knowing that there are more Ro-Pax short sea ferries under construction in Chinese shipyards, it is thus highly likely that another one of these not often seen vessels calls once more into Durban, or Cape Town, in order to uplift bunkers whilst en route back to her European operating area. For the casual maritime observer it is very much something to look forward to.

Added 20 November 2024

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MSC launches Eastern Cape Express service direct to Europe

Africa Ports & Ships

MSC has announced the January launch of Eastern Cape Express Service, a new weekly service from Port Elizabeth (Gqeberha) and Walvis Bay directly to Northern Europe ports of Rotterdam, London Gateway, and Antwerp.

This new route offers an express service from the Eastern Cape region and Namibia to major commercial centres in Europe without a stop in Cape Town, enhancing transit times and giving customers more direct options.

Weekly departures will commence in the first week of January 2025, connecting directly Port Elizabeth with Rotterdam in 21 days, London Gateway in 22 days and Antwerp in 24 days.

The first sailing will start from Port Elizabeth on the MSC Nederland III due to depart 3 January 2025.

Rotation

The full rotation is:

Port Elizabeth – Walvis Bay – Rotterdam – London Gateway – Antwerp

Launched at the beginning of the grapes season to meet the demand for reefers throughout the season, the Eastern Cape Express service will complement the Namibia Grape Express service, offering a broader coverage for the grape exporters in Southern African.

Added 19 November 2024

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SANDF fleet at ‘all-time low’ as the military ‘sits helpless’

by defenceWeb

“Whether on ground, in the air or at sea, the SANDF sits helpless,” is National Council of Provinces (NCOP) member of the Select Committee on Security and Justice (SCSJ) Nicholas Gotsell’s summary of the current state of the SA National Defence Force (SANDF).

He notes in a statement that the Department of Defence (DoD), home to the SANDF, spends over 68% of its R51 billion budget on salaries and wages “yet sits with aged and unskilled personnel”.

According to him the SA Air Force (SAAF) cannot defend South Africa’s skies as only two of 26 Gripens are operational and none of its C-130BZ Hercules are airworthy. (Six Gripens were, however, operational at the September Africa Aerospace and Defence exhibition.)

In the wake of last week’s oversight visit to Simons Town “our maritime defence capacity is also shocking”. The SA Navy, he maintains, has one frigate and a lone MMIPV (multi-mission inshore patrol vessel) operational with none of the three Heroine Class Type 209 submarines functional. (Two MMIPVs have been accepted by the Navy, and a third is due for handover this year.)

More appallingly, according to Gotsell, while the SANDF commenced a military review in 2015, the Auditor General (AG) report on the DoD for 2023/24 shows that zero of the Department’s target to evaluate the SA Defence Review 2015 has been achieved, the Gotsell statement, released today (19 November) reads further.

“The President, as early as January 2024, instructed then Minister of Defence, Thandi Modise, and the Department to develop an ‘Interim Force Concept, Revised Military Strategy and Revised Force Design and Force Structure’ for consideration by Cabinet and Parliament.

“Its recommendation was to double Defence’s budget, from approximately 0.7% of GDP to 1.5%. DoD’s current budget is already has been subject to immense wastage, and we have written to the Minister for clarity on the whether Cabinet has considered this.”

This emerged in a report by the Minister of Defence in response to the DA during an oral question and answer session in the NCOP on the state of the SANDF.

“The report also revealed that South Africa has reached an inflection point, where the Republic must decide on the kind of defence force it wants and can afford. It states that national security choices must be foremost made on domestic concerns.”

Gotsell maintains this cannot happen because of “incessant maladministration” in the DoD. The AG 2023/24 report highlighted what he called “rampant unauthorised expenditure” to the sum of R3.4 billion; irregular expenditure of R338 million and fruitless and wasteful expenditure which drastically increased from R2.569 million in 2022/23 to R51 million in 2023/24. (The irregular expenditure is mainly due to overspending on the compensation of employees budget.)

“The SANDF needs to urgently focus on getting the basics right by cleaning up maleficence and investing in technology as well as the capabilities it desperately needs to fulfil its constitutional mandate,” is his advice to Minister Motshekga and her brains trust at the Defence Ministry, Defence Secretariat and the SANDF.

In closing he has it the allocation of an additional R2.1 billion to the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (SAMIDRC) is wasteful because the three-nation regional bloc mission cannot fulfil its mandate. SAMIDRC has been in the eastern DRC since December last year and its current mandate is set to expire in mid-December.

Written by defenceWeb and republished with permission. The original article can be found here

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Capsize and sinking of tug – MAIB report

Edited by Paul Ridgway
Africa Ports & Ships
London

Summary

At about 15:27 on 24 February 2023, the twin screw conventional tug Biter (built 1982, 16.25loa) girted and capsized off Greenock, Scotland while attached to the stern of the passenger vessel Hebridean Princess (UK-flag, LR Class, built 1964, 72m loa, 2113 gt), which was making its approach to James Watt Dock. Biter’s two crew were unable to escape from the capsized vessel and lost their lives.

Investigation

The investigation by the UK’s Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) found that Biter girted and capsized because it was unable to reverse direction to operate directly astern of Hebridean Princess before the tug’s weight came on to the towing bridle and, when this happened, the tug’s gob rope did not prevent it being towed sideways.

The investigation also found that Hebridean Princess’s speed meant that the load on Biter’s towlines was between two and five times more than at the port’s recommended speed range. Thereafter, given the tug’s rapid capsize, it was unlikely that Biter’s crew had sufficient time to operate the tug’s emergency tow release mechanism. Once the tug was inverted, the open accommodation hatch might have prevented air being trapped inside the wheelhouse, potentially limiting the crew’s chance of survival.

Furthermore, the investigation also found that the master/pilot and pilot/tug information exchanges were incomplete and that the opportunity to correct the pilot’s assumption about Biter’s intended manoeuvre was lost.

Further analysis indicated that the training provided had not adequately prepared the pilot for their role and that it was likely that the tug master did not fully appreciate the risks associated with the manoeuvre.

Of this accident Andrew Moll, Chief Inspector of Marine Accidents, commented: “Tug Biter’s accident was another cruel lesson of how rapidly things can go dreadfully wrong. In less than ten seconds the tug capsized, and two experienced seafarers lost their lives, because of a breakdown of the systems that should have kept them safe.

“Small conventional tugs remain an essential part of UK port operations. However, the vulnerabilities of these vessels must be understood by those that operate and control them.

“Harbour authorities, ship and tug masters, and pilots should collectively own this risk.

“Pilots and tug crews must be suitably trained and experienced for their roles, and they must share a detailed understanding of the towage plan before they start the job.

“Speed, which has an exponential effect on towing forces, must be carefully controlled and the lines correctly set. Everyone involved must then monitor the execution of the plan and, if needed, act to keep everyone safe.”

The Report

The document’s full title is: Report on the investigation of the capsize and sinking of the tug Biter with the loss of two lives, while assisting the passenger vessel Hebridean Princess off Greenock, Scotland on 24 February 2023.

The report is available here.

All MAIB publications can be found on the organisation’s website here: www.gov.uk/maib

Editorial note:
This text is based on material kindly made available by the UK Marine Accident Investigation Branch and is MAIB Crown Copyright 2024 ©.

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ICTSI boss raises questions over value of DCT2 concession

Africa Ports & Ships

ICTSI boss Enrique Razon has raised some questions over the value of Durban Container Terminal Pier 2 following the delay caused by APM Terminal’s legal challenge.* and **

Razon, the chairman of Philippine-based terminal operator ICTSI, which was selected as the preferred bidder for a 25-year concession to manage and operate DCT2, said the value of the Durban terminal business has substantially declined since the tender was launched. With volumes having decreased dramatically, container port profitability has dropped significantly, he said.

The delay caused by the pending court case would result in even more work to resurrect the business, Razon claimed.

Although Transnet has said it remains committed to find a speedy resolution to this matter, “in the interests of the company and the South African economy”, Mr Razon accused Transnet of not acting expeditiously and said it was “dragging its feet at the highest levels”.

He said ICTSI believes there are possibly elements in Transnet that do not want the process to succeed.

This was despite South African businesses having to suffer more than ever from inefficiencies in the ports, with volumes and container profitability significantly down.

The ICTSI chairman had harsh words for AP Moller-Maersk for disputing the awarding of the 25-year concession to ICTSI. The matter is now before the court which interdicted Transnet from “from negotiating, concluding and implementing the contract award”.

More ominously, a second part of APMT suit, still to be heard at a future date, will see the court considering whether it should set aside the concession award entirely.

Mr Razon claimed the initial award had been well-run in a rigorous and transparent manner, “despite what Maersk has attempted to make people believe.”

He accused Maersk of having “just as much interest in the process failing as they do in having their far inferior bid being accepted.”

Maersk was seeking complete control of South Africa’s logistics system, he claimed.

ICTSI is one of the largest terminal operators in the world, Razon pointed out, and from an EBITDA standpoint was larger than APM Terminals, and ICTSI had outbid Maersk by $100 million. source and acknowledgements: The Loadstar

See also:

* Court judgement a ‘serious moment to contemplate the future of South Africa’s port operations’ – SAAFF

** Durban High Court Issues Interdict Against Transnet’s DCT2 Tender Award

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Mozambique’s ‘hidden debt’ tuna fishing fleet to be auctioned

Africa Ports & Ships

The fleet of 20 tuna fishing trawlers that have sat unused in Maputo harbour since 2013, is to be auctioned.

Ematum (Empresa Moçambicana de Atum), the Mozambican company established under corrupt circumstances in 2013 together with Proindicus, and Mozambique Asset Management (MAM), to ostensibly create a maritime infrastructure and tuna fishing industry, is among several companies that the Mozambique government is having liquidated.

The Ematum case, also known under the labels ‘tuna bonds’ and ‘hidden debt’ and involving overall fraudulent sovereign loans of US$2 billion that helped cripple the country’s economy, also saw the purchase from the French/UAE Privinvest shipyard a fleet of 24 tuna fishing vessels and several high-speed patrol boats.

The latter included three Ocean Eagle and a number of Trimaran patrol vessels.

One or two of the tuna boats actually went fishing on brief occasions, the remainder have remained in Maputo harbour or Pemba naval base slowly rusting away. Meanwhile only a small number of the people involved in this case have so far seen the inside of a court room.

One of these is the son of a former president of Mozambique who is now in jail and another is a former finance minister, Manuel Chang, who was extradited from South Africa to the United States where he faced charges of a $2.7 billion fraud, bribery, and money laundering scheme that victimised investors in the United States and elsewhere.

Mozambique’s government has now decided that the tuna boat fleet must be sold at auction, as it attempts to finalise the liquidation of the affected companies.

Altogether, it’s estimated that the corruption has cost the Mozambique economy between US$11-15 billion.

During the trial held in Maputo, the former director of the Mozambican secret services, Gregório Leão, claimed the creation of the tuna fishing company had been necessary in order to gain intelligence on the activities of foreign fishing fleets operating off the Mozambique coast.

The court did not accept this argument. Instead, the Ematum Prosecutor’s Office indictment pointed out that Ematum received $850 million and was one of the three firms used as a vehicle to carry out what it called a criminal scheme.

The case also had ramifications internationally, with former finance minister Manuel Chang appearing in a US court and Credit Suisse and Privinvest appearing before a London commercial court.

The Swiss bank, since acquired by the UBS Group, and Privinvest subsequently announced they have reached agreement with Mozambique for a solution to the dispute relating to Mozambique’s ‘state-guaranteed’ financial transactions.

Credit Suisse is reported to have reached an agreement with the Mozambique government for the forgiveness of around $450 million to the African country which has allowed it to leave the trial.

Of the $2 billion sovereign loan, which the Mozambique government remained unaware of, $ 1.651 billion went to Privinvest for an ‘arms’ deal. $ 713 million involved corruption by way of overbilling, $200 million went to bribes by Privinvest towards Mozambican officials including campaign donations to the then president’s party, and $50 million to Credit Suisse bankers (who pleaded guilty).

There were also various offsets (real estate, a new maritime agency, a diamond mine, a TV station, a bank and a prepaid mobile phone card business), payments to Mozambique’s ruling party, and payments to politically exposed persons.

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Four charts that look at the highs and lows of maritime decarbonization

Africa Ports & Ships

Veson Nautical data shows progress being made in several key sectors

The UN Climate Change Conference (COP 29) is currently being held in Baku, Azerbaijan, and delegates are meeting to try and find solutions to tackling climate change.

With 80-90% of global trade by volume transported by sea, the maritime industry is set to play a pivotal role in the energy transition. The maritime industry itself accounts for just under 3% of the total global greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) annually, roughly the same as Germany and Spain’s combined.

Using data from Veson Nautical, leading provider of maritime data and freight management solutions, we look at four trends that highlight some of the positives and challenges the shipping industry has when it comes to the energy transition.

Huge growth of dual-fuel vessels in key sectors

Dual-fuel vessels orders in selected sectors 2018-2024 YTD

Dual-fuel engines can operate on both traditional marine fuels such as heavy fuel oil as well as less carbon-intensive alternatives like liquified natural gas (LNG). LNG vessels have been fitted with these engines for some time, but vessels from other sector’s, particularly container shipping, are catching up. Dual-fuel vessels are destined to play a bridging role as the global maritime industry makes its journey through the energy transition.

The above data charts the huge rise in orders for dual-fuel vessels over the last six years. There are still some gaps in the order book, particularly in thew ferry, offshore and smaller bulk carrier sectors, and a creative solution would need to be found that would allow smaller vessels to be equipped with dual-fuel engines. However, the higher costs, space constraints, and the lower operational range most of these vessels means that conventional dual-fuel engine technology is not viable. .

“As the maritime industry begins to decarbonize many of the major shipping players are future proofing their fleets and this is particularly evident in the container shipping sector,” Rebecca Galanopoulos Senior Content Analyst at Veson Nautical says.

“The fact that just 4% of container vessel with dual-fuelled engines was ordered in 2018 compared to 65% in 2024 gives an indication of the progress being made.”

The LNG fleet continues its exponential growth

LNG fleet cargo miles and number of live vessels

With a global infrastructure stretching back decades, LNG is set to play a vital role as a bridge fuel for the energy transition, and the above chart illustrates its exponential growth over the past decade.

According to data from VesselsValue, the live LNG fleet has surged in capacity by ~142% from 47.1 million cubic metres to 113.9 million cubic metres in the last decade.

These numbers are supported by (cargo miles) growth which has more than doubled since 2014 from 230 billion cubic metres per nautical mile to 504 cubic metres per nautical mile.

With LNG supply set to increase by ~57 million tonnes per annum in 2026 the market for LNG carriers is set to increase with record numbers for the vessels being ordered in 2022 and 2023.

“The significant increase in the global LNG fleet shows owner’s confidence in the market, and the desire to replace some of the older less-efficient vessels in the fleet,” says Olivia Watkins, Associate Director of Valuations and Analytics at Veson Nautical.

“The maritime industry adopting more dual-fuelled engines that burn LNG is only going to increase demand in this sector further.”

Older bulk carriers are slowing down to meet IMO emissions targets

Percentage difference between average speed of 0-5 year-old and 10-15 year old bulk carriers 2012-2024

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) is committed to lowering the carbon intensity of the shipping industry and has introduced regulations aimed at lowering emissions across fleets worldwide.

The new regulations have meant that owners of older bulk carrier vessels that were built with less-stringent design criteria than new vessels have had to find a creative solution to meeting carbon reduction goals. They have slowed down.

The bulk sector generally has less time-sensitive cargoes such as iron ore, bauxite, coal and other commodities which means slow steaming is possible. If a vessel slows down by just one knot it can result in a 15% decrease in GHG emissions. The above data from VesselsValue, shows how much the average speed of a newer vessel differs from an older vessel.

“Before the market spike for bulk carriers in 2021, newer vessels were travelling 5% faster on average than older vessels and we are not far from that again,” Oliver Kirkham, Valuations Analyst at Veson Nautical says. “Our data supports the concept of an emerging two-tier market because as the bulk carrier fleet ages, a premium can be levied on newer, faster vessels.”

The global seaborne coal trade is rising not falling

World total seaborne coal trade

According to a report published earlier this month by the Coal Transition Commission (CTC), coal remains the largest source of electricity worldwide, representing 36% of generation globally, and accounts for over 40% of all energy sector emissions of carbon dioxide.

The CTC, launched in 2023 at COP 28 by President Macron of France, acknowledges that transitioning away from coal, especially in developing nations, is going to pose of the greatest challenged to the energy transition, and as the chart above illustrates the issue is going to get worse before it gets any better.

The global seaborne coal trade hit record highs in 2023 with 1.388 billion tonnes (Bt) being shipped to consumers across the world according to commodity market intelligence provider Oceanbolt. Chinese coal imports were the main driver of the record figure in 2023, increasing 61.8% year-on-year to 474.42 million tonnes.

“Last year was huge for the seaborne coal industry,” Mikkel Nordberg, Senior Maritime Analyst at Veson Nautical says.

“We estimate the 2024 figure is going to be slightly lower than 2023 at 1.1363 Bt, but these are still massive numbers and give an excellent indication of the work that still needs to be done to transition away from coal.”

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SAMSA ordered to establish Marine Court of Enquiry into fv Lepanto sinking

Africa Ports & Ships

The Department of Transport has instructed the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) to establish a Marine Court of Enquiry to investigate the cause of the tragic sinking of the Cape Town-based fishing vessel, fv Lepanto, which claimed the lives of 11 crew members in May 2024.

In a statement issued last week, Department of Transport (DoT) spokesperson Colleen Msibi confirmed that Transport Minister Barbara Creecy and Deputy Minister Mkhuleko Hlengwa received a draft report from SAMSA over the weekend.

The report, which outlines preliminary findings into the incident, has yet to be finalized. Both ministers have now called for an urgent conclusion of the enquiry and for the final report to be released by the end of 2024.

On 17 May 2024, the FV Lepanto, a 38.6-metre, 63-year-old commercial fishing vessel, sank rapidly following a severe list.

Nine crew members were rescued by a sister vessel, the FV Armana, which had been the first to issue a mayday call. However, 11 crew members were trapped and lost in the disaster.

The sinking of the Lepanto is one of several recent maritime incidents involving South African commercial fishing vessels.

Notably, the FV Armana, which assisted in the Lepanto rescue, also caught fire and sank in October 2024, though all 20 crew members aboard were safely evacuated.

Other incidents include the grounding of the FV Elke M near St Francis Bay and the sinking of the FV Oceana Amethyst off the Western Cape, both of which saw the successful rescue of all crew members.

Minister Creecy and Deputy Minister Hlengwa have emphasized the urgency of finalizing the investigation into the FV Lepanto tragedy.

SAMSA has been instructed to expedite the enquiry and work with its legal team to ensure a thorough and timely resolution.

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Yet again more Saharan dust over the Med

Edited by Paul Ridgway 
Africa Ports & Ships
London

This Copernicus Sentinel-3 image acquired on 14 November shows a Saharan dust plume stretching over 700 km across the Mediterranean Sea. In this image, the plume can be seen extending from Algeria northward over the Spanish Balearic Islands.

The suspension and transportation of Saharan dust in the atmosphere can cause a haze in affected areas and sometimes impacts air quality, transportation, and respiratory health.

The Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS) monitors and forecasts air quality on a global scale, assessing the concentration and dispersion of atmospheric pollutants and aerosols.

The Copernicus Health Hub is an additional resource for finding all Copernicus data and products relevant for health, including those related to air quality.

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WHARF TALK: German fleet replenishment vessel – FGS FRANKFURT AM MAIN A1412

Pictures by ‘Dockrat’ 
Story by Jay Gates

Whenever a Naval flotilla is conducting a major cruise, and covering a number of ocean regions, there is always a fleet replenishment vessel accompanying the principal warship, or warships. The fleet replenishment vessel, which in American speak is better known as a Combat Support Ship, is known in the German Navy as an ‘Einsatzgruppenversorger’, which translates as a Task Force Supplier. As expected, with the arrival off Cape Town of Federal German Navy frigate ‘FGS Baden-Württemberg F222’ in recent days, came an ‘Einsatzgruppenversorger’.

On 12th November, just after 09:00 in the morning, the German Federal Navy Task Group 500.01 arrived off Cape Town, from Mormugao in India. As reported in Africa Ports & Ships on 15th November, ‘FGS Baden-Württemberg F222’ was first to enter Cape Town harbour, followed at 10:00 by the fleet replenishment vessel ‘FGS Frankfurt am Main A1412’. She proceeded into the Duncan Dock, and went alongside the outer berth at the Eastern Mole, with her consort being berthed at A berth, which was a strange choice of disparate berths for a visiting naval flotilla.

Laid down in August 2000, and launched in January 2001, ‘FGS Frankfurt am Main 1412’ was commissioned into the Federal German Navy in May 2002. She was the second of a class of three replenishment vessels, classified as a Type 702 vessel, and known as the Berlin Class, with all three sisterships named after German past and present parliamentary cities. Her hull was built at Flensburger Schiffbau GmbH shipyards, at Flensburg in Germany, with superstructure, outfitting, and sea trials, completed at Krögerwerft GmbH shipyard, at Rendsburg in Germany.

With a length of 174 metres, and a deadweight of 20,243 tons, ‘FGS Frankfurt am Main A1412’ is powered by two MAN-B&W 12V32/40 twelve cylinder, four stroke, main engines producing 7,160 bhp (5,340 kW) each, and driving two controllable pitch propellers for a service speed of 20 knots. Her auxiliary machinery includes four Deutz-MWM generators providing 1,200 kW each. For added manoeuvrability she has a single bow transverse thruster.

With an endurance of 45 days, and a range of 8,600 nautical miles, ‘FGS Frankfurt am Main A1412’ has an operating crew of up to 150 officers and ratings, plus additional accommodation for a further 74 persons, made up of medical teams and aviation support units. She is fitted with a modular medical unit, complete with two operating theatres, an intensive care unit, X-Ray suite, a dental surgery, medical laboratories, and patient wards for up to 50 casualties.

She carried 40 additional crew, made up of a Medical Team, and a Naval Infantry party. Whilst she has a helideck, and hangarage for up to two NH90 Sealion helicopters, ‘FGS Frankfurt am Main A1412’ was not carrying any onboard helicopters for this deployment, with ‘FGS Baden-Württemberg F222’ carrying two Westland Sea Lynx Mk.88A helicopters, provided by Naval Aviation Squadron 5, based at Naval Air Base Nordholz, located 25km from Bremerhaven.

As a fleet replenishment vessel, ‘FGS Frankfurt am Main A1412’ has light, defensive only, armament. It includes four Rheinmetall MLG27 27mm autocannons, four standard, manually fired, 12.7mm machine guns, and she is also fitted with mountings capable of holding Stinger, manually fired, surface to air missiles (MANPADS).

She belongs to the largest class of vessel in the Federal German Navy, and is able to carry, store, and transfer provisions, dry stores, ammunition and fuel by utilising two Replenishment At Sea (RAS) stations, with one on the port side, and one on the starboard side, as well as by helicopter vertical replenishment using her helideck. She also is fitted with two electro-hydraulic cranes for cargo movement on deck, and for dockside transfer.

Due to her liquid carrying capability she is a double hulled vessel, with a liquid carrying capacity of 9,000 m3 of marine diesel fuel, 600 m3 of aviation jet fuel, 60 m3 of lubricating oil, and 70 m3 of fresh water. She has a container carrying capacity of 86 TEU, and can carry 1,960 tons of cargo, which includes spares, consumables, stores, provisions, and ammunition.

She departed her home Naval Base at Wilhelmshaven in Germany on 7th May, to rendezvous with ‘FGS Baden-Württemberg F222’, which had departed on the same day from the NATO Naval Base at Rota in Spain, with both vessels to form the Indo-Pacific Deployment (IPD 24), which took them both across the North Atlantic Ocean to undertake their first exercise with the United States Navy (USN) and the Canadian Navy, culminating in visits the Canadian port of Halifax, in Nova Scotia, and New York City in the United States.

After her activities on the East Coast of North America, she made a transit of the Panama Canal, to enter the Pacific Ocean, and make a courtesy call to the USN base at San Diego, in the US State of California. From there she begin her first major crossing of the Pacific Ocean, heading for the USN base at Pearl Harbour in the US State of Hawaii, where both ‘FGS Frankfurt am Main A1412’, and ‘FGS Baden-Württemberg F222’ were to take part in Exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 24, which took place in several elements between 27th June and 2nd August.

It was to be the world’s largest ever, international, military, maritime, exercise, and it is a sign of the dangerous times that we are entering, with Exercise RIMPAC 24 having 29 western leaning nations directly involved, with 40 surface warships, 4 submarines, 171 military aircraft, 14 national marine infantry forces, which totaled just over 25,000 people taking part. Exercise RIMPAC 24 had multiple purposes which included anti-submarine exercises, surface naval warfare exercises, amphibious exercises, disaster relief exercises, anti-piracy and interdiction exercises, and command and control exercises.

First begun in 1971, and taking place biennially, this was the 29th running of Exercise RIMPAC, and the list of nations that took part in Exercise RIMPAC 24 is quite impressive. It, included the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Mexico, Japan, South Korea, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, Thailand, Philippines, and Tonga from the Pacific Rim Nations. It also included the European nations of Germany, the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Belgium, Holland, and Denmark, plus the Indian Ocean nations of India and Sri Lanka, with Brazil, and even Israel, also taking part.

After Exercise RIMPAC 24, Task Group 500.01 headed to Japan, where they undertook exercises with the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force, and then worked with the South Korean Navy conducting both monitoring and Surveillance operations, in support of United Nations sanctions resolutions against North Korea.

From South Korea, ‘FGS Frankfurt am Main A1412’ took part in Exercise Nobel Raven 24-3 in the South China Sea, before becoming one of the seven warships that made a transit of the Taiwan Strait, under protest from China, to underscore the ‘Freedom of Navigation’ and ‘Transit Passage’ rights enshrined in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Ironically, despite their protests, the UNCLOS Treaty includes China as a national signatory to the provisions of freedom of navigation contained within UNCLOS.

After a number of courtesy calls in the Philippines, Indonesia, and Malaysia, a further courtesy call was made to the Changi Naval Base of the Republic of Singapore Navy. Whilst alongside in Singapore, the activities were not just military, but also cultural. It included a joint concert given by the Singapore Armed Forces Central Band, and the Band of the German Naval Corps. A Passing Exercise (PASSEX) was conducted with units of the Republic of Singapore on departure from Changi Naval Base.

From Singapore the task group sailed into the Indian Ocean, and on to India where they were to take part in a three-day Maritime Partnership Exercise (MPX) with the Indian Navy, between 21st and 23rd October, with the ‘Delhi Class’ guided missile destroyer ‘INS Delhi D61’ of the Eastern Naval Command, based at the Indian Naval Base at Visakhapatnam.

An interesting optic during the MPX, was one of scale. With ‘FGS Baden-Württemberg F222’ being one of the class considered to be the largest frigates in the world, a tri-vessel replenishment at sea (RAS) exercise took place with ‘FGS Baden-Württemberg F222’ and ‘INS Delhi D61’ taking station on either side of ‘FGS Frankfurt am Main A1412’. Despite being classed as a Destroyer, a class of warship considered larger than a Frigate, ‘INS Delhi D61’ looked decidedly smaller, and by a good margin, than ‘FGS Baden-Württemberg F222’ during the RAS.

On completion of the MPX, and a courtesy visit to Mormugao, both vessels headed for Cape Town, and a Cape sea route transit back to Europe. The reasons given for using the Cape sea route was due to neither vessel having long range surface to air armaments to reduce any risk presented by Houthi attacks. With only a RAM missile defense, which is suitable out to a distance of 9 km, which is not sufficient in the event of ballistic missile attacks, a last minute decision was taken by the German Ministry of Defense to reroute both vessels to Cape Town.

On arrival in Cape Town, the TNPA head scratching decision to split up ‘FGS Frankfurt am Main A1412’ and ‘FGS Baden-Württemberg F222’ by a real distance of 5km, which was not seen to be a really satisfactory decision, by the morning of 15th November, after three days alongside, the decision was made to, instead, double bank them both at A berth. As such, ‘FGS Baden-Württemberg F222’ was taken off A berth, to allow ‘FGS Frankfurt am Main A1412’, as the larger of the two warships, to go alongside A berth, with ‘FGS Baden-Württemberg F222’ to lie outboard of the two.

The question raised is that if they could not be given adjacent berths on arrival, why were they not double banked on arrival, and why did it take three days to come to that conclusion. At all times, No.2 Jetty in the V&A could have been utilised, as it has been in the past, either as a double bank option, or repositioning ‘Leon Thevenin’ on a temporary basis elsewhere, as has been done when the Chinese PLAN flotilla arrived in Cape Town earlier in the year?

Once ‘FGS Frankfurt am Main A1412’ has completed her requirements in Cape Town, which includes stores and fresh provisions uplifts, plus some crew change options, she is scheduled to return to her base at Wilhelmshaven in Germany. She is scheduled to continue to accompany ‘FGS Baden-Württemberg F222’ as far as Gibraltar, where the Frigate will head back into the Mediterranean, with a call at the NATO naval base at Rota in Spain, before proceeding to the Eastern Mediterranean to continue with provision of support to the troops of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).

As of 1st November 2024, the UNIFIL force consisted of a total of 10,150 ‘Blue Helmet’ peacekeepers, provided by 48 UN member nations. This total includes Germany with 101 military peacekeepers. Of interest is the African representation in UNIFIL, with Ghana providing a substantial force of 878 military peacekeepers, along with Tanzania with 125 military peacekeepers, as well as smaller ‘Blue Helmet’ contingents provided by Kenya, Malawi, Zambia, Nigeria and Sierra Leone.

The role of the Federal German Navy is to protect the sea routes that form the basis of the trade that makes up the powerful German economy. In a broader sense, the principal task of the Federal German Navy is to protect the country, but also to enforce both the EU and NATO interests at sea. Furthermore, the Federal German Navy participates in UN missions around the world, with an involvement in peacekeeping and peace-enforcement operations, plus providing support to allies on a global scale.

On the conclusion of each individual voyage of the two vessels that comprised Task Group 500.01 of the Indo-Pacific Deployment (IPD) of 2024, both ‘FGS Frankfurt am Main A1412’ and ‘FGS Baden-Württemberg F222’ will have completed a circumnavigation of the Earth. Seeing them both in a South African port was both a pleasant surprise, and a boon to the Cape Town casual maritime observer.

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Ocean Network Express and Seaspan Corporation launch ONESEA Solutions

Africa Ports & Ships

Revolutionizing Ship Management and Maritime Talent Development

Ocean Network Express (ONE) and Seaspan Corporation (Seaspan) have jointly announced the creation of OneSea Solutions Pte Ltd (ONESEA), a new venture set to redefine technical ship management and foster innovation in maritime talent development.

The partnership brings together the extensive expertise of both companies, marking a significant step forward in the evolution of ship management services within the global maritime industry.

Headquartered in Singapore, ONESEA will provide a comprehensive suite of technical ship management services for container vessels owned by ONE, as well as vessels chartered by ONE from external vessel owners.

The new entity will focus on driving safety, operational efficiency, decarbonization, and digital transformation, positioning itself as a leader in optimizing vessel operations for ONE and its partners.

Raman Handa, CEO of ONESEA, emphasized the company’s commitment to excellence. “We are excited to launch ONESEA, a venture that combines advanced technology with exceptional talent to set new industry standards,” he said.

“ONESEA represents the next phase of our strategic collaboration with Seaspan, leveraging the unique strengths of both companies to create a high-performing, forward-thinking ship management enterprise. Our focus on safety, efficiency, and innovation will drive operational excellence and shape the future of maritime services.”

The establishment of ONESEA underscores the growing importance of digitalization and sustainability within the maritime sector.

Through cutting-edge technologies and a dedicated focus on decarbonization initiatives, ONESEA aims to optimize the operational efficiency of ONE’s fleet while contributing to the broader industry goals of reducing environmental impact.

By combining Seaspan’s deep operational expertise with ONE’s strong global shipping network, ONESEA is poised to become a key player in transforming the technical ship management landscape, delivering tangible value to vessel owners and charterers alike.

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Indian Register of Shipping and SeaTech: MOU on Green Tug Design

Edited by Paul Ridgway 
Africa Ports & Ships
London

Indian Register of Shipping (IRS) announced last month the signing of an MOU with SeaTech Solutions International (S) Pte Ltd, a Singapore-based maritime engineering and design firm. This MOU highlights a broader international collaboration aimed at advancing sustainable maritime provisions, including the Greentech design and classification of next-generation green tugs and harbour craft for global operations.

It was reported that this partnership is set to drive innovation and enhance environmental stewardship across the maritime industry, with a special focus on compliance with global standards and practices.

Spearheading design

SeaTech will spearhead the design and engineering of green tugs and harbour crafts, incorporating the latest eco-friendly technologies to meet international benchmarks for sustainability and efficiency. These designs will be reviewed and approved-in-principle by IRS both for local and international shipping demands.

Green Tug Transition Programme (GTTP)

One of the core components of this MOU focuses on the Green Tug Transition Program (GTTP)* and the Harit Nauka – Green Transition Guidelines for inland vessels as laid out by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways, Government of India.

SeaTech will develop designs that comply with these guidelines, and IRS will class these vessels, ensuring they meet stringent regulatory and environmental standards. This collaboration will also include the retrofitting of inland vessels to align with green transition goals.

Compliance

As part of the agreement, IRS will conduct an engineering review of the design for compliance with IRS Rules and other applicable international regulatory standards.

Joint training

In addition to the design technical collaboration, IRS and SeaTech will launch joint training programmes, aimed at enhancing skill sets and knowledge across the maritime industry.

IRS will also provide specialized plan approval training to SeaTech’s engineers, further bolstering their technical competencies.

Collaborative research

Furthermore, this MOU outlines a framework for collaborative research and industry projects that will focus on addressing critical global challenges in the maritime sector, including decarbonisation, alternative fuels, and vessel efficiency.

Mr P K Mishra, Managing Director of IRS, stated: “This MOU is a testament to our ongoing commitment to fostering international cooperation and driving sustainable maritime practices.

“SeaTech’s expertise in maritime design, combined with IRS’ technical rigor, will play a key role in shaping the future of green shipping worldwide.”

Mr G S Chopra, Managing Director, of SeaTech added: “We are delighted to join hands with IRS in working towards navigating to a green and sustainable future through Greentech solutions for shipping.”

* For more on the topic of the Green Tug Transition Programme readers are invited to learn more with this link here.

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WHARF TALK: Federal German Navy Frigate – FGS BADEN-WÜRTTEMBERG F222

Pictures by ‘Dockrat’ 
Story by Jay Gates

There was a time when warships of the Federal German Navy were regular visitors to South African waters, along with warplanes of the German Luftwaffe, who held bombing tests and exercises with the SAAF at the Overberg Test Military Ranges. Sadly, these visits slowly petered out, and now it is almost a rare occurrence to see a Luftwaffe aircraft calling into Cape Town airport, or utilising the facilities of Air Force Base Overberg.

As with all military forces that are Western and NATO, the last few years have seen the current ANC government hierarchy deciding that BRICS means that they have to cosy up to members, and prospective members, some of whom are the antithesis of what Western values are considered to be. This is not just offering political hugs to authoritarian regimes, but also giving military hugs too. None of this gesturing has gone unnoticed in the geopolitical world.

The outcome of this is that Western military visits to South African ports have visibly reduced, although they have not disappeared entirely. So any arrival of a NATO warship is always a welcome sight for the casual maritime observer. That said, the obvious lack of a recognizable, respectful, and proper welcome by the South African Navy to most western warships is also becoming very apparent. The powers that be in Transnet may also be following a similar line.

On 12th November, at 09:00 in the morning, the Federal German Navy Frigate ‘Baden-Württemberg F222’ arrived off Cape Town, from Mormugao in India. She was in company with her fleet replenishment vessel ‘Frankfurt am Main A1412’, and one followed the other into Cape Town harbour, with both proceeding into the Duncan Dock for berthing.

One would have thought that a visiting naval squadron would have been berthed, if not together, then at least as close as possible due to the fact they have been together for months, and the two crews will have the opportunity to both interact, and socialize with each other. For reasons known only to the port berthing planners, ‘Baden-Württemberg F222’ was berthed at A berth, and ‘Frankfurt am Main A1412’ went alongside the outer berth of the Eastern Mole.

Whilst that berthing plan placed them only 100 metres apart, it may well have been five kilometres apart, as they were separated by the entrance channel to the Duncan Dock, and where it would require a five kilometre walk through the entire dock system for any crew interaction to take place between the two vessels, after being at sea together for 26 days. It beggars belief that this was the only sensible option available to the berthing planners. Would a Chinese PLAN flotilla receive the same treatment?

On arrival, both vessels were simply met, by just a few white cars, possibly of the government variety, and which will have included the diplomatic mission from the German Consulate to welcome them to South Africa. There were four such cars awaiting ‘Baden-Württemberg’ and just one to meet ‘Frankfurt am Main’. I have no doubt that had these vessels been of the Russian or Chinese variety that the welcome would have been more, shall we say, welcoming.

The official title of the lead vessel of the arriving flotilla was the Federal German Ship (FGS) ‘Baden-Württemberg’ with the pennant number ‘F222’. She is the lead vessel in a class of four warships known as the Type 125 Frigate, and which are considered to have the heaviest displacement tonnage of any frigate, from any navy, worldwide. All of the class are named after German States within the German Federation, with the state of Baden-Württemberg located in the south of Germany, and lying to the east of the River Rhine, forming the border with France and Switzerland.

Laid down in November 2011, and launched in December 2013, ‘FGS Baden-Württemberg F222’ was only commissioned in June 2019. The long delay between launching and commissioning was because she was sent back to the builders due to major issues with her construction. She was well over her design weight, she had a seemingly permanent starboard list of 1.7°, and had some teething problems with her Operations Room. She was the first German warship ever to be refused initial acceptance by the German Navy.

After her commissioning in June 2019, it took a further four years of further sea trials, equipment and armament trials, before she was considered to have the required operational capability for her to enter full service with the German Navy. This was only achieved in mid-2023. Her first major overseas deployment saw her being sent to the Eastern Mediterranean in October 2023, from her base at Wilhelmshaven, as a result of the Hamas attack on Israel and, due to Hezbollah actions in Southern Lebanon, she was tasked to provide support to the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).

The build of ‘FGS Baden-Württemberg F222’ was split between the Lürssen Werft GmbH shipyard, at Bremen, who built the bow section, and the Blohm+Voss shipyard, at Hamburg, who built the stern section, and who were responsible for joining both sections, and then the completion and outfitting of her. She is 150 metres in length, and has a displacement tonnage of 7,200 tons. The total cost of her building, and that of her three other Type 125 sisterships, was €uro2.2 billion (ZAR42.41 billion).

She has an unusual warship propulsion combination of CODLAG, which means ‘Combined Diesel Electric and Gas Turbine’. She has a single General Electric (GE) LM2500 gas turbine engine producing 20,000 kW, and for her diesel-electric propulsion she has four MTU 20V4000 M53B generators with each providing 2,900 kW, with power transferred to two Siemens electric motors, each providing 4,700 kW, and which drive two controllable pitch propellers. With just her diesel-electric propulsion in service ‘FGS Baden-Württemberg F222’ has a service speed of 20 knots, and with her gas turbine engaged, her service speed increases to 26 knots.

For added manoeuvrability she has a single transverse bow thruster providing 1,000 kW. She has a range of 4,000 nautical miles, and carries a normal operational crew of 110 officers and ratings, with accommodation for up to a maximum of 190 persons, which includes an embarked aviation wing, and a marine naval infantry assault company. She is normally assigned to the 4th Frigate Squadron, of the Federal German Navy, based at Wilhelmshaven.

She was designed as a post-cold war warship, suitable for low intensity maritime stabilization operations, providing tactical fire support for land forces, asymmetric maritime threat control, peacekeeping missions, and as a Special Forces support command vessel. She can be deployed away from her home base for a period of up to two years, without requiring any maintenance support, and is able to spend up to 5,000 hours a year at sea.

Her gun armament consists of a single 127mm OTO Melara Vulcano lightweight gun, which is capable of firing 32 rounds per minute, for a distance of up to 23 kilometres for surface targets, and up to 9 kilometres for air targets. Her gun also has the ability to fire specialised ammunition capable of hitting a target that is a full 100 kilometres distant. She has two Rheinmetall MLG27 27mm autocannons, and five OTO Melara Hitrole-NT 12.7mm remote controlled heavy machine guns, and two standard, manually fired, 12.7mm machine guns.

Her missile armament consists of two RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM) surface to air launchers, each with a cell of 21 missiles, and eight RGM-84 Harpoon surface to surface missile launchers. She is also fitted with four MASS decoy launchers. Her main radar system is an active scanned array system , mounted on two masts, and which can track up to 1,000 separate targets simultaneously, out to a distance of 250 kilometres. She has a flightdeck, and hangarage for two NH90 helicopters, and carries four Fassmer 11m Rigid Hulled Inflatable Boats (RHIB), each capable of 40 knots, and utilised for marine assault, and boarding, parties.

In May 2024 she departed from the Rota NATO naval base, near Cadiz in Spain, on a seven month deployment to the Indo-Pacific region. She was joined in mid-Atlantic by ‘FGS Frankfurt am Main A1412’, which had departed from the German naval base at Wilhelmshaven, and both vessels conducted exercises with both the Royal Canadian Navy and the United States Navy, before conducting a transit of the Panama Canal, and crossing the Pacific Ocean to take part in a major naval exercise in the Western Pacific, and the South China Sea.

The annual trilateral exercise ‘Noble Raven 24-3’ took place between 27th and 29th August and included warships from the United States, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, France, Italy, and both ‘FGS Baden-Württemberg F222’ and ‘FGS Frankfurt am Main A1412’. ‘Exercise Noble Raven’ took place in the South China Sea, and the purpose of the exercise was to enforce the premise of a ‘Free and Open Indo-Pacific’. It was very clear as to who the message of the exercise was aimed at, that of China and their predatory behaviour in the South China Sea. The message was amplified in a statement promulgated by Boris Pistorius, the German Federal Minister of Defence. He stated;

“In the Indo-Pacific region, what is particularly important is freedom of navigation, freedom of shipping, freedom of trade routes,” explaining the overarching background of the German Naval Indo-Pacific Deployment. International Law was an essential cornerstone of the rules-based international order, which was repeatedly being put under pressure or questioned. “We want to contribute to compliance with international law and expand our relationships with our partners there in the region,” in regard to the defence diplomacy mission. “Looking the other way, not showing a presence in the Pacific, and not standing up for the rules-based order is, and will not be, an option for Germany.”

On 13th September, after completion of Exercise Noble Raven 24-3, ‘FGS Baden-Württemberg F222’, accompanied by ‘FGS Frankfurt am Main A14112’ became the first German warships in twenty years to conduct a passage through the Taiwan Strait, much to the chagrin of the Chinese Government, who not unexpectedly criticized the passage, claiming “it provokes and endangers China’s sovereignty and security under the pretext of freedom of navigation.”, and followed it with “Germany’s actions have increased security risks and sent the wrong signals.” German Chancellor Olaf Scholz countered with a statement stating “There isn’t much to say about the passage of these ships. It’s an international waterway.”

After making courtesy port calls in the Philippines, Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia, both vessels made their way to India, where they undertook a Maritime Partnership Exercise (MPX) with the Indian Navy. The exercise took place between 21st and 23rd October, both in the Bay of Bengal, and the Indian Ocean, with Indian Navy Ship (INS) ‘Delhi D61’, a guided missile destroyer. The final courtesy call, prior to making the voyage to Cape Town was to the Indian port of Mormugao, which is located in the Vasco da Gama region of Goa State.

Once her courtesy port call in Cape Town is complete, it is expected that both ‘FGS Baden-Württemberg F222’ and ‘FGS Frankfurt am Main A1412’ will head north back to Germany, and the transit back to their base at Wilhelmshaven. The transit voyage will include one or more courtesy calls within Africa, before arriving home ahead of the Christmas holidays in early December, and the completion of a voyage of circumnavigation, and a major deployment which will have lasted for seven months.

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Rhenus goes BIG with state-of-the-art logistics facility in Johannesburg

Africa Ports & Ships

The Rhenus Group, one of the leading globally-operating logistics service providers, has strengthened its presence in Gauteng by relocating operations to a new facility in Meadowview, Johannesburg, South Africa.

This R440 million investment spans 28,000 m2, including a 24,500 m2 warehouse and 3,000 m2 of office space, effectively doubling the company’s operational footprint.

Cornell van Rooyen, CEO of Rhenus Warehousing Solutions MEA, says the move was driven by growth and the need for increased efficiencies.

“Our former facility in Long Meadow had high warehouse utilisation, and we operated across three separate buildings limiting future expansion,” he said. “The decision to consolidate our operations in Johannesburg under one roof has already introduced greater operational efficiency streamlining workflows and enhancing our ability to scale as we continue to grow in the region.”

The new facility is close to the OR Tambo International Airport and City Deep Container Terminal while remaining within range of current customers and not disrupting staff travel.

Capacity increased by 100% plus

By consolidating operations under one roof, Rhenus expects to see efficiency improve significantly with optimised resource utilisation. Capacity has been increased by over 100%. The introduction of advanced technology and upgraded equipment will further streamline operations and reduce processing times.

According to Dirk Goedhart, MD of Rhenus Air & Ocean South Africa, the integrated facility enhances productivity, allowing seamless cargo flow across the different divisions of the Rhenus Group.

“We have customised the entire facility to meet our exact needs which in turn allows us to deliver tailor-made solutions that meet the specific needs of our customers,” Goedhart said.

Security a top priority

Security is a top priority. More than 600 CCTV cameras, robust access control systems, a 2,4 metre clear-view electric fence, 5 metre perimeter walls and a dedicated security tower monitoring the facility around the clock make the warehouse one of the most secure in South Africa.

Sustainability is central in the facility’s design. It features a 500kW PV system with 1,600 solar panels, an 800Watt lithium-ion battery plant and a 500kW diesel generator, ensuring energy efficiency and reliable backup for up to eight hours. LED lighting and motion sensors throughout the facility contribute to further energy savings.

Water management systems support sustainable operations and include a borehole, a 120,000 litre rainwater harvesting setup and a 40,000 litre fire sprinkler reservoir. An additional 1,1 million litre stormwater tank adds to the facility’s eco-friendly features.

“These premises not only meet our current needs but have been designed for growth,” says Goedhart, adding that it includes 4,700 m2 for future expansion.

Refrigeration

Other key features in the warehouse include a 1,300 m2 refrigeration area with one section at -20 °C and 100 deep-freeze units situated within the groundfloor racking. This unique feature, not commonly found worldwide, is another first in the South African warehousing space.

The warehouse, with a total capacity of 25,000 industrial-standard pallets, is also the only one in the country fully compliant with storing lithium-ion batteries. It has 1,600 battery-compatible pallet positions.

In addition, the warehouse is designed to cater to high-value cargo and has a 250 m2 secure vault.

According to Van Rooyen, moving to the new premises will result in some immediate workforce expansion. Several new positions will be created, including a new warehouse manager. Training programmes are being implemented to upskill employees with the latest technology and equipment introduced at the facility.

“This investment underscores our confidence in the local market and supports our 2030 growth targets. Over the past five years, we have consistently invested in South Africa and this new facility will be a relevant part of our expansion strategy going forward,” says Goedhart.

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Van Oord completes major dredging project in Egypt’s Ain Sokhna port

Africa Ports & Ships

Van Oord has finished dredging two new port basins in Ain Sokhna Port in Egypt.

This successfully completes a project that forms part of a port expansion programme meant to improve and develop the Suez Canal Economic Zone and harness the enormous potential of the Suez Canal as a global hub for maritime transport.

That’s once the Houthi problem in the lower Red Sea has been successfully resolved.

The General Authority for the Suez Canal Economic Zone and the Ministry of Transport of the Republic of Egypt awarded Van Oord the contract to dredge approximately 21 million cubic metres of soil to create two new port basins.

To be able to dredge the hard soil, Van Oord deployed its self-propelled cutter suction dredger Artemis and trailing suction hopper dredger Vox Amalia, along with a versatile fleet that supported them in achieving a high level of productivity.

The dredged material was deposited in a designated zone approximately 9.5 kilometres offshore. Van Oord completed the project within 14 months.

Ain Sokhna Port is located on the western coast of the Gulf of Suez, about 120 kilometres east of Cairo and 40 kilometres south of Suez. Thanks to this strategic location and extensive investment, the port is growing rapidly into a major industrial hub.

It will soon be the largest port along the Red Sea and serve commercial shipping between Asia, Europe, and North Africa.

Expansion plans include new container, dry bulk, general cargo, and liquid bulk terminals, as well as logistics, warehousing, distribution centres, and a dry port.

A further aim is to establish Africa’s first green hydrogen port. A high-speed electric railway will connect the port and Ain Sokhna, Alexandria, and New Alamein, boosting supply routes and New Cairo’s development.

“After our involvement in the second Suez Canal in 2015, Van Oord is extremely proud to have once again contributed to the economic growth of Egypt and the transformation of Ain Sokhna Port into the largest hub in the Red Sea,” said Van Oord’s director of Dredging & Infra at Van Oord, Martin Smouter.

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Kenya Railways metre-gauge locos brought back to life with RR engines

Africa Ports & Ships

Refurbishing Kenya Railways Retired Locomotives

Rolls-Royce has successfully repowered three retired Kenya Railways diesel-electric locomotives as part of a significant railway refurbishment project for the East African country.

The refurbishing project conducted by SMH Rail for Kenya Railways will sustainably boost East African regional trade.

Rolls-Royce repowered the three Kenya Railways heavy haulage locomotives with state-of-the-art 16V Series 4000 mtu engines – each producing 2,200 kW.

This pilot project initiated by Kenya Railways was carried out by Rolls-Royce in collaboration with SMH Rail (SMH), a leading rail engineering services provider from Malaysia, which conducted the broader refurbishment.

The mtu Series 4000 engines represent the pinnacle of Rolls-Royce’s technology for high-performance and low-emission power systems. Known for their reliability, durability, and fuel efficiency, these engines are designed to withstand the demanding conditions of freight transportation and provide cleaner, more efficient, and sustainable operations for Kenya Railways.

The refurbishment has given new life to the retired locomotives. It is part of an initiative by Kenya Railways to revive locomotives that are over 40 years old and no longer in service.

Kenya Railways continues to use the older metre gauge railway, in particular from where the modern standard gauge railway terminates at Naivasha. The metre gauge continues to the Uganda border at Malaba and into that neighbouring country and also to the Lake Victoria port of Kisumu.

Rolls-Royce’s engines

Rolls-Royce’s advanced engines deliver increased horsepower, enabling the locomotives to handle heavier loads across challenging landscapes with improved fuel and oil economy.

These bespoke upgrades will enhance the overall efficiency of Kenya’s rail transport system, contributing to national economic development by supporting faster, more reliable transportation of goods across the country.

Commenting on the project, Philip Mainga EBS, Managing Director of Kenya Railways Corporation, emphasized the role of rail in enhancing transportation of goods across the region.

“With the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AFCFTA), we are experiencing an increase in cross-border trade,” he said.

“By reviving this fleet, we are confident in our ability to meet the rising demand effectively, affordably and sustainably, contributing to the growth of our East African economy.”

According to Andreas Görtz, President Business Unit Mobile & Sustainable of Rolls-Royce Power Systems division, Rolls-Royce is committed to refurbishing more locomotives by replacing the engines of the old fleet and extending their operational lifespan.

“We are honoured to partner with SMH and Kenya Railways on this important, first-of-its-kind project that has already proven successful,” Görtz said. “By integrating our advanced mtu Series 4000 engines into these locomotives, we contribute to a more sustainable and efficient rail transport system in Kenya.”

Globally, the transport sector remains significantly carbon-intensive. However, Kenya is among the many African nations embracing innovation to promote decarbonisation through initiatives such as producing non-fossil replacement fuels, such as biofuels and hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) and developing synthetic fuels.

All new mtu diesel engines from Rolls-Royce are proven to run on 100% HVO and alternative liquid fuels.

Rolls-Royce Solutions Africa is headquartered in South Africa and opened an office in Kenya in June 2023 to enable more effective and direct service to its East African customers.

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Minister of defence hiding true state of SANDF fleet – Rise Mzansi

by Guy Martin

Rise Mzansi believes Minister of Defence and Military Veterans Angie Motshekga is hiding the state of the South African National Defence Force’s (SANDF’s) prime mission equipment, and has warned that if the decline of the military continues, South Africa will soon have an SANDF in name only.

Rise Mzansi leader Songezo Zibi asked Motshekga to provide details on the percentage of SANDF equipment that has reached the end of its lifespan but is still being operated, and a breakdown of this in each division as well as the cost to replace outdated equipment.

He was told in a written parliamentary reply last month that, “the RSA has established a practice and norm consistent with international practices that matters of combat readiness of the country’s military capabilities are only discussed in a closed session, the Joint Standing Committee on Defence (JSCD) at the behest of the legislative authority. Should the Parliament schedule such, the DoD will comprehensively discuss its readiness inclusive of the history, serviceability and availability of its platforms.”

Rise Mzansi MP and National Assembly Caucus Whip Makashule Gana responded to this “non-response” by saying this is “a selective application of the aforementioned ‘norm and standard’ given that the Ministry has previously provided responses to written questions that relate to maintenance of if its fleet and the capabilities of the Force to defend the Republic’s sovereignty, for an example.”

Gana said in a statement that the Minister’s non-response reeks of an attempt to hide what the true state of the SANDF’s fleet is and its ability to fulfil its constitutional mandate.

In 2023, three SA Navy submariners lost their lives during a training accident described as a “freak accident”. The Chief of the SA Navy, Vice Admiral Monde Lobese, said before a Board of Inquiry to investigate the incident that training does not happen as it should “due to ongoing budget constraints that impede platform or vessel maintenance, resulting in reduced sea time, which impedes training and, ultimately, experience.”

“The SANDF is in distress, and it is costing lives both locally and on foreign missions, as we learned when two SANDF soldiers lost their lives in the Democratic Republic of Congo in June of this year,” Gana said. “The veil of secrecy thrown over the SANDF’s fleet comes off the back of the Auditor-General’s report painting a picture of a defence force that is financially crippled and with a stretched mandate. For example –

• The SANDF is seeing a decline in prime-mission equipment
• The SA Air Force is seeing a decline in the number of hours flown
• The SA Navy is seeing a decline in the number of hours at sea
• A whopping 62.5% of SANDF commitments are unfunded.

“If these matters, among others, are not addressed, we will soon, if not already, only have an SANDF in name. Therefore, as a matter of urgency, Minister Motshekga needs to commission a Defence Review, which considers the current economic climate, the effectiveness of the current SANDF leadership and management, our involvement in foreign missions and the Force’s aging personnel, to name a few issues.”

Gana pledged that Rise Mzansi will continue to hold the Executive accountable by conducting oversight, asking questions, and doing the work of Parliament. “South Africans expect honesty and transparency from its public represents, Departments and Entities,” he concluded.

Written by Guy Martin/defenceWeb and republished with permission. The original article can be found here

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Two German Navy ships visit Cape Town

Africa Ports & Ships

Two naval visitors at the Port of Cape Town this week are the German Navy frigate FGS Baden-Württemberg (F222), berthed at A berth in the Duncan Dock, and the auxiliary support vessel, FGS Frankfurt am Main (A1412) which is at the Eastern Mole.

The two ships arrived from Murmugao in the Indian state of Goa. Deployed on a round the world cruise, they took part in naval exercises in the Pacific Ocean following which they became the latest non-Chinese naval ships to sail through the contested Taiwan Strait, to the somewhat annoyance of China.

In October the German ships exercised with the Indian Navy in the Bay of Bengal and the Indian Ocean.

The lead ship of four Baden-Württemberg-class frigates, F122 displaces 7,200 tonnes and has an overall length of 149.5 metres and beam of 18.8m, with a draught of 5 metres.

Propulsion comes from a CODLAG system single gas turbine, two electric motors, four diesel generators linked to three gearboxes – one for each shaft and a third to cross-connect to the gas turbine. The motors drive twin shafts connected to controllable pitch propellers and producing a maximum speed of 26 knots (20 knots using diesel only).

For additional manoeuvrability the frigate has a 1 MW bow thruster. FGS Baden-Württemberg has a range of 4,000 nautical miles. She was built by a joint-venture of Thyssen-Krupp and Lürssen known as a ARGE F125.

Her main weapon is a 127 mm lightweight Otobreda naval gun using guided Vulcano ammunition for land-attack missions with a range of over 100 km, and an array of smaller mounted weapons. The frigate is also equipped with 8 × RGM-84 Harpoon anti-ship missiles. This is an interim measure until the joint sea/land attack Naval Strike Missile becomes available.

Her array of weaponry, or rather the lack of certain elements gives reason as to why the two warships are currently in Cape Town harbour. As already reported in this publication (see here) the frigate lacks suitable long-range defences and has been forced to round the Cape rather than risk possible Houthi missiles and drones in the Red Sea.

It was the German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius who issued instructions for the frigate and the fleet auxiliary Frankfurt-am-Main to avoid the shorter and obviously much cheaper route into the Mediterranean due to because the frigate lacking suitable long-range defences.

Surprisingly, given the number of US and European and allied naval forces cooperating in the region, there were no naval assets available to escort the two through the dangerous waters.

Her accompanying vessel, the replenishment vessel Frankfurt am Main (A1412), was built by Flensburger Schiffbau-Gesellschaft and launched on 5 January 2001. Commissioned the following year she is the second vessel of the Berlin-class replenishment ships of the German Navy.

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GENERAL NEWS REPORTS – UPDATED THROUGH THE DAY

Total cargo handled by tonnes during September 2024, including containers by weight

• see full report for the month in the news section here

PORT	September 2024 million tonnes
Richards Bay	6.501
Durban	7.340
Saldanha Bay	6.616
Cape Town	1.551
Port Elizabeth	1.231
Ngqura	1.585
Mossel Bay	0.059
East London	0.207
Total all ports during September 2024	21.978 million tonnes

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