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FIRST VIEW: MAERSK FUKUOKA

The Maersk container ship MAERSK FUKUOKA (IMO 9991147) was a recent arrival in South Africa. This relatively newbuilt ship was built at the Imabari Shipyard, Hiroshima, Japan and launched on 25 September 2024. Her completion and handover took place on 30 January this year, and the ship is currently deployed on a Maersk service between the Far East and South Africa.

The ship’s nominal owner is shown as Beamer Investment Corp and management company is Northstar Ship Management Ltd.

Our photographic coverage of Maersk Fukuoka reflects on her arrival in the Durban port on 29 March 2025, and her cargo working at the Durban Container Terminal during the following five days of her stay.

The ship’s current position is between Port Louis, her last port of call, and Tanjung Pelepas in Malaysia where she is due on 18 April.

Maersk Fukuoka, which flies the flag of Panama, has an overall length of 255 metres and a beam of 40m. Her gross tonnage is 56,907 gt and deadweight is 76,480 (69000) tonnes. Her container capacity is 5,920 TEU.

The container vessel is powered by a single diesel-electric 6-cylinder engine manufactured by Mitsui E&S Co at its Marine Propulsion Systems Division at the Tamano Factory, producing an output of 27,000 kW and driving a single fixed pitch propeller.

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Africa Ports & Ships

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Africa’s untapped talent could hold the key to solving the global seafarer shortage

Africa Ports & Ships

A new report by the World Maritime University (WMU) highlights Africa’s immense untapped potential to help solve one of the shipping industry’s most pressing challenges: the global shortage of seafarers.

Titled “Deep Dive on Seafarer Sustainability: Supporting the Opportunity for Africa and Women to Create a Sustainable Supply of Seafarers for the Future”, the report is the first in a series from Lloyd’s Register and Lloyd’s Register Foundation’s Global Maritime Trends programme. It takes a hard look at why Africa — home to a young and growing population — remains vastly underrepresented in the global maritime workforce.

According to the study, African nationals made up just 4% of the world’s 1.87 million seafarers in 2021, while women accounted for only 1.28%. The report not only questions whether these figures are underreported, but also stresses that increasing opportunities for both African and female seafarers is essential for long-term workforce sustainability.

Barriers to entry for African seafarers include low graduation rates, high training costs, inadequate access to sea time, and misalignment with international training standards. For example, Durban University of Technology reported a graduation rate of just 22% in maritime programmes.

To address these challenges, the report urges governments, maritime administrations, and industry stakeholders to:

• • Invest in Maritime Education and Training (MET) infrastructure across Africa
  • Modernise curricula to align with international standards
  • Create industry-led training partnerships
  • Provide financial support and targeted career guidance, especially for women

While 150 MET institutions across the continent have increased enrolment over the last decade, the report underscores the need for coordinated efforts to convert student interest into long-term maritime careers.

“Despite the barriers, there is real momentum in Africa,” said Professor Maximo Q. Mejia Jr, President of the WMU. “To unlock this potential, we need modern training, strong partnerships, and targeted support.”

Women’s participation also remains low despite making up 23% of MET enrolments. Structural challenges — including lack of STEM access and employment pathways — must be addressed to bridge the gap between education and sea-based careers.

“The maritime sector can’t afford to overlook the wealth of talent in Africa and among women,” added Professor Momoko Kitada, one of the report’s authors. “This report provides a clear roadmap to build a more diverse and sustainable seafarer workforce.”

As the industry moves toward greener shipping and faces rising global demand, expanding the talent pool has never been more critical.

The report ‘Deep Dive on Seafarer Sustainability’ is available here

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Drama as ship in Nacala-a-Velha harbour catches fire

Africa Ports & Ships

The Liberian-flagged bulk carrier Altzek (IMO 9621417) was the scene of some drama on Sunday when a fire broke out in the vessel’s engine room.

From reports emerging from Nacala in Mozambique it appears there was an explosion in the ship’s engine room that left four seafarers with injuries, none of them too serious. They received treatment at a Nacala medical clinic and were discharged to rejoin their ship.

Altzek had completed loading coal on Sunday 13 April and was moving from her berth at the Nacala-a-Velha coal terminal when there was an explosion in the engine room.

Crew were able to quickly extinguish the fire before any major damage occurred.

Four tugs hastened to the scene and remained on standby in case they were needed with their fire-fighting equipment, but by then the fire was out.

A technical team which arrived to undertake an assessment of the damage to the ship, subsequently gave clearance for the Altzek to make its departure.

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INTERCARGO Raises Concerns Over IMO’s New Climate Measure

Africa Ports & Ships

The International Association of Dry Cargo Shipowners (INTERCARGO) has expressed concern over the outcome of last week’s key meeting of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), where member states agreed on a new medium-term strategy to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from shipping.

The decision, made during the IMO’s Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC 83), marks a shift away from the levy-based approach that INTERCARGO and other industry groups have long supported in favour of a more complex regulatory framework.

“INTERCARGO is concerned about the complexity of the measure taken forward by IMO, disregarding calls for a simple, practical and therefore predictable, enforceable, and effective approach,” said INTERCARGO Secretary General Kostas Gkonis in a statement.

Despite its reservations, INTERCARGO emphasised its continued commitment to working within the IMO process and supporting its implementation.

The organization stressed the need for global, transparent, and easy-to-administer measures, particularly to support small and medium-sized companies that make up much of the industry.

Gkonis reiterated the association’s dedication to helping the dry bulk sector adapt to the challenges of decarbonisation.

“We will make every effort to help the industry progress toward the fair and practical transition required for international shipping and the dry bulk sector,” he said.

While expressing disappointment over the chosen path, INTERCARGO acknowledged the significance of the decision made by IMO member states and reaffirmed its support for the international body’s leadership in driving global climate action in shipping.

As a representative of the dry bulk shipping sector — one of the largest in the maritime industry — INTERCARGO said it will continue to offer constructive input as discussions evolve around the sector’s energy transition.

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New global minimum wage for seafarers agreed in Geneva

Africa Ports & Ships

• The International Chamber of Shipping and the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) have welcomed the introduction of a new minimum wage, following negotiations in Geneva.
• These increases reaffirm the commitment of the global maritime industry to decent work and sustainable employment for seafarers, supporting their wellbeing and enabling them to provide for their families.
• Maritime transport remains the only industry with a formally recognised global minimum wage, in place for seafarers since 1958.

Geneva, 16 April 2025 — A new global minimum wage for seafarers has been agreed following talks at the International Labour Organization (ILO) in Geneva.

The deal was reached by the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) and the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF), representing shipowners and seafarers’ unions worldwide.

The revised wage levels for able seafarers are:

$690 from 1 January 2026

$704 from 1 January 2027

$715 from 1 January 2028

This marks a 6% increase from the previously agreed $673 minimum set for 2025.

The ILO’s Joint Maritime Commission, the only global body to set an industry-wide minimum wage, has maintained this standard for seafarers since 1958 under the Maritime Labour Convention.

ICS spokesperson Pål Tangen called the agreement “a careful balance” between recognising seafarers’ contributions and supporting the economic viability of shipping. ITF’s Mark Dickinson said the increase reflects rising living costs and reaffirms seafarers’ vital role in global trade.

ILO official Frank Hagemann noted the significance of the deal amid growing global trade tensions, including the prospect of a potential full-scale trade war that could divide the world and reshape global trade, stating it underscores a shared commitment to fair and decent work at sea.

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Trump’s USA versus China – which might have a winning hand

Africa Ports & Ships

In a trade war with the US, China holds a lot more cards than Trump may think − in fact, it might have a winning hand

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DP World supercharges Namibia’s Cold Chain with high-tech facility in
Walvis Bay

Africa Ports & Ships
Global logistics giant DP World has launched a cutting-edge temperature-controlled distribution centre in Walvis Bay, strengthening Namibia’s cold chain infrastructure and boosting food service capabilities by 50% for regional distributor Seapride Foods Coastal.The $2 million facility is a timely response to rising demand from Namibia’s thriving hospitality, retail, and export sectors—driven by a growing economy and increasing container traffic through Walvis Bay, a key maritime gateway for Southern Africa.Situated at the Atlantic Commercial Cold Store (ACCS), the new distribution center is now the operational heart of Seapride Foods Coastal, a fast-growing food service company serving Namibia, South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.The facility includes 720 pallet spaces — comprising freezer, chiller, and dry storage — as well as three temperature-controlled loading docks and modern office space for more than 70 staff members.

“This investment is a testament to our confidence in Namibia’s future,” said Bruce Denyer, Executive Vice President, Market Access Consumer sub-Saharan Africa at DP World.

“With tourism, mining exports, oil exploration, and hydrogen fuel infrastructure all on the rise, the demand for robust supply chain solutions is more important than ever.”

The facility features 434 freezer pallet spaces (-20°C), 120 chiller pallets (+2°C), and 210 dry store pallets, all supported by an advanced Freon-based refrigeration system for precise temperature control.

For Seapride Foods Coastal, the expansion couldn’t have come sooner. Since its founding in 1992, the company has grown from a small seafood supplier into a regional food service powerhouse, offering a wide variety of meats, seafood, desserts, and beverages to the hotel, restaurant, catering, and retail industries.

“The demand for temperature-controlled storage has consistently outpaced our existing capacity,” said Christoph Kubirske, Managing Director of Deep Catch Namibia Holdings, which owns Seapride and is a wholly owned DP World entity.

“We were operating eight reefer containers to meet the demand — an unsustainable load on local electrical infrastructure. This new facility not only eases that burden but significantly elevates the level of service we can provide.”

Kubirske emphasised that the expansion will allow Seapride to continue its upward trajectory while improving sustainability and reliability in the supply chain.

DP World sees the Walvis Bay development as part of its broader Southern Africa growth strategy — one that hinges on improving trade access and food security across landlocked countries and coastal economies alike.

“With this new facility, we’re delivering the infrastructure needed to support regional growth and food distribution resilience,” Denyer added. “This is more than a building — it’s a gateway to greater efficiency and opportunity for the region.”

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Transnet wage talks with UNTU deadlocked as conciliation fails

Africa Ports & Ships

Wage negotiations between Transnet SOC Ltd and the United National Transport Union (UNTU) have reached a stalemate, with a formal conciliation process ending without agreement on Monday, 14 April.

Transnet confirmed the breakdown in talks, stating it had engaged in negotiations in good faith and with the intention of securing an outcome that balanced employee well-being with the company’s long-term sustainability.

The dispute now leaves thousands of UNTU members without a wage increase or improved benefits.

The parastatal’s final offer — comprising annual increases of 6%, 6%, and 5.5% over three years – was accepted by fellow union SATAWU.

However, UNTU rejected the proposal and declined to seek a further mandate from its members, prompting Transnet to welcome the union’s latest decision to conduct a member ballot.

“We trust that the balloting process will be done in an appropriate manner, following acceptable protocols,” Transnet said in a statement.

Due to the unresolved dispute, approximately 20,000 UNTU-affiliated employees, including permanent and fixed-term staff, those on temporary disability, and learners, will not receive wage increases or adjustments to associated benefits such as medical subsidies, housing allowances, and pension contributions.

Transnet clarified that any eventual agreement with UNTU would be implemented from the date of signature — excluding any backpay.

The company reiterated its commitment to reaching a resolution while continuing efforts to stabilise and turn around its operations.

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Port Elizabeth Container Terminal takes delivery of new Ship-to-Shore crane

Africa Ports & Ships

The Port Elizabeth Container Terminal (PECT) has received a major infrastructure boost with the arrival of a new Liebherr ship-to-shore crane, a R240 million investment aimed at improving cargo throughput and supporting the region’s key agricultural and automotive sectors.

The newly installed crane replaces a 35-year-old unit that had reached the end of its operational lifespan.

It comes equipped with state-of-the-art cargo-handling technology, including enhanced lifting capabilities and energy-efficient systems developed by original equipment manufacturer Liebherr Africa.

The crane’s advanced features are expected to significantly improve the terminal’s efficiency in handling larger vessels and increasing container volumes.

Transnet Port Terminals (TPT), the operating division of Transnet responsible for managing the terminal, described the investment is part of a broader effort to modernise equipment and improve reliability across its national operations.

In March, TPT unveiled 20 new straddle carriers and nine rubber-tyred gantry cranes (RTGs) for the Durban Container Terminal’s Pier 2 and Pier 1, respectively, as part of a R3 billion investment drive.

Speaking at the PECT launch event on Monday, Transnet Chairperson Dr. Andile Sangqu highlighted the importance of such investments in strengthening South Africa’s logistics infrastructure.

“The arrival of the ship-to-shore crane represents far more than just a logistical milestone; it symbolises Transnet’s unwavering commitment to efficiency and reliability,” Sangqu said.

“In an operating environment that demands agility, efficiency and precision are non-negotiable. Every minute counts and delays can have profoundly negative consequences. We want to be the force that propels our partners to excel in a sector that expects nothing less.”

The Port Elizabeth Container Terminal, which handled 178,000 TEUs in 2024, plays a critical role in supporting the Eastern Cape’s trade, particularly in the movement of agricultural and automotive goods.

The terminal forms part of Transnet’s Eastern Cape network (Port Elizabeth, Ngqura, East London), which continues to see strategic investment to boost port performance and economic growth in the region.

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WHARF TALK: Cunard cruise liner – QUEEN ANNE

Pictures as indicated
Story by Jay Gates

There are passenger cruise liners, and there are passenger cruise liners. Some are so-so in looks, most are good looking, some can even be viewed as beautiful, but only one or two come in the simply fabulous looking category. Throughout the 20th century, one shipping company consistently produced some of the world’s most awe inspiring passenger vessels throughout the period. As the 21st century unfolds, they have continued with that reputation, continuing to produce some, if not all, of the passenger vessels that all casual maritime observers drool over.

That company is that British icon, the Cunard Line. A company renowned for its luxurious passenger liners, and I mean the real thing that plied the routes of the North Atlantic, in the same way as the airliners of today do. Although the company is solidly British, its founder was not. The casual maritime observer, who knows a thing or two about maritime history, will be aware that the company was founded in 1840, by Samuel Cunard (1787-1865) in Liverpool.

However, Samuel Cunard was not British in the current sense, but Canadian. He was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, with both of his parents being British Loyalists who moved from the American colonies after the declaration of independence in the current USA. Of course, as with the Cape Colony, and the Natal Colony, all citizens of the Canadian Colonies were considered to be British. In South Africa, the concept of South African only came about after the Union of South Africa was formed in 1910. There are still some in Natal who feel it never changed!

The Cunard Line began as Samuel Cunard had won a contract to carry the mails from Britain to Canada and the USA. His first vessel was ‘Britannia’, a name which started a trend that remained unchanged within the Cunard Line for almost a century. That was that the vessels in the fleet received names that were mainly those of the provinces of the once great Roman Empire, and of the ancient lands of Greater Europe and the Levant. Hence, splendid names of passenger liners such as Aquitania, Mauretania, Lusitania, Carpathia, Laconia, and Caronia.

All that changed in the early 1930s when Cunard decided to build a transatlantic greyhound, to capture the Blue Riband. As the story goes, Cunard intended to name the ship ‘Victoria’, in keeping with company tradition of giving its ships names ending in ‘ia’. However, when company representatives asked King George V’s permission to name the ocean liner after Britain’s ‘Greatest Queen’, he said his wife, Queen Mary, would be delighted. It was this mix up that introduced Cunard to what is now a fleet of passenger liners named after British Queens.

On 10th April, at 06:00 in the morning, the magnificent passenger cruise liner ‘Queen Anne’ (IMO 9839399) arrived off Cape Town, from Durban, where she had spent the day on 7th April. She entered Cape Town harbour, proceeding into the Duncan Dock, and went alongside the Passenger Cruise Terminal at E berth. For those who know the roads around Cape Town harbour, her lying alongside E berth was a sight that brought rush hour traffic to an even slower crawl on the Southern Freeway that runs alongside the Docks, due to ‘rubber necking’ drivers.

Laid down in October 2022, and launched in April 2023, ‘Queen Anne’ only entered service in May 2024, so she is not yet one year old. As a megaliner, she is 323 metres in length, and has a gross registered tonnage of 113,000 tons. She is a diesel electric vessel, with power being provided by four MaK 12V43C generators, each producing 12,600 kW, to give a total of 50,400 kW of power for all domestic and propulsion requirements. Power for propulsion is transferred to two ABB Azipods, each producing 14,000 kW, to give her a service speed of 22 knots. For added manoeuvrability she has three bow transverse thrusters.

Built at the Fincantieri shipyard at Marghera in Italy, and built at a cost of US$630 million (ZAR12.05 billion), and known as a Series 4 Pinnacle class vessel, ‘Queen Anne’ was the 249th vessel to enter service with the Cunard Line, and in a change of tradition she was not named by a single Godmother but rather, collectively, by a total of five famous Scouser ladies of Liverpool, as a homage to the City of Liverpool itself, from where Cunard Line started life back in 1840.

She has a total of 14 decks, of which 13 are given over to passengers, and with 8 of them purely for passenger cabins, of which she has 1,397. She normally carries a total of 2,996 passengers, in double occupancy, but can carry a maximum of 3,353 passengers, all of whom are looked after by a crew of 1,225.

For a Cunard liner, with a reputation for luxury, ‘Queen Anne’ has an extensive fit of passenger facilities, which include twelve restaurants, eight bars, seven lounges, café, ice cream bar, games room, library, drawing room, cigar lounge, theatre, ball room, casino, piano lounge, board room, art gallery, boutiques, outside show lounge, outside movie screen, wellness studio, spa, treatment rooms, fitness centre, gymnasium, sauna, treatment rooms, thermal suite, relaxation lounge, beauty salon, kids club, teens club, table tennis are, paddle tennis court, mini golf course, golf putting green, a swimming pool, a hydropool, and four Jacuzzi whirlpools.

Owned by Carnival Corporation & PLC, of Doral in the US State of Florida, ‘Queen Anne’ is operated by Cunard Line Ltd., of Southampton in the UK. For the nomenclature aficionado she is named, naturally, after Queen Anne (1665-1714), who reigned in the UK from 1702 to her death in 1714. She was the last of the Stuart Monarchs in the UK, and was followed by King George I, who was the first of the Hanoverian Monarchs in the UK.

On entering service, her first captain was Inger Klein Thorhauge, who has been with Cunard Line for 27 years, and was the first female in the company to be promoted to the position of Captain. In another change for a famous British shipping company, Captain Thorhauge is not British, but a citizen of the Faroe Islands. Her first command in Cunard was ‘Queen Victoria’ in 2010, when she also became the first female to command a megaliner anywhere in the world. She followed this with command of ‘Queen Elizabeth’ in 2011.

Her arrival in both Durban, where she arrived at the early hour of 03:00 on the 7th April, and sailing later that same day at 21:00, and at Cape Town, was due to her being on her maiden Round the World cruise, in her first full year of operation. The cruise is an East to West cruise, lasting a total of 112 days, and calling at 34 ports, which began on 7th January when ‘Queen Anne’ sailed from Hamburg.

Her cruise itinerary being Hamburg- Southampton- New York- Miami- Cartagena (Colombia)- Panama Canal transit- Puerto Quetzal (Guatemala)- Cabo San Lucas (Mexico)- San Francisco- Honolulu- Apia (Samoa)- Nukualofa (Tonga)- Auckland- Tauranga- Bay of Islands (all New Zealand)- Sydney- Brisbane- Airlie Beach- Yorkeys Knob- Darwin (all Australia)- Manila (Philippines)- Hong Kong- Saigon (Vietnam)- Singapore- Klang- Penang (both Malaysia)- Port Louis (Mauritius)- Durban (7th April 06:00-21:00)- Cape Town (10th April 06:00- 11th April 16:00)- Walvis Bay (Namibia)- Dakar (Senegal)- Tenerife (Canary Islands)- Southampton- Hamburg, where the cruise will terminate on 29th April.

As expected on a cruise of this duration, Fly/Cruise elements into, and out of, Cape Town were on offer, including Hong Kong-Cape Town, Singapore-Cape Town, Cape Town-Southampton, and Cape Town- Hamburg. The previous Singapore-Cape Town cruise only leg was offered from US$2,928 (ZAR56,008) and upwards, and the current Cape Town-Southampton cruise only leg was offered from US$1,359 (ZAR25,996) and upwards. As it was the maiden round the world voyage, demand was at a premium for the whole of the round the world cruise, and the cost per person started at US$57,309 (ZAR1.1 million).

For a passenger liner of the size of ‘Queen Anne’, one might expect that her requirements for bunkers, stores, and fresh provisions, would be immense, and so it was. She took bunkers from the Cape Town harbour bunker tanker ‘Southern Valour’ soon after she arrived on 10th April. The next day on 11th April, a veritable train of trucks, and reefer containers from ship chandlers arrived to transfer their foodstuffs to ‘Queen Anne’.

Even with foodstuffs, the maritime security code requirements of ‘Queen Anne’ are still to be carried out, and specially trained sniffer dogs were on hand to go over all the boxes of produce, prior to them being loaded aboard.

As expected, and as per her original cruise schedule, ‘Queen Anne’ was ready to sail from Cape Town at 16:00 on 11th April. However, mother nature put a minor spanner in the works, and some famous Cape coastal fog rolled in, which reduced visibility to the point that it prevented her from sailing. After a short two hour delay, at 18:00 in the early evening, she pulled away from E berth and made her way out of Cape Town harbour, now bound for Walvis Bay. She duly arrived at the Namibian port on 13th April at 05:00 in the morning, sailing again at 21:00 the same day for Dakar, a leisurely six day sail away.

For those casual maritime observers who might have missed her call at either Durban or Cape Town, fret ye not. She is scheduled to undertake a second round the world cruise at the same time next year, and this cruise will be a west to east cruise, over a period of 116 days, calling in at 35 ports, and which includes not just Durban and Cape Town again, but now with a call at Port Elizabeth. The cruise gets underway on 6th January 2026, again from Hamburg.

The 2026 round the world cruise itinerary is Hamburg- Rotterdam- Zeebrugge- Southampton- Funchal (Madeira)- Tenerife- Mindelo (Cape Verde Islands)- Walvis Bay (27th January)- Cape Town (30th-31st January)- Port Elizabeth (2nd February)- Durban (4th February)- St. Denis (Reunion)- Port Louis- Colombo (Sri Lanka)- Klang- Singapore- Hong Kong- Manila- Bitung (Indonesia)- Darwin- Airlie Beach- Brisbane- Sydney- Port Vila (Vanuatu)- Suva (Fiji)- Honolulu- Los Angeles- Puerto Quetzal- Panama Canal transit- Curacao- Aruba (both Netherlands Antilles)- Miami- Ponta Delgada (Azores)- Southampton- Hamburg, where the cruise will terminate on 2nd May 2026.

Once more, Fly/Cruise options are being offered for this second round the world cruise, with cruise only segments being Hamburg-Cape Town from US$3,959 (ZAR75,730), Southampton-Cape Town from US$2,909 (ZAR55,645), Cape Town-Singapore from US$3,679 (ZAR70,374), Cape Town-Hong Kong from US$4,519 (ZAR86,442), and Cape Town-Sydney from US$7,229 (ZAR138,279). Compared to the price given for the first round the world, in its entirety, the prices for the second complete cruise start from as little as US$16,669 (ZAR318,851).

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Mozambique launches new coastal shipping venture

Africa Ports & Ships

With the sailing of the general cargo vessel Prince Henry (IMO 9614127) from the port of Maputo on Friday 11 April 2025, Mozambique has officially reintroduced its cabotage coastal shipping service.

Bidding farewell and safe journey to the Hong-Kong-flagged ship was President Daniel Chapo, who announced a number of fiscal incentives aimed at encouraging businesses to move their domestic cargo by sea rather than on land.

The 12,278-dwt Prince Henry, which was built in 2011 and has a length of 120 metres and beam of 21m, has been operating on the Mozambican coast for much of this year including calls made at Mombasa in Kenya.

The cabotage action taken by the government and with the involvement of local business interests, is being operated by two ships.

The two vessels operated by private companies will service the respective ports of Maputo, Beira, Nacala, Pemba and Palma, as necessary.

The second vessel, named CPG Phoebe (IMO 9510606), was built in 2008, is smaller in capacity and is a landing craft or deck cargo type of roughly 2,310 deadweight tons, sailing currently under the Liberian flag. She has a length of 78 metres and width of 16m.

Speaking at the formal ceremony prior to the sailing of the vessel still bearing the name Prince Henry, President Chapo said that coastal shipping has a fundamental role to play in stimulating the local economy.

He pointed out that maritime cabotage is a sustainable mode of transport, with the advantage of low pollutant emissions.

“It promotes greater efficiency in the transport of merchandise, it reduces logistical costs, and it stimulates the development of strategic sectors,” Chapo said.

“We must promote the migration of road freight to the sea.”

Incentives made available to the companies operating the two ships include a favourable customs regime, a 75 per cent reduction in fees for navigation aids and a 50 per cent reduction in harbour fees

A further incentive ensures priority for these ships when entering and leaving the ports.

Chapo emphasised the importance of reducing the number of trucks using the roads, in particular the main north-south EN1 highway, which is prone to numerous road accidents and to incurring damage during the summer cyclone season.

Watch a short [1:39] Portuguese-language YouTube video of the ceremony and sailing of Prince Henry held in Maputo last Friday, including some attractive views of Maputo harbour.

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Trump’s tariff hikes and South Africa: hunt for new agricultural markets must begin now

Africa Ports & Ships

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WHARF TALK: luxury German cruise ship – AMADEA

Pictures by Jumaine Kruger
and by ‘Dockrat’
Story by Jay Gates

The end of season world cruise programme continue apace with a number of cruise liners making their way along the South African coastline, as they slowly begin the last leg of their long voyage around the world, and begin their northerly course correction, turning north to reach Europe in time to start the forthcoming Summer cruise season. As always, in a twist of sickening irony, we only have the Houthi nonsense to thank for this parade of some of the world’s most beautiful passenger vessels. The casual maritime observer is truly lucky as a result.

On 7th April, at 06:00 in the morning, the German owned passenger cruise liner ‘Amadea’ (IMO 8913162) arrived off Cape Town, from Durban, on the latest call of her long, round the world cruise. She entered Cape Town harbour, proceeding into the Duncan Dock, and placed herself alongside the Passenger Cruise Terminal at E berth at the start of her two day stopover.

Laid down in April 1990, and launched in April 1991, ‘Amadea’ was built by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries shipyard at Nagasaki in Japan, and commissioned in December 1991. She is 193 metres in length, and has a gross registered tonnage of 29,008 tons. She is a diesel-electric vessel and is powered by two Mitsubishi MAN-B&W 7L58/64 seven cylinder, four stroke, main engines producing 17,300 kW. Power from her main engines is transferred to two ABB electric motors, which drive two controllable pitch propellers for a service speed of 21 knots.

Her as built auxiliary machinery included three generators providing 1,700 kW each, and a single emergency generator providing 300 kW. She has two Marukin Sato economiser exhaust gas boilers, and two Marukin Sato oil fired boilers. For added manoeuvrability ‘Amadea’ is fitted with a single bow transverse thruster providing 1,300 kW.

In 2021, as a result of environmental improvements mandated by IMO, and to ensure that ‘Amadea’ could continue to enter, and cruise amongst, environmentally sensitive waters, such as the Norwegian Fiords, she was upgraded to meet EPA Tier 4, and IMO Tier III, requirements. Her two main engines were upgraded with exhaust Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) systems, and her generators were replaced with two Wabtec (formerly GE) L250 generators, of 2,330 kW each, which utilise Exhaust Gas Reduction (EGR) technology, all reducing her NOx emissions.

She has eleven decks, of which eight are given over to passenger use. She has a total of 296 cabins, of which 106 of them come with balconies, and can carry a total of 642 passengers, who are looked after by a crew of 292. Her onboard passenger facilities include three restaurants, seven bars, three lounges, a café, show lounge, cigar lounge, internet café, library, boutiques, a fitness centre, gymnasium, sauna, wellness suite, treatment rooms, beauty salon, a swimming pool, two Jacuzzi whirlpools, a mini golf course, gold driving range, and jogging track.

Although nominally owned by Amadea Shipping Co. Ltd., of Nassau in the Bahamas, ‘Amadea’ is formally owned by Amadea Shipping GmbH, of Hamburg in Germany. She is operated by Phoenix Reisen GmbH, of Bonn in Germany, and is managed by Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement Cruise Services GmbH, of Hamburg.

Designed by Naval Architect Toshio Nagao, of the Kenmochi Design Laboratory, ‘Amadea’ cost US$150 million (ZAR2.92 billion) to build, and was originally named ‘Asuka’ under the ownership of the Japanese shipping giant, Nippon Yusen Kaisha (NYK) Group. Under NYK management she became the first Japanese passenger vessel to complete a round the world voyage, before being sold to her current owners in 2006.

She is now on the homeward leg of a round the world cruise that began from Hamburg back on 21st December 2024, with a 64 port itinerary of Hamburg- Porto (Portugal)- Agadir (Morocco)- Arrecife (Canary Islands)-Mindelo (Cape Verde Islands)- Bridgetown (Barbados)- St. Vincent – Bequia (both St. Vincent)- Grenada- Bonaire- Aruba (both Dutch Antilles)- Cartagena (Colombia)- San Blas Islands- Colon (both Panama)- Panama Canal transit- Puntarenas (Costa Rica)- Nuku Hiva- Rangiroa- Papeete- Moorea- Huahine- Raiatea- Bora Bora (all French Polynesia)- Rarotonga (Cook Islands)- Tauranga- Bay of Islands 1- Auckland- Bay of Islands 2- New Plymouth- Nelson (all New Zealand)- Sydney- Newcastle- Mooloolaba- Fraser Island- Townsville- Cairns- Darwin (all Australia)- Flores- Komodo- Bali- Semarang (all Indonesia)- Singapore- Klang (Malaysia)- Pulau We (Indonesia)- Port Louis (Mauritius)- St. Denis (Reunion)- Fort Dauphin (Madagascar)- Durban (4th April 0800-1900)- Cape Town (7th April 0800 to 8th April 1800)- Lüderitz- Walvis Bay- St. Helena- Banjul (Gambia)- Dakar (Senegal)- La Palma- Tenerife- Las Palmas (all Canary Islands)- Funchal (Madeira)- Vigo- Ferrol (both Spain)- St. Malo- Rouen (both France)- Zeebrugge (Belgium)- Hamburg- Bremerhaven (Germany) where the cruise will terminate on 12th May.

The stopover of ‘Amadea’ in Cape Town got a small extension beyond the 18:00 scheduled time of departure, and after concluding her uplift of bunkers, stores, and fresh provisions, she was ready to depart. At 22:00 in the late evening of 8th April she sailed from Cape Town, now bound for her calls in Namibia, and eventual return to Germany for the European cruise season.

In June 2019 ‘Amadea’ was transiting the Kiel Canal from the Baltic Sea, back to the North Sea, when a passenger medical emergency occurred onboard the vessel. A German ADAC Air Ambulance helicopter was despatched to the vessel, and a trauma doctor was transferred to ‘Amadea’ where the passenger was stabilised for transfer. After 90 minutes he was loaded onto the Air Ambulance helicopter and flown to the nearest trauma hospital, located in Kiel, for further treatment.

In November 2021 ‘Amadea’ arrived back in Bremerhaven on the conclusion of her cruise, and underwent the standard immigration clearance procedure. It was found that a German member of the crew had an outstanding court warrant against him, for an unpaid fine linked to a driving offence. He was threatened with immediate arrest, and 30 days in jail, if he failed to pay the fine. As he was aboard the vessel, he did not have funds onboard to pay the €1,200 (ZAR26,145) fine. The German Police then drove him to the nearest bank, where he withdrew the necessary funds, and paid the outstanding fine. After which he was released back to ‘Amadea’, to rejoin as crew in time for the next sailing.

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Operation Copper extended by one year

by defenceWeb

President Cyril Ramaphosa in his capacity as Commander-in-Chief of the SA National Defence Force (SANDF) has authorised a year-long extension to a Southern African regional economic community (REC) maritime security tasking off the east African coast.

Operation Copper was started in 2011 with three Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries – Mozambique, South Africa and Tanzania – as participants in an anti-piracy tasking following hijacking of a fishing trawler in the Mozambique Channel.

South Africa’s commitment was – and remains – the major component in the form of a SA Navy (SAN) platform, Maritime Reaction Squadron (MRS) elements and (at times) a SA Air Force (SAAF) aircraft contribution.

Austerity measures, forced on all SANDF services, impacted negatively on the SA Navy’s ability to task and deploy a Valour Class frigate for long range patrol in the busy waterway. This was seemingly why an Operation Copper tasking, made public by Defence and Military Veterans Minister Angie Motshekga, for SAS Mendi (F148) for early 2025 did not happen.

Instead, SAS Amatola (F145) carried out a seven-week Operation Corona maritime security tasking off the east coast of South Africa from 6 January to 28 February.

Not being able to mount a single Operation Copper deployment in 2024 does not mean the SADC tasking is over, with a Presidential letter to National Assembly (NA) Speaker Thoko Didiza keeping the three-nation anti-piracy assignment alive.

The 2 April letter extends the ’employment’ of 200 SANDF personnel in fulfilment of ‘an international obligation’ towards the SADC Maritime Security Strategy (MSS) along the southern African coast of the Indian Ocean.

Sailors and other naval personnel, including the MRS, will continue to counter piracy and other illicit activities under SADC MSS Operation Copper for the period 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026, the letter read.

Expected expenditure is given as R61,246,360 without any breakdown of specific costs such as refuelling and port charges as well as CoE (Cost of Employees).

Defence expert Dean Wingrin said in response to the deployment that the SA Navy “may struggle,” while Timothy Walker, Maritime Project Leader and a Senior Researcher at the Institute for Security Studies, said “we’re at the stage now where exploring what possible and convincing reasons exist for this operation to continue years after the threat of piracy has gone from the Mozambique Channel is in the public and national interest.”

Due to a lack of ships, the South African Navy has struggled to undertake Operation Copper patrols in recent years. According to the most recent Department of Defence annual report, for the 2023/24 financial year, ‘the SA Air Force and the SA Navy were detrimentally impacted by the lack of maintenance contracts for prime mission equipment not being in place, resulting in the unavailability of spares, which affected the number of hours flown/hours at sea, level of force preparation and accreditation of pilots.’

The report stated that, ‘Given the lead times required to finalise maintenance and repair of specific naval platforms designated to conduct long-range maritime patrols, and given that most naval platforms were undergoing maintenance and repair, no Op Copper long-range maritime patrols were conducted during the strategic period.’

Similarly, no Operation Copper long-range patrols were conducted during the 2022/23 financial year ‘due to SA Navy prime mission equipment not being operationally available as required.’

The Department of Defence last year stated that ‘The Concept of Operations for Op Copper is being reviewed. Efforts are being undertaken to improve the situation and ensure the availability of platforms for East Coast patrols.’

For 2023/24, the SA Navy planned to spend 8,000 hours at sea but only spent 2,641 hours, a decline from the 2,770 hours spent at sea in 2022/23.

Most SA Navy vessels in commission were undergoing maintenance and repair during the 2023/24 financial year. ‘An added constraint was the unavailability of the SA Navy vessels at the Directed Level of Capability due to a lack of repair capacity at Armscor Dockyard and related procurement challenges,’ the Department of Defence annual report stated.

‘Maritime Defence continues to experience challenges with sourcing critical ship spares that are required to effect repairs on the SA Navy legacy vessels. Progress is being made to ensure the availability of combat-ready ships to meet the Joint Force Employment Requirements. With additional funding received from the National Treasury during FY2023/24 for the refit of Strategic Defence Package platforms, the Armscor Dockyard is in progress with the refit(s) of the Frigate SAS Isandlwana. The appointment of a Commercial Refit Partner/Specialist Engineering Service for the Submarine is still to be finalised and will be unpacked during the next reporting cycle,’ the report added.

Although no Operation Copper patrols were undertaken last year, for the 2023/24 financial year the Navy deployed the SAS Mendi and elements of the Maritime Reaction Squadron conducted three Operation Corona maritime coastal patrols in conjunction with the SAPS and Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment (DFFE) in the Eastern Cape, Gansbaai area, and False Bay and Saldanha area.

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

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Global shipping emissions deal reached at UN

Africa Ports & Ships

On Friday, 11 April 2025, countries finalised a historic agreement at the UN International Maritime Organization (IMO) to slash gas emissions from global shipping, targeting net-zero by 2050.

The deal, set for formal adoption in October and enforcement in 2027, mandates fuel standards and introduces a carbon pricing mechanism for large vessels over 5,000 gross tonnage, responsible for 85% of the sector’s CO2 emissions.

The framework combines a global fuel standard to reduce emissions intensity with a pricing system, penalising high emitters and rewarding low-emission ships.

Revenue from the IMO Net-Zero Fund will support developing nations, particularly small island states and least developed countries, through innovation and infrastructure investments.

IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez praised the collaborative effort, marking a pivotal step in modernizing shipping and combating climate change.

“The approval of draft amendments to MARPOL Annex VI mandating the IMO net-zero framework represents another significant step in our collective efforts to combat climate change, to modernize shipping and demonstrates that IMO delivers on its commitments,” the SG said.

The International Maritime Organization

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) is the UN specialized agency responsible for the safety and security of global shipping and the prevention of marine and atmospheric pollution by ships.

Established in 1948 and headquartered in London, it develops international treaties, such as the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) or the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL).

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Shipping industry edges closer to net-zero future with landmark IMO climate framework

Africa Ports & Ships

The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), which represents national shipowner associations worldwide, has cautiously welcomed the outcome of high-stakes climate negotiations at the International Maritime Organization (IMO), describing it as a potential turning point in the industry’s journey toward net-zero emissions.

After years of complex negotiations, the IMO’s Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC 83) last Friday (11 April 2025) reached consensus on a new package of greenhouse gas (GHG) regulations, known as the ‘IMO net-zero framework.’

If formally adopted later this year, the agreement would set the international shipping industry on course to reach net-zero emissions by or around 2050.

“Today will hopefully be remembered as a historic moment for our industry,” said ICS Secretary General Guy Platten. “If formally adopted, shipping will be the first sector to have a globally agreed carbon price — something we’ve been advocating for since COP26.”

Platten acknowledged that while the agreement is not perfect, it marks a significant step forward in global climate governance and reflects years of determined advocacy by the industry.

“Shipping is now at the forefront of efforts to decarbonise rapidly to address the climate crisis,” he said.

The agreement introduces a regulatory framework designed to create incentives for the adoption of zero-emission fuels and technologies.

Platten emphasised the importance of ensuring that the system is simple, transparent, and commercially viable to drive the investment needed from both shipowners and energy producers.

“Shipping is already investing billions in new ships and green technologies to be ready for the new fuels when they arrive,” he said.

“We hope this agreement will now provide the certainty which energy producers urgently need to de-risk their huge investment decisions.”

While ICS expressed concern that the new framework may not yet provide all the clarity or confidence required for long-term planning, the organization views it as a foundation to build upon.

“This may not be the agreement all parts of the industry would have preferred, but it’s a framework we can work with,” Platten noted.

The week-long IMO talks also saw progress on other key environmental issues, including the management of ballast water treatment systems and enhanced ship energy efficiency standards.

ICS deployed a team of technical experts to work alongside member states in shaping workable, science-based rules for the sector.

Platten underscored the vital role of the IMO in delivering international regulation: “Shipping is a truly global industry and we need global regulations. This is the only way to ensure a worldwide level playing field that drives both environmental protection and economic sustainability.”

The proposed GHG framework is expected to be adopted at the IMO’s next major meeting in October.

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Historic climate deal sets course for greener shipping industry

Africa Ports & Ships

The global shipping industry has taken a major step toward decarbonization, following a landmark agreement reached at the International Maritime Organization (IMO) in London on Friday.

After years of intense debate and negotiation, IMO member states have endorsed a framework to introduce a greenhouse gas (GHG) fuel standard that will require shipping lines to progressively reduce the carbon intensity of their fuels beginning in 2028. The agreement is expected to be finalized and formally adopted at the next IMO session in October.

The World Shipping Council (WSC), which represents the liner shipping industry, hailed the decision as a turning point for global climate policy and maritime transport.

“This is a major milestone for climate policy and a turning point for shipping,” said WSC President and CEO Joe Kramek. “Our industry has long been labelled as ‘hard to abate,’ but record industry investment and a new global measure can turn the tide.”

Kramek highlighted that nearly 1,000 ships capable of running on renewable fuels are expected to be in operation by 2030. While the shipping industry has already begun transitioning to greener alternatives, he said a global regulatory framework is essential to make renewable fuels commercially viable at scale.

The agreed measure includes a two-tier system that imposes emissions fees based on the GHG intensity of a ship’s fuel. According to the WSC, this mechanism not only penalizes high-emission fuels but also incentivizes the adoption of low- and zero-carbon alternatives such as green ammonia, bio-LNG, and methanol.

Bryan Wood-Thomas, WSC Vice-President and lead IMO representative, praised the IMO’s ability to reach consensus on what he described as “one of the most challenging issues in the history of the Organization.

“Building on the World Shipping Council’s Green Balance Mechanism, the agreement introduces a regulatory structure that can drive real change,” he said. “The production and use of cleaner fuels will bring both economic and environmental benefits that can last for generations.”

Despite the breakthrough, Wood-Thomas warned that significant work lies ahead in developing the necessary rules and guidance to support the use of alternative marine fuels across the global fleet.

Currently, maritime transport accounts for an estimated 2–3% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Although alternatives to traditional marine fuel exist, they come at a steep cost: green ammonia, for example, is nearly three times as expensive as conventional Very Low Sulfur Fuel Oil (VLSFO), according to January 2025 data from Platts.

At present, around 200 renewable-capable liner ships are in operation worldwide, with another 700 expected to be delivered by the end of the decade.

The WSC sees the new agreement as an essential foundation for transforming the industry and achieving long-term climate goals.

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Explainer: 

Africa Ports & Ships

The IMO’s recent agreement on decarbonization regulations marks a watershed moment for global shipping. After years of difficult negotiations, the UN agency has put forward a detailed plan to drive the industry toward net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2050.

Here’s what stakeholders across the maritime and logistics sectors need to know.

What’s been agreed?

At MEPC 83 in April 2025, the IMO reached consensus on a two-part regulatory package:

A global GHG fuel standard — Mandating a gradual reduction in the GHG intensity of marine fuels, starting in 2027.

A carbon pricing mechanism — Requiring vessels that exceed emissions limits to purchase remedial units, while rewarding those using zero or near-zero emission fuels.

If formally adopted at the IMO session in October, these measures will enter into force in 2027.

Who does this apply to?

The framework targets ships over 5,000 GT, which account for roughly 85% of CO₂ emissions from international shipping. This includes most container ships, tankers, and large bulk carriers.

How will the carbon pricing work?

Under the proposal:

Ships with higher emissions will need to pay for excess GHG output, introducing a cost signal to reduce fuel intensity.

Vessels operating with low or zero-emission fuels (e.g., green ammonia, methanol, hydrogen, electric-hybrid) can receive financial credits or incentives.

Revenues will flow into the newly created IMO Net-Zero Fund.

What’s the Net-Zero Fund?

This fund will:

• Support clean fuel development, port infrastructure, and innovation.
• Provide technical and financial assistance to developing countries, especially SIDS and LDCs.
• Help mitigate economic disruptions for nations heavily reliant on maritime trade.

Why does this matter for the industry?

Global consistency: The IMO framework ensures a level playing field and avoids a patchwork of regional carbon rules.

Fuel economics: With green fuels costing significantly more than conventional bunker fuel (up to 3x or more), the regulation helps close the price gap.

Investment clarity: Shipowners, charterers, and energy producers now have a clearer signal to scale up investment in alternative fuels, engine retrofits, and dual-fuel technologies.

What are the concerns?

Industry bodies such as the International Chamber of Shipping and the World Shipping Council have cautiously welcomed the agreement but noted:

Some uncertainty remains around implementation details, particularly how remedial units and reward structures will function.

The timeline for fuel availability and global infrastructure remains a major challenge.

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NATO Exercise Dynamic Mariner 25 concluded

Edited by Paul Ridgway 
Africa Ports & Ships
London

On 7 April NATO Allied Maritime Command (MARCOM) Public Affairs reported from Rota in Spain that after two weeks of intense joint operations, Exercise Dynamic Mariner 25 had reached a successful conclusion, reinforcing NATO’s maritime strength, interoperability, and rapid response capabilities.

Dynamic Mariner 25 took place from 24 March to 4 April across the Western Mediterranean and the Atlantic Ocean, closely followed by Spanish exercise FLOTEX-25.

Critical test

Hosted by Spain and led by MARCOM Dynamic Mariner 25 was a non-Article 5 crisis response exercise. It served as a critical test of NATO’s ability to operate across land, sea and air, with a focus on Anti-Submarine Warfare, Surface Warfare, Maritime Interdiction, Amphibious Operations, and Cyber Defence.

Throughout the exercise, participating forces demonstrated the agility, coordination, and tactical proficiency required to respond effectively to emerging maritime security challenges.

Spanish Navy command

As a direct result of this exercise, the Spanish Navy will now take over as the NATO Allied Reaction Force Maritime element (ARF/M) from 1 July 2025.

The ARF is an entirely new concept, which provides multi-domain forces from across the Alliance to produce effects at shorter notice than has previously been possible. Designed to enhance NATO’s flexibility and readiness, the ARF is a highly deployable and adaptable force capable of addressing a wide range of security challenges, including conventional, hybrid, and cyber threats.

At the same time, the Turkish Amphibious Task Force will assume the role of ARF Commander Amphibious Task Force (CATF) and Commander Landing Force (CLF) from 1 July this year. Experience gained in Dynamic Mariner reinforces its role in providing rapid and adaptable maritime power when called upon.

Cyber readiness

Cyber readiness featured in Dynamic Mariner for the first time, with cyber experts from NATO’s Communications and Information Agency (NCIA) and NATO’s Rapid Reaction Team (RRT) defending networks and responding to simulated cyber threats in real-time. Support was provided by NCIA experts based in the CIS Support Unit (CSU) in Northwood, (NW London), and CSU Torrejon, Spain.

The NCIA’s NATO Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) deployed five cyber security experts to practice logistical deployment and provide cyber defence during the simulated cyber-attack. Cyber experts offered their expertise and capabilities to respond to cyber security incidents and crises.

Unmanned Surface Vehicles deployed

With a focus on innovation, Allied Command Transformation and MARCOM used the vast array of ships and other assets available to advance Unmanned Surface Vehicle (USV) capabilities.

In coordination with industry, teams remotely controlled USVs, shared data with key NATO Partners, and explored future fleet integration. These tests are a crucial step towards deploying large fleets of unmanned systems, strengthening NATO’s maritime power and operational edge.

Nine Allied navies engaged

In total, this large naval exercise brought together more than 4,000 personnel, thirty warships, two submarines, amphibious units, and aircraft from nine Allied nations: Croatia, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Portugal, Spain, Türkiye and the United States.

The Spanish Navy’s newest submarine, S-81 Isaac Peral, participated in a NATO exercise for the first time.

Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 (SNMG2) and Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group 2 (SNMCMG2) also took part in the exercise – demonstrating seamless cooperation between Allies.

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Coral Sul FLNG achieves historic milestone of 100 LNG shipments

Africa Ports & Ships

The Coral Sul Floating Liquefied Natural Gas (FLNG) platform, as referred to in the next article below, and operated by Italy’s Eni, has reached a remarkable milestone in its journey of producing and exporting liquefied natural gas (LNG).

On Saturday 5 April, the platform celebrated its 100th shipment of LNG, marking a significant achievement in Mozambique’s energy sector.

Anchored in ultra-deep waters off Cabo Delgado, the Coral Sul FLNG has been exporting LNG weekly since November 2022. This milestone underscores the project’s commitment to producing and liquefying natural gas with optimal safety standards, providing a cleaner and reliable energy source to the global market.

The shipments primarily cater to Asia, showcasing Mozambique’s growing role in the global energy transition.

Nazário Bangalane, Chairman of the National Petroleum Institute (INP), highlighted the project’s success in delivering a national resource while fostering Mozambican participation in the energy chain.

He emphasized the project’s contribution to a safer, more inclusive energy transition, benefiting both Mozambique and the world.

The Coral Sul FLNG project is operated by Eni on behalf of Mozambique Rovuma Venture (MRV), a consortium comprising ExxonMobil, China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC), ENH, Galp, and South Korean company Kogas.

The platform is the first FLNG facility in Africa and operates at a water depth of over 2,000 meters, making it a technological marvel.

Additional Insights into Coral Sul FLNG:

The Coral Sul FLNG was constructed by Samsung Heavy Industries in South Korea and began operations in mid-2022.

It has a gas liquefaction capacity of approximately 3.4 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) and taps into the Coral South gas field, which holds an estimated 16 trillion cubic feet of recoverable gas.

The project represents a significant step in Mozambique’s energy journey, contributing to global energy security while leveraging local resources.

As the concessionaire and its partners explore expansion opportunities to enhance gas recovery levels in Area 4, the Coral Sul FLNG continues to symbolize Mozambique’s potential in meeting the world’s clean energy demands.

This milestone is not just a testament to technological excellence but also a beacon of hope for sustainable energy solutions.

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Italian Navy frigate Luigi Rizzo bolsters Mozambique ties with port call and new agreements

Africa Ports & Ships

On 8 April 8 2025, the Italian Navy frigate Luigi Rizzo F595 docked in Maputo for a four-day visit, marking a significant moment in Italy-Mozambique relations.

The four-day stopover, part of the EU-led EUNAVFOR Atalanta operation, precedes the frigate’s mission to safeguard commercial shipping in the Horn of Africa and Indian Ocean, areas plagued by piracy and maritime threats.

During the visit, Italy and Mozambique signed a military cooperation agreement, announced on 10 April by Italian military attaché Franco Linzalone.

This deal, coinciding with the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties, outlines joint training, capacity building, and potential expansion to other armed forces sectors.

The agreement aims to enhance Mozambique’s ability to counter maritime threats like piracy and illegal trafficking, with the Italian Navy recently thwarting two pirate attacks in the Horn of Africa region.

“This strengthens Mozambique’s operational capacity to secure its waters,” said Operation Atalanta commander Davide Da Pozzo.

While visiting Mozambique, the Luigi Rizzo conducted a joint simulation with the Mozambican Navy, showcasing maritime interdiction techniques crucial for protecting trade routes and local fishermen.

Off the water, the crew engaged in community activities, including rugby matches with Mozambican youth, fostering goodwill.

Italy’s ambassador, Gabriele Annis, reaffirmed Italy’s support for Mozambique’s reforms under Daniel Chapo’s government and its role in the national peace process via the Sant’Egidio Community, which mediated the Rome Accords ending Mozambique’s civil war.

The visit also spotlighted a major Italian investment: Eni’s Coral Norte project, a $7.56 billion offshore venture approved by Mozambique’s government.

A similar Italian investment, the Coral Sul (Coral South) project is well underway and recently saw the 100th successful shipment of LNG from the FLNG a anchor off northern Mozambique. See our report above for details.

Annis hailed these as a vote of confidence in Mozambique’s economy, predicting significant revenue growth and industrial development.

The Luigi Rizzo’s visit to Maputo underscores a deepening partnership, blending security cooperation, economic investment, and cultural exchange to address shared challenges and opportunities.

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Trump thinks tariffs can bring back the glory days of US manufacturing. Here’s why he’s wrong

Africa Ports & Ships

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SAMSA launches nationwide fishing vessel safety audit

Africa Ports & Ships

The South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) has commenced a comprehensive Fishing Vessel Safety Audit to ensure compliance with safety regulations in the country’s commercial fishing sector.

This initiative follows tragic maritime incidents in 2024, which claimed the lives of 18 fishers as  was reported here in Africa Ports & Ships.

Mandated by Minister of Transport Barbara Creecy, the audit spans four months and covers major fishing ports nationwide.

Inspections began at the Port of Port Elizabeth (Gqeberha) from 3 to 7 March 2025, with SAMSA officials engaging vessel owners, crew, and industry representatives to assess compliance and emergency preparedness.

At the launch event in Gqeberha on 5 March 2025, attended by key SAMSA leaders, Acting CEO Mbalenhle Golding emphasised the importance of the initiative, saying it underscores SAMSA’s commitment to saving lives, protecting property, and preserving the marine environment.

Fishing vessel operators are urged to cooperate with audit teams as SAMSA continues its work to enhance safety standards and prevent future maritime tragedies.

Fishing Vessel Safety Initiative goals

The Fishing Vessel Safety Initiative launched by SAMSA aims to achieve several key objectives:

• Ensuring Compliance: Assessing whether South Africa’s commercial fishing vessels meet safety regulations.
• Improving Emergency Preparedness: Evaluating readiness to respond effectively to maritime emergencies.
• Identifying Risks: Spotting potential safety hazards to prevent accidents.
• Enhancing Safety Standards: Shaping a robust Fishing Vessel Safety Improvement Plan for the industry.
• Reducing Maritime Accidents: Taking proactive measures to prevent future tragedies.

SAMSA has emphasised collaboration between vessel operators, crews, and stakeholders to create a safer and more resilient fishing sector.

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Folk Maritime expands regional operations with acquisition of M/V Folk Jazan

Africa Ports & Ships

Folk Maritime Services, a Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) company, has strengthened its presence in the Red Sea with the acquisition of its second owned vessel, M/V Folk Jazan (IMO 9339856).

The ship, now registered at Jeddah Islamic Port, has been deployed across routes in the Red Sea and Arabian Gulf as part of the company’s expanding regional operations.

The 2015-TEU capacity vessel, built in 2008 by Zhejiang Shipbuilding Co., enhances Folk Maritime’s ability to provide reliable feeder and liner services and supports Saudi Arabia’s ambition to become a global logistics hub under Vision 2030.

“This is a pivotal step in our growth,” said CEO Poul Hestbaek. “Folk Jazan boosts our capacity, operational flexibility, and commitment to advancing Saudi Arabia’s maritime infrastructure.”

Folk Maritime launched operations in April 2024 and is quickly building a fleet of Saudi-flagged container vessels, following the acquisition of Folk Jeddah (IMO 9939888) last September.

With a fleet now totaling six ships, the company is focused on reinforcing regional maritime connectivity and accelerating trade across the Red Sea and Arabian Gulf corridors.

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WTO – A pillar of security and predictability

Edited by Paul Ridgway 
Africa Ports & Ships
London

Speaking at the Global Outlook: Navigating Trade & Investment Trends in 2025 conference co-hosted by the World Trade Centers Association and the Washington International Trade Association (WITA) on 8 April in Marseille, WTO Deputy Director-General Angela Ellard emphasized the enduring value of the multilateral trading system.

She also urged business and governments to use the WTO platform to navigate today’s turbulent economic landscape.

Addressing an audience of trade and investment professionals, DDG Ellard underscored the WTO’s importance in providing security and predictability for businesses worldwide.

She noted: ‘The WTO has helped reduce the share of people living in extreme poverty from 40% in 1995 to under 11% in 2022.’

Beyond tariffs

Ellard highlighted that the WTO’s work extends well beyond tariffs. From streamlining customs procedures and promoting digital trade to enforcing intellectual property rights and ensuring food safety rules are based on science, the WTO provides a framework that underpins cross-border commerce for its 166 members.

She cautioned, however, that the system is under strain. The WTO Secretariat’s preliminary analysis suggests that recent tariff measures by the United States and others could lead to a contraction of global merchandise trade volumes of around 1% this year — a significant downward revision of nearly four percentage points from earlier projections.

Worth preserving

At the same time, she stressed that the WTO remains relevant, noting that despite new trade measures, 74% of global trade still flows under WTO Most-Favoured-Nation (MFN) terms. She emphasized that this demonstrates the multilateral system continues to function effectively and is worth preserving.

The DDG called for a level-headed approach, underscoring the need for calm and cooperation in today’s turbulent environment. She urged members to use WTO tools, including its committees and the dispute settlement system, for addressing trade concerns.

Calling on businesses to advocate for the rules-based system she added: “There is an opportunity for dialogue and cooperation to work through issues, including at the WTO.”

About WTO

The World Trade Organization (WTO) deals with the global rules of trade between nations. Its main function is to ensure that trade flows as smoothly, predictably and freely as possible.

WTO is the only global international organization dealing with the rules of trade between nations. At its heart are the WTO agreements, negotiated and signed by the bulk of the world’s trading nations and ratified in their parliaments. The goal is to ensure that trade flows as smoothly, predictably and freely as possible.

Thirty years expanding trade

The Marrakesh Agreement establishing the World Trade Organization was signed by 123 countries on 15 April 1994, leading to the birth of the WTO (formerly GATT) on 1 January 1995.

Over the past 30 years, the WTO has helped to bring about a major expansion in global trade, with the objective of raising living standards, increasing employment and promoting sustainable development.

For more see here.

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Transnet unveils R60 million upgrade to East London port, boosting automotive hub status

Africa Ports & Ships

The Port of East London is poised for a major transformation following the completion of a R60 million upgrade to its automotive terminal berth, courtesy of Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA).

The project, which deepened and reinforced the berth, promises to enhance efficiency, expand capacity, and significantly increase the port’s ability to handle automotive exports.

The upgrade has standardized the depth of all berths along the West Quay to -10.5 metres (Chart Datum) across a total length of 550 metres. This improvement eliminates previous inconsistencies and doubles the port’s design capacity to 790,000 automotive units annually.

Transnet says the revamped infrastructure now allows two of the world’s largest pure car carriers — vessels exceeding 200 metres in length — to dock simultaneously, a game-changer for the facility.

The investment cements the Port of East London’s role as a vital cog in South Africa’s automotive industry. In 2024 the port processed 78,279 motor units, underscoring its importance as a gateway for vehicle exports.

The project aligns with TNPA’s broader Capital Investment Programme, which aims to modernise infrastructure and sharpen the competitiveness of South Africa’s port operations.

Speaking at the berth’s commissioning ceremony, Acting TNPA Chief Executive Phyllis Difeto hailed the upgrade as a milestone.

“The commissioning of this automotive terminal berth unlocks the port’s potential as a critical link in the transport network, ready to meet global shipping demands,” she said.

“It’s an opportunity for increased investment and positions East London to serve the global economy effectively.”

The project, which took 15 months to complete, also delivered an economic boost to the region, creating around 50 direct and indirect jobs in construction, supply chains, and security services.

It supports Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) like Mercedes Benz in East London and BMW in Pretoria by improving access to efficient transport networks—key to sustaining the automotive sector’s growth.

U.S. tariffs

However, the timing of the upgrade raises questions about its long-term impact. The recent decision by the United States to impose a 25% tariff on all motor vehicle imports has cast uncertainty over Transnet’s plans to ramp up exports through the Eastern Cape.

With the U.S. market historically a major destination for vehicles assembled at plants like Mercedes Benz and BMW, the tariff could prompt a rethink of export strategies.

Until now, these assembly plants have relied heavily on U.S. demand, and the deepened N-Berth was partly designed to support that trade.

Transnet’s leadership will need to navigate this new reality, potentially pivoting to alternative markets or doubling down on regional exports to maximize the port’s enhanced capacity.

Still, the upgrade reflects Transnet’s commitment to aligning its operations with South Africa’s strategic economic sectors. By delivering infrastructure tailored to industry needs, the port is better equipped to drive economic growth in the region and beyond, even as global trade dynamics shift.

Added 9 April 2025

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WHARF TALK: expeditionary cruise ship – HEBBRIDEAN SKY

Pictures by ‘Dockrat’ 
Story by Jay Gates

With the current procession of the megaliners heading north to Europe at the end of their winter cruise seasons, as well as the traditionally large cruise liners passing through on their world tours, one tends to forget the other end of the market that is also attracted to South African shores, also at this time of year.

This is especially so as it is now at the end of the season of exploration. Whether it be the expeditionary cruises to Antarctica, or to the out of the way spots in out of the way places, there are specialist passenger vessels that have been designed for exactly that market. One tends to forget that not everybody wants a simple cruise with lying out on deck in continuous warm weather, a pool to dip in, a stable platform, and all to be shared with 3,000 other folk.

There are plenty of travelers out there who want the complete opposite, and are more than happy to pay for the privilege of it. That said, the casual maritime observer only gets to see such expeditionary cruise liners, either at the start of the Antarctic cruise season, in the Austral Spring, as they position southwards, or at the end of the expeditionary season when returning from Antarctica, or from the remote places in the Indian Ocean, and like the big boys, heading back north to start the expeditionary cruise season in the Arctic, and other remote spots.

On 30th March, at 09:00 in the morning, the expeditionary cruise vessel ‘Hebridean Sky’ IMO 8802882) arrived off Cape Town, from Port Elizabeth, which indicated she was not a returning Antarctic expedition vessel, but rather an Indian Ocean expedition vessel. She entered Cape Town harbour, and proceeded into the Duncan Dock, but due to two other passenger cruise vessels arriving at the same time, including another expedition vessel, she was not directed to the Passenger Cruise Terminal at E berth, but instead to the outer berth of the Eastern Mole.

One has to question the lack of joined up thinking that Transnet berthing planners in Cape Town have. On arrival, ‘Hebridean Sky’ joined another special visitor that has also been sent to the remote Eastern Mole, but from a berth that she had been occupying in the V&A. This other special vessel was the tall ship ‘Oosterschelde’, which had arrived on the Charles Darwin reenactment world cruise, and had been berthed at Jetty No.2 in the V&A.

She was then removed to the Eastern Mole, a day later, to make way for the other expeditionary cruise vessel, ‘Le Bougainville’, that has arrived at the same time as ‘Hebridean Sky’. Once that vessel sailed the next day from the V&A, ‘Oosterschelde’ was sent back to Jetty No.2. One might ask why? Especially if ‘Hebridean Sky’ was not given the same treatment. And why move another special visitor, just to make way for another lesser one, just for one day?

As for the subject of this article, ‘Hebridean Sky’ was built back in 1991 by the Nuovi Cantieri Apuania SpA shipyard at Marina di Carrara in Italy. She is 91 metres in length and has a gross registered tonnage of 4,200 tons. She is powered by two MAN-B&W Holeby 8L28/32AF main engines producing 2,400 bhp (1,760 kW) each, and driving a pair of MAN Alpha controllable pitch propellers for a service speed of 14.5 knots.

Her auxiliary machinery includes two MAN-B&W 5L28/32A generators producing 1,000 kW each, and a single emergency generator producing 240 kW. She has a single Alfa Laval Aalborg CHO composite boiler, and for additional manoeuvrability she has a single bow Brunvoll FP transverse thruster producing 364 kW.

For her expeditionary requirements ‘Hebridean Sky’ has an ice classification of ICE 1C, which allows her to navigate in first year Baltic Sea ice with a thickness of 0.4 metres.

She has seven decks, of which five are for passenger use, and has a total of just 59 cabins, all of which are outside cabins, and of which 14 of them have balconies. Her five passenger decks invoke her expeditionary spirit, as they all are named after golden age Antarctic explorers. From top to bottom, and in alphabetical order, they are named Shackleton, Scott, Mawson, Byrd, and Amundsen, and ‘Hebridean Sky’ can carry a maximum of just 120 passengers, who are looked after by a crew of 72.

As a small expeditionary cruise vessel, she does not have a great deal of facilities, but includes one of everything, with a restaurant, a lounge, a bar lounge, café, library, beauty salon, gymnasium, and a Jacuzzi whirlpool. For real swimming, she has a platform at her stern for ocean dips, and which is also used to launch and retrieve her fleet of Zodiac boats, which are used to ferry her passengers ashore at the remote locations that she visits. For added passenger comfort at sea ‘Hebridean Sky’ is fitted with twin Rolls-Royce stabiliser fins.

She was the third of a series of four sisterships, all built for the now defunct Renaissance Cruises, and all given the same, simple, Renaissance name followed by a Roman numeral, with ‘Hebridean Sky’ being launched as ‘Renaissance VII’, the seventh addition to the Renaissance Cruises fleet. Since then she has been renamed a number of times, this being her eighth name.

Nominally owned by Hebridean Sky Shipping Incorporated, of Nassau in the Bahamas, ‘Hebridean Sky’ is operated by Noble Caledonia Cruises Ltd., of London in the United Kingdom. She is managed by Salén Ship Management AB, of Gothenburg in Sweden, and carries the famous Salén logo on her funnel. There will be some casual maritime observers who well remember the beautiful white Salén reefers calling at South African ports during the fruit export season.

She, and all of her sisterships, still sail on expeditionary cruise routes, despite them all being over thirty years of age, with one of the four sisterships also owned by the current same owner, namely ‘Island Sky’ (ex Renaissance VIII), which was a visitor to South African ports in early April 2023, when she called into Cape Town from Tristan da Cunha, en route back from Antarctica, and then sailed up the South African coast, calling at all the coastal ports of Mossel Bay, Port Elizabeth, East London, Durban, and Richards Bay, on a positioning cruise back to Europe, but via East Africa and the Suez Canal, in the normal shipping era before the Houthi menace began.

Her current voyage, culminating in her call at Cape Town, had begun from a cruise around the Indian coast, before heading across to the Seychelles, and Madagascar, before arriving at Richards Bay on 23rd March. She sailed from Richards Bay on 25th March for Durban, where she spent 27th March, before heading to Port Elizabeth for a day stop on 28th March, before her call at the Mother City on 30th March.

Her stay in Cape Town included two nights, allowing her passengers plenty of time to enjoy the delights of the city, the Cape Peninsula, and the Cape Winelands, and for her fly/cruise passengers to complete their changeover. On 1st April, at 15:00 in the afternoon, ‘Hebridean Sky’ sailed from Cape Town, now bound for Lüderitz in Namibia.

Her departure from Cape Town was the start of her positioning voyage back to Europe with the itinerary of Cape Town- Lüderitz- Walvis Bay- São Tiago- São Vicente (both Cape Verde Islands)- La Palma- El Hierro- Tenerife (all Canary Islands)- Essaouira- Casablanca (both Morocco)- Gibraltar, where the cruise will terminate on 28th April. She then conducts a short set of Mediterranean cruises until early June, before heading to the UK and Northern Europe for the remainder of the summer cruise season.

Both of the Noble Caledonia Cruises sisterships will return to South African shores in the next year or two, with ‘Island Sky’ due back in late October 2025 cruising from West Africa, via all South African ports, en route to the Seychelles, and ‘Hebridean Sky’ will return to South African shores in late December 2026, also cruising from West Africa towards the Indian Ocean. These visits will please those casual maritime observers who prefer the beauty of the small expeditionary cruise vessel over the sometimes vulgar, and vast, block of flats appearance of some of the modern megaliners.

Added 9 April 2025

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Transnet seeks partner for new rail leasing venture to boost South Africa’s freight Network

Africa Ports & Ships

Transnet, South Africa’s state-owned freight transport company, has taken a significant step toward reforming the country’s rail system by launching a search for a private sector partner to establish a new rolling stock leasing company, dubbed “LeaseCo.”

The company announced the move with the release of a Request for Qualification (RFQ), marking the beginning of a competitive selection process.

LeaseCo is set to play a pivotal role in revitalizing South Africa’s rail network by acquiring, managing, and leasing locomotives and wagons to rail operators in both domestic and regional markets.

The initiative is a cornerstone of Transnet’s broader rail reform program, which aims to boost the efficiency and competitiveness of the nation’s freight system.

At the heart of these reforms is a plan to separate rail infrastructure management from train operations—a move designed to create a level playing field for public and private operators alike.

By partnering with the private sector, Transnet hopes to attract fresh investment, diversify its revenue streams, and leverage its existing assets and technical expertise to drive growth.

The creation of LeaseCo is expected to address a critical need: ensuring that train operating companies have reliable access to rolling stock. This, in turn, is seen as key to unlocking the rail network’s potential to support economic development and strengthen supply chains across the region.

Interested parties have until 4 July 2025, to submit their RFQ applications. Those who make the shortlist will advance to the Request for Proposal (RFP) phase, slated to begin in August 2025.

With this timeline in place, Transnet is signaling its commitment to fast-tracking the partnership and getting LeaseCo off the ground.

The move comes as part of a broader push to modernise South Africa’s freight transport system, which has long been hampered by inefficiencies.

If successful, LeaseCo could pave the way for a more dynamic and competitive rail industry, benefiting businesses and the economy at large.

How to apply?

The RFQ documents can be accessed from the Transnet e-tender portal.

Added 9 April 2025

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