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Join us as we report through 2021

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TODAY’S BULLETIN OF MARITIME NEWS

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

Click on headline to go direct to story : use the BACK key to return  

FIRST VIEW:  BAHRI ABHA

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

The Monday masthead shows the Port Elizabeth Container & Car Terminals
The Tuesday masthead shows the Port of Walvis Bay
The Wednesday masthead shows the Port of Ngqura
The Thursday masthead shows the Port of Ngqura Container Terminal
The Friday masthead shows the Port of Mombasa
The Saturday masthead shows the Port of Apapa (Nigeria)
The Sunday masthead shows the Port of East London

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FIRST VIEW:  BAHRI ABHA

The Saudi Ro-Ro vessel BAHRI ABHA (IMO 9620944) is another of the attractive Saudi-owned, UAE-managed ro-ro vessels operating what appears to be a round the world  service (confirmation required to Ports & Ships).

Bahri Abha arrived in Durban on 9 September after spending two days at the outer anchorage, arriving from Ennore in India, and before that from Singapore and Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam.

She is one of a small fleet of six similar ships, of which Durban has now seen most, theie names of the other five being Bahri Yanbu, Bahri Jazan, Bahri Tabuk, Bahri Jeddah and Bahri Hofuf.

From Durban Bahri Abha is sailing to Brazil and on Sunday evening 12 September had just rounded the Cape.  She is due in the port of Salvador on 21 September.

The ship has a length of 225 metres, beam 32m and a gross weight of 50,714 tons (25,957-dwt)

Added 12 September 2021

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

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MSC container ship MSC Katrina in difficulty off Cape South Coast

The neo-Panamax container ship MSC KATRINA (IMO 9467445) lost engine power off the Cape south coast last week Thursday 9 September.

MSC Katrina was sailing from West Africa to the Far East with her next port of call being Colombo, where she was due on 16 September. The ship called at Ngqura en-route to Lomé in Togo, West Africa. Ngqura is the only scheduled South African port of call on the Africa Express service.

The AMSOL-operated salvage standby tug SA AMANDLA arrived from Cape Town and took the 366-metre long, 48m wide ship in tow on a heading for Durban.

Unconfirmed reports suggested a fire on board, possibly also an explosion, resulting in the 140,096-gt ship to lose power and issue a call for assistance. What is confirmed is the vessel is now under tow behind SA Amandla, destination Durban where the tug and tow are expected on Wednesday 15th or Thursday 16 September.

MSC Katrina, which was built in 2012, has a container capacity of 12,400 TEU.

The ship departed Tema in Ghana on 30 August, following her call at Lomé.

If there was a fire on board MSC Katrina, it was not for the first time. On 23 November 2015 while off the German coast in the North Sea the ship experienced a fire in containers carrying charcoal. While any fire on board a ship s serious, the crew did their best to contain the fire until joined by several firefighting teams from Cuxhaven and together they were able to extinguish the fire. The ship, otherwise undamaged, was then able to proceed to Hamburg where the damaged containers were unloaded.

Given that the ship’s cargo will probably have to be disembarked in Durban for onward carriage by another MSC vessel, and that some cargo may have received damage, there is a possibility that questions of salvage and General Average may arise. Another issue concerns any sensitive or refrigerated cargoes on board.

Added 12 September 2021

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WHARF TALK: One of an own-fleet of good looking, multi-purpose vessels – RED CEDAR

Story by Jay Gates
Pictures by ‘Dockrat’

With so many shipping companies coming and going, being absorbed or amalgamated, it is always refreshing to see a company running a Southern African service uninterrupted, over a period of 42 years, maintaining its own identity throughout, and using its own fleet of good looking, multi-purpose, vessels to conduct their schedules.

On 7th September at 09h00 the multi-purpose cargo ship RED CEDAR (IMO 9231092) arrived from Walvis Bay in Namibia, and proceeded directly into Cape Town harbour and went alongside G berth in the Duncan Dock to begin her cargo discharge.

Built in 2001 by Xiamen Shipbuilding at Xiamen in China as one of two sisterships, Red Cedar is 193 metres in length and has a deadweight of 30,538 tons. She is powered by a single Hudong MAN-B&W 7S60MC-C 7 cylinder 2 stroke main engine producing 21,467 bhp (16,003 kW), to drive a fixed pitch propeller for a service speed of 19 knots.

Her auxiliary machinery comprises two MAN-B&W 6L23/30H generating sets, providing 975 kW each, and one MAN-B&W 7L23/30H generating set, providing 1,135 kW. Her emergency generator provides 170 kW. She has a single Alfa Laval CHR exhaust gas boiler, and a single Alfa Laval CHO oil fired boiler.

Owned Vineta Schiffahrts Beteiligungs GmbH of Hamburg, Red Cedar is operated by Maritime Carrier Shipping GmbH, also of Hamburg, and better known to shipping observers as MACS. She is managed by Vineta Bereederungs GmbH of Hamburg, where Vineta GmbH is the holding company for MACS.

Operated on the MACS (Europe-Africa) service, Red Cedar has a container carrying capacity of 1,829 TEU, and plugs for 150 reefers. Despite her TEU capability, she is a true multi-purpose vessel and, like all her MACS fleet mates, she runs a container service, breakbulk service and a dry bulk service, all at the same time. MACS vessels can be seen in Southern African ports working all three cargo types, at the same time, using their own ship’s cranes.

After completing a quick 24 hour turnaround, Red Cedar sailed from Cape Town on 8th September at 09h00, bound for Maputo. Her route northbound on this rotation, onwards from Maputo, is Durban – Richards Bay – Cape Town – Walvis Bay – Vigo – Rotterdam – Antwerp. Other continental ports served, normally on her southbound rotation, are Hamburg and Bilbao.

On 11th January 2011, whilst en-route from Hamburg to Antwerp, on her normal Europe-SA service, Red Cedar was off the Dutch island of Texel and, battling through a Northwesterly gale, when she lost fifteen containers overboard. She altered course, in order to secure the remaining deck containers, and then continued on her voyage. As she approached Ijmuiden, a further three containers were lost overboard in the continuing rough weather.

The containers that were lost contained grain in bulk, engine parts, plastic goods and cardboard packaging material. Thankfully, none contained dangerous, or hazardous, goods. She arrived safely in Antwerp the following evening. Helicopters and a Dutch Coast Guard vessel were utilised to spot the now floating and drifting containers. They all eventually sank as they drifted towards the Dutch island of Vlieland.

Added 12 September 2021 

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ASYCUDA at 40: Keeping international trade flowing

In a news item last week UNCTAD reported that the ASYCUDA programme has assisted 126* countries and territories over the past 40 years to improve their import and export processes as well as supporting Covid-19 responses.

*  Including 37 in Africa

UNCTAD’s largest technical assistance programme, ASYCUDA (the Automated System for Customs Data), is marking 40 years of helping Customs offices around the world accelerate the clearance of goods and increase the pace of trade.

ASYCUDA’s 2020 annual report released on 8 September outlines how the programme adapted its flagship software, ASYCUDAWorld, to help countries using it hasten the import of essential medicines and goods as they tackle the Covid-19 pandemic.

UNCTAD’s director of technology and logistics, Shamika N Sirimanne, commented: “Amid the pandemic, ASYCUDA has demonstrated flexibility and innovation, providing excellent value to user countries.”

Widespread use of ASYCUDA’s software

ASYCUDA has assisted 126 countries and territories over the past 40 years to improve their import and export processes. Its software is currently being used in 100 countries, including 39 least developed countries, 34 small island developing states and 21 landlocked developing countries.

Ms. Sirimanne added: “We are proud of the achievements of ASYCUDA and the role it plays in facilitating trade to enable less advanced countries to prosper, thrive and improve the livelihoods of their citizens – ultimately accelerating progress towards the UN Sustainable Development Goals.”

Tailored solutions during pandemic

The annual report details how ASYCUDA has worked with countries to better understand and meet their needs. During the pandemic, it has enabled countries to reduce physical contact and found ways to support them remotely.

This results-driven programme has also trained Customs and government agencies on maximising the software’s potential, enabling countries to generate the data needed for risk-based decision-making.

Despite the unforeseen impact of the pandemic, ASYCUDA succeeded in increasing its capabilities as well as reacting to its user countries’ rapidly evolving needs.

Despite multiple challenges, 2020 saw an increase in demand from UNCTAD’s membership for ASYCUDA’s assistance, further demonstrating the relevance of the programme and its mandate.

Sanitary and Phytosanitary applications

The programme rolled out the new ASYCUDA Sanitary and Phytosanitary module to help Vanuatu biosecurity authorities automate the process of applying, approving and paying for sanitary and phytosanitary certificates – speeding up Customs clearance while protecting the country’s food, animal and plant health.

Endangered species watch

Jointly with the Secretariat of the Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), the programme piloted, in Sri Lanka, a cloud-based electronic permit system that automates permit application, processing, issuance and reporting for the international trade of endangered species. It issued 650 such permits in Sri Lanka in 2020.

Smoothness with humanitarian relief

The programme has also been working with the UN Office for the Coordination of Human Affairs (OCHA) on the Automated System for Relief Consignments module, designed to provide for coordinated, efficient and facilitated imports of humanitarian relief.

As countries prepare for UNCTAD’s 15th quadrennial conference set to take place online from 3 to 7 October under the theme: From inequality and vulnerability to prosperity for all, ASYCUDA remains more relevant than ever.

It continues to strengthen the support it delivers to countries, enabling them to enhance their economies and better serve their populations.

 

 

 

Reported by Paul Ridgway
London
based on material kindly provided by UNCTAD Media Service

Added 12 September 2021 

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Zambia seizes 200 trucks from Tanzania – report

In another crackdown on suspected illegal logging, Zambian authorities are reported to have seized over 200 trucks on suspicion of transporting illegal forest logs.

Reports say the Tanzanian Government says it has no knowledge of trucks from the DRC being detained in Zambia but will look into the matter.

If correct this is not the first time there has been a crackdown by Zambia on trucks passing through its territory en-route to a port in either Tanzania or to Walvis Bay.

However, Tanzanian truck owners remain adamant that their vehicles have been stopped en-route to Dar es Salaam.

The trucks commence their journey in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and export their cargo, mainly to countries such as China or Vietnam where the wood is used for furniture making, but have to travel through Zambia and sometimes Zimbabwe depending on which port is being used.

Zambia shares border crossings with both Tanzania and Namibia.

According to Tanzania Medium and Small Truck Owners Association (TMSTOA) chairman, Chuki Shaban, the truck drivers were stopped and detained despite having documents showing they had come directly from the DRC and were in transit to Dar es Salaam.

He said the documents carried by the drivers substantiated the origin of the logs and their destination in Tanzania.

It is believed that Zambia carries out such inspections that lead to detentions because of the smuggling of cut logs from Zambia’s own forests.

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Scanners to be deployed at Nigeria’s at Apapa, Tin Can and Onne ports

Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) says it will shortly deploy three scanners at the two Lagos and Onne port in order to assist with improving cargo handling.

The Lagos ports of Apapa and Tin Can Island have long suffered with port congestion while Onne has also need of the scanning facility to speed up the handling of cargo evacuation.

The news of the scanners is not new, having been first announced in January this year but for one reason or another the intention has not become reality. Meanwhile, the Customs officials have continued with a cumbersome 100 per cent cargo examination, according to reports.

An additional four scanners were to be acquired by the Central Bank of Nigeria in an additional effort of boosting trade facilitation.

The Zonal Coordinator of Customs, Zone A, Mrs Modupe Aremu announced the news of the scanners during a tour of inspection of several of the customs centres in the Western Zone. She said that with the coming on-board of the e-Customs network, some 135 modern scanners will enhance border security while improving trade facilitation across the various seaports, airports and land borders.

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Shipborne SeaQ Energy Storage System in platform supply vessels

Simon Møkster Shipping accord with Vard Electro

On 9 September from Ålesund, Norway, Vard Electro announced the signing of two new contracts with Simon Møkster Shipping. The vessels Stril Orion and Stril Polar are scheduled to be hybrid ready by the end of 2021 and the beginning of 2022, qualifying them for DNV’s Battery Power notation, it was reported.

Simon Møkster Shipping has ordered SeaQ Energy Storage System from the technology company Vard Electro, enhancing the company’s efficiency and environmental performance. Vard Electro is continuously developing new solutions to increase energy efficiency and has since 2016 installed their SeaQ battery technology on board vessels all around the world.

In the words of Tom Karlsen, Chief Technology Officer at Simon Møkster Shipping: “We are glad to be partnering up with Vard Electro for a second time. With a goal to further increase our fleet’s fuel efficiency and to become more environmentally friendly, Vard Electro and their SeaQ technology was a natural choice for us.”

Vard Electro will be using their experience as system integrators and deliver a retrofit, deckhouse energy storage system, for hybrid battery power on board the two platform supply vessels. The company will be responsible for the entire project which includes engineering, steel prefabrication, installation, integration, testing, and commissioning. Planning and installation will be carried out in close collaboration with Simon Møkster Shipping to ensure minimum off-hire days.

Johan Stavik, Sales Manager at Vard Electro added: “We are excited to once again have been chosen to deliver our SeaQ Energy Storage System on board two of Simon Møkster Shipping’s platform supply vessels.”

Green technology increases fleet sustainability

SeaQ Energy Storage System (ESS) enable the vessels to use excess energy in all operating conditions, as well as simplifying the use of shore power. This can substantially reduce consumption and emissions in addition to reducing the vessels’ maintenance requirement without compromising operational performance.

Based on unique hybrid technology the main purpose of the SeaQ ESS system is to reduce emissions, fuel consumption and increase safety. The SeaQ ESS stores excess energy available in the vessels to use it later to reduce fuel consumption and optimise vessel performance. It makes it easier to operate with fewer engines online, and the engines online can operate at a more optimal load. Safety is increased due to the batteries’ ability to supply immediate energy in critical situations, it has been reported.

Control and monitoring of the hybrid system is handled by the SeaQ EMS and the SeaQ PMS, communicating with existing control systems onboard. SeaQ ESS includes modes for peak shaving, spinning reserve and zero emission transit. By using the batteries to absorb and dispense energy through load fluctuations and running the engines at optimal load, significant efficiency improvements in fuel consumption and emission can be achieved, it has been claimed.

For more information readers are invited to see here:
www.mokster.no/
www.vard.com
www.vard.com/location/norway/vard-electro-as

 

 

 

Reported by Paul Ridgway
London

Added 12 September 2021

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Namport explains report of container collapse in harbour

The following report from the Namibian Ports Authority (Namport) refers to a Namibian newspaper article Namib Times titled ‘Container collapses under sheer weight of rosewood’ which appeared on 3 September.

Namport says it wants to correct the information in the article, especially in regard to Namport’s commitment to adhere to all safety, environmental and health regulations.

Background:

“On 29 July 2021, the M/V NORTHERN JUPITER (IMO 9466984) experienced a container stack collapse while at anchorage in Cape Town, South Africa. At the time, Cape Town’s terminal experienced severe congestion, following the cyber-attack on Transnet terminal systems. The impact of the cyber-attacks meant the vessel could only be berthed at the Cape Town Terminal on the 5th of August 2021 to undergo emergency operations to stabilise the vessel. This was not ideal considering the potential risk posed to the vessel and crew members.

“With no congestion issues at the Port of Walvis Bay, a decision was taken by the carrier responsible for the vessel to sail to Walvis Bay and conduct the stabilisation operation of the vessel at Namport.

“Investigations carried out on the load indicated that the collapsed stacks may have been caused by cargo not securely lashed in the containers, in this case timber logs loaded in the Port of Douala and Port Pointe Noire.”

Operation carried out at the Port of Walvis Bay:

“To ensure safety of the vessel, its crew and stevedores, it was decided to discharge all containers containing timber in order to conduct landside inspections to confirm the packing process and container weights before securely reloading the cargo to its final destination in Asia.

It is important to stress that this cargo did not come through Namibia and none of the containers left the Port of Walvis Bay; thus, it was treated as pure transshipments under the supervision of all relevant authorities. This operation is still ongoing.”

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CMA CGM freezes spot freight rate increases until end January 2022

French shipping giant CMA CGM has decided to stop all spot rate increases until end January 2022, in a move which it says is “prioritising long-term relationships with customers in the face of an unprecedented situation in the shipping industry.”

This follows unprecedented spot freight rate increases that since the start of 2021 have continued to rise because of port congestion and an imbalance between demand and “maritime container transport effective capacity.”

CMA CGM says that although these market-driven rate increases are expected to continue in the coming months, the Group has decided to put any further increases in spot freight rates on hold for all services operated under its brands (CMA CGM, CNC, Containerships, Mercosul, ANL, APL).

This took effect from 9 September 2021.

In a recent newsletter, Alphaliner points out that the demand for container vessels is far greater than the supply of ships. It says that in some cases, this has resulted in rates upwards of USD 200,000 a day for short-term contracts

“The market is still very much two-tier, with short employment being negotiated at stratospheric figures, up to USD 200,000 per day for some ships, while the more conventional 24 month and 36 month charters are commanding significantly lower, albeit historically high, rates.”

Alphaliner quotes daily charter rates of USD 135,000 per day (7 September) for vessels with a capacity of 8,500 TEU and that carriers should not expect a drop in the charter levels in the near future.

So what does CMA CGM’s decision to halt rate increases really mean?

The cynics among us are suggesting this is just another PR exercise, with capped rates already at record highs and in any case, having customers on long term contract that ensures near-full capacity on most sailings and not much to lose by applying capped rates to the available balance.

In fact there’s everything to gain, by filling that limited available capacity at already record high rates.

It is pointed out that CMA CGM capacity is already almost full during the period when rates remain capped. One analyst described it to American Shipper as “It could be like a gas station after Hurricane Ida telling people it’s not going to increase gas prices when it only has 8 gallons left in its tank.”

Another advantage for the lines is that capping rates, even for a short period, may assist in drawing away attention at a time when regulatory attention toward container lines continues to escalate, particularly in the United States. – trh

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Montfort Group acquires Matola oil tanking terminal

The Montfort Group, which recently acquired Kencor Petroleum Limited (Kencor), an oil marketing company based in Nairobi, Kenya, has also completed the acquisition of Matola Terminal de Armazenamento de Petróleos SA, a company that owns and operates an oil tanking storage terminal in the port of Matola, Mozambique.

Global commodity trading company Montfort Group is a newly formed group of companies with a diverse portfolio of commodity related businesses, run by a management with decades of experience in commodity trade.

According to Montfort the acquisition falls in line with the company’s strategic expansion plans in the African continent.

Montfort will operate the Matola terminal, which has over 58,000m3 of clean product storage capacity, in close partnership with Energi Asia.

Utilising the terminals’ state of the art latest technologies, Montfort indicates it will be able to trade its petroleum products across Mozambique and five neighbouring countries.

The Matola terminal is strategically situated for achieving these objectives, having excellent infrastructural capabilities, safety procedures, equipment and systems and a strategic location, as well space for future expansion of storage facilities.

Being recently built, the terminal requires minimum maintenance downtime and is managed by experienced, well-trained professionals.

The terminal permits accurate online calculation of quantities transferred in and out of the terminal and features the latest distributed control system (DCS) and fully segregated systems to handle three different product grades to ensure minimum product contamination.

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GENERAL NEWS REPORTS – UPDATED THROUGH THE DAY

in partnership with – APO

More News at https://africaports.co.za/category/News/

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THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK

“Don’t worry about avoiding temptation… as you grow older, it will avoid you.” – Winston Churchill 

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EXPECTED SHIP ARRIVALS and SHIPS IN PORT

Port Louis – Indian Ocean gateway port

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

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

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

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CRUISE NEWS AND NAVAL ACTIVITIES

QM2 in Cape Town. Picture by Ian Shiffman

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

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Naval News

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

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