Home Blue Onyx Africa PORTS & SHIPS maritime news 9 -10 August 2021 – Africa Ports

Africa PORTS & SHIPS maritime news 9 -10 August 2021 – Africa Ports

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Africa PORTS & SHIPS maritime news 9 -10 August 2021 – Africa Ports

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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

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FIRST VIEW:   MSC MARINA

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

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

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FIRST VIEW:   MSC MARINA

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

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

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

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

Added 9 August 2021

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

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Mozambique insurrection update: Joseph Hanlon reports…..

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

Mocimboa da Praia encircled

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

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

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

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

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

Foreign troops are now arriving in force

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Story by Jay Gates
Pictures by ‘Dockrat’

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Taganrogskiy Zaliv was involved with the resscue of the crew of another reefer, Uruguay Reefer which sank some distance off the Falklands. Featureed in Africa PORTS & SHIPS maritime news
Taganrogskiy Zaliv was involved with the rescue of the crew of another reefer, Uruguay Reefer which sank some distance off the Falklands.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Global self-inspection

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Marine Safety and Quality Campaign Workflow needs

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

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

Identify
• Shortcomings
• Defects
• Potential Risks

Review & Rectify
• Related Circulars
• Checklist/Feedback

Report to ONE
• Rectified Items (Before/After )
• Awareness of Potential Risk.

 

 

 

Reported by Paul Ridgway
London

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R500 million cocaine drug bust made at Durban harbour

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

No arrests had been made, it was reported.

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

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

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

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DP World strengthens its grip on logistics in southern Africa

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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PORT WINDOW: Walvis Bay records increase in salt exports

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

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

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

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

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

Maria da Paz

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

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

Uniscout

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

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

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

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

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

Worth Noting – Mediterranean Bridge

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Story by Jay Gates
Pictures by ‘Dockrat’

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Added 9 August 2021

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Navigational warnings: Reporting and broadcasting hazards at sea

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

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

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

In its paper Navigation warnings the MCA outlines:

• How and when warnings are broadcast.

• What kind of activities require a warning.

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

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

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

Navigational warnings

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

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

Readers can see the MCA document Navigational Warnings HERE

 

 

 

Reported by Paul Ridgway
London

Added 9 August 2021

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GENERAL NEWS REPORTS – UPDATED THROUGH THE DAY

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

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