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Ports & Ships Maritime News
1 October 2013
Bringing you shipping, freight, trade and transport related news of interest for Africa since 2002
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The salvage tug SMIT AMANDLA heads into a blustery Table Bay past the Cape Town harbour breakwater on Friday, 27 September, on her way to Richards Bay where the tug has been assisting with the salvage work on the grounded bulker SMART. Picture by Glen Kasner
News continues below… HOLLANDE AND GUEBUZA WITNESS START OF BIG SHIP ORDER
It’s the shipbuilding order that no-one wants to admit to, but this week the head of Mozambique accompanied the head of France to visit the Cherbourg shipyard and inspect the commencement of an order for 30 new ships, including patrol craft for Mozambique. President François Hollande of France and Mozambique’s President Francisco Guebuza were both in the French port of Cherbourg to see work get underway on the six patrol boats and 24 fishing vessels being built for Mozambique. See PORTS & SHIPS’ reports on this on 19 September 2013 No Mozambique comment on massive order and French to build 24 ships for Mozambique costing €300 million - use your BACKSPACE key to return to this page. Since the announcement by the shipbuilder, everybody involved has remained coy about the subject, with a Mozambique minister attempting to pass the matter off lightly last week by saying that the contract had nothing to do with the Mozambique government. It was being arranged by a private company, he said, which would operate the patrol craft to protect the new fishing fleet. Other sources however claimed that the company involved is owned by Mozambique’s intelligence services. The presidents of the two countries have shattered these ‘hands-ff’ claims by attending the shipyard together to witness the start of the project of building six new patrol craft and 24 modern fishing vessels. French Industrial Renewal Minister Arnaud Montebourg has been upfront about the contract from the beginning, declaring the deal as being good for (French) jobs and business. He said it was a real boost for CMN, the French shipyard responsible for securing the contract, as CMN was struggling with low orders and the threat of having to lay staff off some of its 400 skilled workers. Mozambique’s finance minister, Manuel Chang said in Maputo last week that a company called Ematum was responsible for the contract to build 30 new ships. It is believed that the money for the contract is coming from a new €370 million bond issued by a Mozambique state-owned company, Ematum, which will be involved in the fishing for tuna off the Mozambique coast. Ematum (Empresa Moçambicana de Atum (Ematum), appears to be owned by a consortium of Mozambique security agencies. Chang however referred to Ematum as a private company which would fish for tuna and would the company’s patrol boats but could also be used to protect the long Mozambique coastline at the same time.
News continues below… CRUISE NEWS: VIRTUAL BALCONIES FOR NAVIGATOR OF THE SEAS
What next, you might ask. Royal Caribbean International is installing virtual balconies on some of the inside cabins on its cruise ship NAVIGATOR OF THE SEAS which is currently undergoing refurbishment. The ship is due to return to service in February 2014, by which time passengers booking into 98 of the vessel’s inside cabins – not all, just those in Category J, will be able to enjoy a virtual balcony experience by way of an 80 inch floor to ceiling high definition screen, providing real sounds and views as if it were from a real balcony. The picture will be in real time, depicting exactly what the cabin would look across were it an outside balconied room, i.e. if on the starboard side then that is what the view will be. Unlike the real thing, sound volumes can be adjusted and if necessary the view outside can be switched off. The screens will be ‘energy efficient’ models giving off little heat and Royal Caribbean says the pricing for the cabins will not be more than for an outside cabin with a genuine view across the ocean. “We would consider it unusual to find a virtual balcony stateroom priced higher than an ocean view stateroom,” said the company in a statement issued to travel agencies. One would hope not. But what comes next in this world of make believe – salt air being pumped into the cabins perhaps, or perhaps a bit of a shower to make you think you forgot to close the balcony door? Maybe the ultimate will be a virtual cruise of your own choosing, with passing vistas of the Adriatic coast, or islands in the South Pacific or Indian Ocean, all from the comfort of an enclosed warehouse made up to resemble the world’s most luxurious ship. After lunch you can slip out to meet some of your friends over coffee and tell them of your ‘cruising’ experience.
Peter Deilmann head leaves cruise line Peter Deilmann chief executive Konstantin Bissias is leaving the German cruise company at the end of this year, it has been learned. Bissias joined Peter Deilmann at the end of 2010 since when the line has undergone a reorganisation that has seen an 8.5 percent increase in sales year on year and current bookings for 2014 showing growth of 44.5 percent. He is to be replaced by Christopher Nolde.
News continues below... BEACON HILL COAL MINE IN MOZAMBIQUE HAS RESERVES OF 40m TONS
Australian mining company Beacon Hill Resources says that the proven and likely coal reserves at its Minas Moatize concession in Mozambique are greater than previously thought and estimates have been updated in size to 39.38 million tons. Beacon Hill Resources, which is listed on the Australian Stock exchange and the Alternative Investment Market (AIM) of the London Stock exchange, said that of those reserves 16.16 million tons were proven and saleable and at least 8.3 million tons were coking coal. According to the statement, Minas Moatize, which was acquired in 2010 from Borneo Mining/AMCI and had a 10 –year prospecting license in a block covering 266 hectares, has an expected lifetime of 15 years. Beacon Hill recently made a request to the Australian Stock exchange to delist its shares as of 31 December 2013 as it is listed on the London Stock Exchange. source – macauhub
News continues below… MOZAMBIQUE SUGAR EXPORTS REALISE US$117 MILLION
Mozambican exports of sugar realised US$117 million in 2012, up 29.6 percent year-on-year, the IPEX Export Promotion Institute announced in Maputo. IPEX figures show that in 2012 the country’s four sugar producers - Mafambisse and Marromeu in Sofala and Maragra and Xinavane in Maputo - exported mainly to the European Union, with smaller sales being recorded also to the United States and to regional African countries. The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) considers sugar to be the most important business for developing commercial agriculture in Mozambique. It recently reported that the country produced 240,000 tons of sugar in 2012, up 23 percent over 2011. The sector currently employs nearly 36,000 people (during harvest season), while 150,000 Mozambicans depend on the sugar industry, reports the local press. Plans call for a new sugar refinery to begin operating early next year in the Mopeia region of Zambezia province. It should contribute to the annual average production of 500,000 tons that the EIU estimates the country will achieve in the next four years. Agriculture Promotion Centre forecasts indicate that Mozambique should produce 424,900 tons of sugar in 2013, of which 265,000 tons will be exported to the European Union. source – macauhub DAR ES SALAAM CORRIDOR GROUP GAINS US$1 MILLION INVESTMENT
The Dar es Salaam Corridor Group (DCG) has received an investment worth US$1 million from Jacana, a pan-African Small and Medium Entrepreneurship (SME) private equity investment firm, and Soros Economic Development Fund (SEDF), a non-profit private foundation. DCG is the leading dry bulk cargo handling company at the port of Dar es Salaam and provides services to the dry bulk shipping and material handling community, including ship to shore discharge of cargo and container stuffing and de-stuffing, enabling quick and efficient movement of goods through the port of Dar es Salaam. The transaction marks both Jacana and SEDF’s first investments in Tanzania. DCG's services include ship to shore discharge of cargo, container stuffing and destuffing and logistical services for the forwarding of materials. The DCG terminal claims to be the only purpose-built dry bulk cargo handling terminal in Sub-Saharan Africa and provides a secure, reliable and cost effective means of handling commodities for companies operating in East Africa. A statement issued by Jacana said that the investment will finance the expansion of DCG’s storage capacity with respect to both volumes and the range of commodities. A new cargo handling site will contribute to the development of the regional trade corridor. The investment will have a significant social impact, helping to create up to 150 new jobs and will also increase port efficiency, thereby supporting growth of key sectors of the economy such as agribusiness, mining and construction. “We look forward not only to the access to capital to continue to grow our business, but also the deep experience that the Jacana and SEDF teams bring to the table,” said Erik Kok, CEO of DCG. “Their value-add contribution was an important consideration for us in deciding to partner with Jacana and SEDF. The transaction marks an important milestone in DCG’s history as we continue on our journey towards becoming one of the leading dry bulk cargo handling companies in East Africa. This investment will allow us to accelerate our growth, releasing constraints on our business.” Ezra Musoke, a partner at Jacana described Tanzania as a high-growth market with a flourishing SME sector. “DCG is a prime example of the attractive investment opportunities that can be found in the country: a well-established business with a strong market position, long-term customer relationships and potential for further growth. DCG’s management team are highly experienced with deep contact networks and a strong track record of success in the industry. We are delighted to be partnering with them to provide capital and expertise to help the business grow to the next level.” BOAT CAPSIZES ON LAKE TANGANYIKA – 13 DROWN
A boat has capsized on Lake Tanganyika and at least 13 of its passengers, including mostly children, have drowned. The boat was carrying 30 people at the time. The accident occurred last week as the boat was taking a party of children and adults to a clinic in a nearby village in the southern area of the country to be vaccinated. The kids were aged between two and five years. According to the Tanzanian police, ten of the passengers managed to either swim ashore or were rescued. The boat was slightly overloaded, being licensed to carry 25 people. A police spokesman said that the captain and the boat owner had disappeared after the accident and were being sought by the police. TAZARA BENEFITS FROM MAIZE & FERTILISER CONTRACTS
The Tanzania Zambia Railway Authority, otherwise known as TAZARA, which operates a Cape-gauge railway connecting Zambia with the port of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania, has secured contracts to haul maize and fertiliser during the coming weeks, reports the Times of Zambia. Several contracts are involved, one of which will see Tazara handling 20,000 tonnes of maize and fertiliser to Dar es Salaam and Malawi respectively. Tazara will transport 10,000 tonnes of maize from Mbeya to Dar es Salaam and another 10,000 tonnes of fertiliser from the port at Dar es Salaam to Mbeya, for onward shipment to Malawi. A second contract which is still under negotiation involves moving 25,000 tonnes of fertiliser from the port of Dar es Salaam to various destinations in Zambia along the Tazara corridor. A announcement to this effect was made at the recent weekend by the deputy director of Tazara, Saidi Sauko. He was speaking in Dar es Salaam at the handover f the first 1,200 tonnes of maize to the Tanzania National Food Reserve (NFRA). “The offloading you are witnessing is a testimony of the progress Tazara is making in realising the contractual obligation to transport 10,000 tonnes for NFRA, in batches of 3,000 tonnes each,” he said. Sauko said that the same equipment (rail trucks) would be used to transport maize from Mbeya to Dar es Salaam, and fertiliser from the port at Dar es Salaam to the respective points along the Tazara route in Zambia. source - The Times of Zambia (Ndola) EXPECTED SHIP ARRIVALS and SHIPS IN 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. You can access this information, including the list of ports covered, by going HERE - remember to use your BACKSPACE to return to this page.
Mitsui OSK Line’s container ship MOL TYNE (59,622-gt, built 1995) seen arriving in Cape Town last week. Built in Japan by Mitsui Engineering & Shipbuilding, the 299m long, 37m wide ship is an example of how container shipping has evolved over the past ten or more years. In her day a ship of her size with a container capacity of 4,713 TEU would have been regarded as one of the larger vessels, yet today a container ship of the same length and width will carry more than twice that capacity. Pictures by Ian Shiffman
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