Ports & Ships Maritime News

15 December 2016
Author: Terry Hutson

Bringing you shipping, freight, trade and transport related news of interest for Africa since 2002

PORTS & SHIPS returns on Monday 16 January 2017

TODAY'S BULLETIN OF MARITIME NEWS

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• First View : SORLANDET
• Durban container berth deepening goes out to tender
• Massive project cargo involving solar panel equipment to Karoo
• Mozambique wants more rigorous logging operations
• Rickmers sells youngest ever container ship for scrap
• Across the Seas
• Expected Ship Arrivals and Ships in Port
• Cruise News and Naval Activities
• Pics of the Day : APL SANTIAGO

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FIRST VIEW : SORLANDET

The Norwegian sail training ship SORLANDET will sail from Durban tomorrow (Friday, 16 December), bound for Cape Town where no doubt the master and crew intend arriving in time for Christmas in the Mother City. The 1927-built full sailing ship has been in Durban since 8 December, after arriving from the Indian Ocean and before that South East Asia. The ship is on a two-year round the world journey and expects to arrive back in Kristiansand, her home port, after an absence of about two years.

You can read our initial report on this fine ship in the 7 December edition of PORTS & SHIPS, which contains more detailed information. This can be found HERE

The time of Sorlandet's departure is not yet known but is expected to be about 9am or 10am Friday.

This picture taken of the ship arriving in Durban Bay is by Trevor Jones

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DURBAN CONTAINER BERTH DEEPENING PROJECT GOES OUT TO TENDER

DCT Pier 2 Berths 203 to 205 on the North Quay will be deepened and lengthened as part of a R7 billion mega project by Transnet National Ports Authority. Picture: TNPA

Transnet National Ports Authority announced yesterday that its mega project to deepen and lengthen berths at Durban Container Terminal (DCT): Pier 2 has reached a key milestone and the multi-billion rand Main Marine Construction Works package will go out to tender later this month (December 2016).

This follows the two environmental approvals secured from the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) last year for marine and landside works. The tender process for the landside works will follow at a later stage.

"The continued investment in infrastructure and modernisation of our flagship Port of Durban is pivotal in meeting the ever-increasing demands of the maritime industry, in particular the ever-increasing size of container vessels pulling into our ports," said TNPA Chief Executive, Richard Vallihu.

The DCT: Pier 2 Berths 203 to 205 reconstruction, deepening and lengthening project forms an integral part of Transnet's Market Demand Strategy which is in its 5th year and aims to enable the effective, efficient and economic functioning of an integrated port system to promote economic growth.

The increased size of container vessels calling the Port of Durban has resulted in DCT: Pier 2 berths now operating beyond their original design specification in regards to water depth.

DCT: Pier 2 handles approximately 65% of the total containerised cargo of South Africa and is the main link to the country's industrial and economic hub, Gauteng. It is estimated that the demand through the Port of Durban is expected to grow from 2.5 million TEUs (twenty foot equivalent unit) to 3.5 million TEUs, over the next 10 years.

The overall R7 billion project aims to improve efficiencies and reduce costs for vessels calling at the port by deepening Berths 203, 204 and 205, as well as the basin and approach channel, from 12.8m to 16.5m. The effective berthing length will be increased from 914 metres to 1210m, to safely accommodate the simultaneous berthing of three Super Post Panamax vessels of 350m in length and draft of 14.5m.

Currently Super Post Panamax vessels take up two berths on the North Quay which decreases port capacity. In addition, large vessels requiring a deeper draft than 12.2m can only enter the channel at high tide, resulting in delays. Increasing the draft will enable vessels to enter at any time reducing the queue of vessels waiting at anchorage to enter the port.

The procurement sourcing strategy for all the project packages is clearly defined, including focus areas for Supplier Development (SD), B-BBEE Improvement Plans and Local Content (LC) that advance transformation and build capacity among Black Owned (BO), Black Woman Owned (BWO) and Youth Owned (YO) companies.

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MASSIVE PROJECT CARGO INVOLVING SOLAR PANEL EQUIPMENT TO KAROO

The Kathu Solar Park which will generate 100 megawatts. Picture: GLA

The massive transportation of breakbulk cargo for two solar plants, the Kathu Solar Park and Ilanga CSP 1, is underway from the port of Cape Town.

Project cargo firm Global Logistics Alliance (GLA) has the contract to transport transformers, heat exchangers, steam turbines and approximately 2,000 40ft containers.

The largest components are expected to weigh up to 350 tonnes and the majority will be transported from Cape Town port to the sites in the Northern Cape Province, reports the specialist publication, Breakbulk www.breakbulk.com.

The distances from the port are vast -- Kathu Solar Park is about 1,050 kilometres and Ilanga CSP is near Upington which is about 860 kilometres from Cape Town.

A spokesman for GLA was quoted saying that as the delivery had already commenced to the two plants, this was evidence of GLA having been appointed officially as the agent for all the completed and still under construction solar plants. GLA is a member of the Project Cargo Network which also includes Indian cargo firm LCL Logistics. LCL recently delivered a cargo to Djibouti and Ethiopia from locations in India via the port of Nhava Sheva.

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MOZAMBIQUE WANTS MORE RIGOROUS LOGGING OPERATIONS

Mozambique wants more rigorous logging operations

The Mozambique government wants to turn simple logging licenses into concessions, in order to improve the management and control process and allow the sustainable exploration of forests, daily newspaper Noticias reported.

The national director of Forests, Xavier Sakambuera, told the newspaper that there are 32 mandatory requirements for obtaining licenses that vary according to the species of wood.

Currently, there are 611 simple licenses in Mozambique and just 198 forestry concessions which, according to Sakambuera, "is a major concern for the state."

The Ministry of Land, Environment and Rural Development in December plans to launch the first public consultation on the review of forest legislation.

"Ten years ago when we opened up the possibility of simple licensing it was only for Mozambicans with a view to, five years later, improving their operating capacity, with the installation of machinery and moving on to concessions," but what happened is that concessions decreased and simple licenses increased, hence the need to review the laws," Sakambuera said.

In order to respond to the process of transformation of the wood sector in Mozambique, holders of simple exploration licenses are already joining associations to transform themselves into concession holders.

The ban on log exports remains in place to prevent uncontrolled logging and its practical results are already visible with increased local processing and an increase in the number of jobs. source: macauhub

Angola introduces law aimed at conserving forest areas
In a related matter though involving two different African countries on opposite sides of the continent, Angola's National Assembly has approved a bill designed to ensure the conservation and sustainable use of forest areas and Angolan terrestrial wildlife.

The bill establishes the legal systems of access and sustainable use of forest resources and wildlife and replaces legislation dating from colonial era 1955 and 1957.

The new law also establishes the general principles and rules of protection and management of forest resources and terrestrial fauna and ecosystems, ensuring that they are used and explored in a sustainable, integrated and responsible way.

The law also aims to ensure the contribution of forests and wildlife, and related activities, for food security, meeting basic needs, job creation and gradual improvement of quality of living.

Finally, the law sets out the general principles and criteria for access to forest and wildlife resources and their sustainable management, planning and development, taking into account ecological, technological, economic and social aspects. source: macauhub

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RICKMERS SELLS YOUNGEST EVER CONTAINER SHIP FOR SCRAP

Hanjin Newport, the world's youngest container ship to be scrapped. Picture courtesy: Shipspotting

In what is surely further evidence of the dire straits facing the container industry, despite all the consolidation going on, or perhaps because of it ....... Singapore ship owner Rickmers has taken on the dubious record of having sold the youngest ever container ship, the 2009-built HANJIN NEWPORT (50,574-dwt) to a breakers yard.

The seven-year old ship was bought by the Singapore company for a reported US$60 million but now, faced with mounting bank debt, Rickmers has let the Panamax container ship go for scrap.

The 4,250-TEU capacity ship currently has a market value of about US$5.9 million, and her 62% decrease in market value in one year is being attributed to the widening of the Panama Canal, as well as an increasing oversupply in Panamax ships being made surplus by the larger ships joining global fleets.

Idle ships
Shipping analyst Drewry recently noted that the number of idled Panamax boxships had increased from 238 in November last year, with a combined capacity of about 900,000 TEU, to 435 ships and 1.7 million TEU capacity currently. It said that 9% of the total container fleet was currently idle, compared with 2.5% at the beginning of 2015.

Some of this sudden increase in global capacity of idle ships is a result of the collapse of South Korea's Hanjin Shipping, which has a total capacity of just on 623,000 TEU, although about 200,000 TEU could be accounted for with ships in excess of 10,000 TEU each.

All of this hasn't helped Rickmers in Singapore, as it seeks to repay loans from the German Commerzbank, and so a seven year old ship has to go to the breakers.

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ACROSS THE SEAS

With the holidays ahead of us, or at least for some of us, and perhaps a little spare time on our hands, here is something for you to enjoy during those moments. Each movie 'clip' is around one hour in length, so what better than to sit back and wallow in a little nostalgia. The clips are all on YouTube.

ACROSS THE SEAS PART 1
[1:07:42] YouTube: Burn Burnie pictures

ACROSS THE SEAS PART 2
[1:01:59] YouTube: Burn Burnie pictures

ACROSS THE SEAS PART 3
[52:56] YouTube: Burn Burnie pictures

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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 going 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, but this is also available in a dedicated Cruise News section. This section will include various stories and news not covered in the general news so if you have an interest in this sector don't forget to check regularly on our CRUISE NEWS page.

This you will find here in CRUISE NEWS & REVIEWS

Naval News

Similarly you can read our regular Naval News reports and stories which also have their own dedicated section, although some stories may be duplicated in the general news section.

Find the Naval Review section HERE

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PIC OF THE DAY : APL SANTIAGO

Following the sale of Neptune Orient Line to CMA CGM earlier this year, a number of APL identified ships (APL being the brand under which most NOL container vessels sailed -- American President Line) are coming on charter to other interested shipping lines, and South African ports have seen several of these in recent months.

The latest to arrive is APL SANTIAGO (110,000-dwt, built 2014), seen here sailing from the port of Cape Town. The vessel has a maximum container capacity of 9,200 TEU, including 700 reefer points, although she was clearly some way off from having anything like this sort of cargo on board when she sailed from port earlier this December. APL Santiago was built at the Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Ltd, South Korea as hull number 4249. The ship has a length of 332 metres and a width of 43.2m.

APL has a famous lineage but isn't likely to survive this latest sale. These pictures are by Ian Shiffman

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