Navy submarine now due on Thursday

Apr 24, 2007
Author: P&S

South Africa’s latest navy ship, the submarine SAS Charlotte Maxeke (S102) is due to arrive in Simon’s Town on Thursday (26 April) and not Wednesday as reported in yesterday’s News Bulletin.

The reason for the delay is not clear and may be as simple as having to coincide with the availability of some dignitary (which of course won’t be the first time).

SAS Charlotte Maxeke is sailing from Emden in Germany in company with the navy combat support ship SAS Drakensberg, which also accompanied the first submarine, SAS Manthatisi (S101) back to South Africa on 7 April last year.

The remaining submarine, SAS Queen Modjadji (S103) will no doubt also journey to South Africa with the Drakensberg as escort.

Question for the navy watchers – which SAN ship has travelled the most in service with the South African Navy? No prizes for the correct answer - we don’t know but would take a guess and suggest it could be either SAS Drakensberg or SAS Tafelberg.



Pic of the day – CAPE KNOX

Click on image to enlarge – with some browsers click twice



This USNS ship CAPE KNOX (AKR 5082) arrived in Durban on Saturday, 21 April, for bunkers, etc and presumably a bit of R&R for the crew. She was previously the Nedlloyd Lines' Ro-Ro cargo ship NEDLLOYD ROUEN before her purchase in 1995 by the US government.
The ship was built in Japan in 1978 and displaces 36,450 tons fully loaded.
Picture copyright SHIPHOTO INTERNATIONAL email shack@iafrica.com