Port Elizabeth News

Ifremer, Jean-Louis Etienne and the entire Polar POD team announced its construction by the Piriou shipyards in association with 3C Metal, under the direction of the project owner, Ifremer. The scientific program of this international oceanographic "station" is being overseen by the French National Centre for Scientific Research (Centre national de la recherche scientifique, CNRS), in partnership with the French National Centre for Space Studies (Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales…

Ports are economic engines for the regions they serve, and the impact from business activities at the Port of New York/New Jersey runs as big as the area it serves: 46 million consumers in a four-hour radius. The port is an economic giant in and of itself, providing for nearly a half a million jobs, a cumulative $35 billion in personal income and a cumulative $98 billion in business income. Sam Ruda, Director, Port NY/NJ, discusses a record 2019, continued investment in infrastructure…

CMA CGM, the world's fourth-largest container shipping line, will impose emergency congestion surcharges at Cape Town port in July due to disruptions caused by the coronavirus, it has told customers.From July 1 until further notice, it will impose a surcharge of $550 for 20-foot containers and reefers and a $1,100 surcharge for 40-foot containers and reefers, CMA said in the letter dated June 17 that was seen by Reuters.Western Cape province, which includes Cape Town, is the epicenter of South Africa's coronavirus outbreak…

Brian E. Clark will take over as Executive Director of the North Carolina State Ports Authority following the retirement of Paul J. Cozza at the end of this year.Clark will continue to serve as North Carolina Ports' Chief Operating Officer and Deputy Executive Director, and Cozza as Executive Director, through December 31.Prior to joining NC Ports in June 2017, Clark served in various senior level positions throughout the maritime industry, including a role as Managing Director for APM Terminals at Port Elizabeth, N.J.

South Africa's logistics firm Transnet said it would reduce transport services and non-essential cargo operations during a nationwide lockdown that began at midnight on Thursday to contain the coronavirus.The state-owned company said shipments of metals and minerals would depend on demand and government approval. It was unclear if these exports would be affected.The transport of coal to state-run utility Eskom's power stations would continue, Transnet said.Transnet operates nearly three quarters of the African rail network…

South Africa's Damen Shipyards Cape Town (DSCT) has joined the Women’s International Shipping & Trading Association (WISTA). The yard is represented in the Association by Transformation and ESD Manager Eva Moloi.WISTA is an international networking organization whose mission is to attract and support women, at the management level, in the maritime, trading and logistics sectors.Transformation and ESD Manager Eva has been nominated to WISTA South Africa’s Executive Committee as the Cape Town Chapter Representative.Eva said, “It is an honor to be nominated to serve on the Executive Committee of WISTA South Africa as the Cape Town Chapter Representative.

APM Terminals Port Elizabeth terminal ceremony and US-flagged vessel Maersk Kinloss recognize the nation’s first vessel clearance performed by United States Customs officials, on August 5th, 1789.Standing in for the two-masted sailing ship Persis, which arrived at the Port of New York on August 5th, 1789 with a load of cargo from Italy, the 6,200 TEU capacity US- flagged Maersk Line, Limited vessel, Maersk Kinloss was the focal point for a commemorative ceremony honoring 230 years of service by US Customs at America’s seaports on August 5, 2019.During the ceremony, the Captain of the Maersk Kinloss, Christopher Murray, presented in person the Application for Unlading (CBP Form #3171) for the vessel to CBP Director of Field Operations Troy Miller…

South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) has decided to allow the use of exhaust gas cleaning systems (EGCS) in its territorial waters and ports ahead of the IMO 2020 regulation.The Clean Shipping Alliance 2020 (CSA 2020) has welcomed the decision by SAMSA to accept all types of approved exhaust gas cleaning systems (EGCS) for use in its territorial waters.In an IMO 2020 advisory notice issued in March to shipowners, operators, master mariners and bunker suppliers, SAMSA says the use of open-loop, closed-loop or hybrid systems are accepted until further notice “as an equivalent arrangement under Regulation 4 of MARPOL Annex VI…

South Africa’s smallest commercial port, the Port of Mossel Bay is well equipped to provide value following global energy giant Total’s significant gas condensate discovery on the Brulpadda prospects, located on Block 11B/12B in the Outeniqua Basin, 175 kilometres off the southern coast of South Africa, announced Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA).The authority has dispelled criticism that it may not be ready to answer the call for capacity necessitated by the recent discovery of vast amounts of gas condensate about 175 kilometres south of Mossel Bay.Mossel Bay Port Manager Shadrack Tshikalange said the port’s role in the drilling expedition involved providing land and quay space for the logistics base operations…

Build it and they will come mentality serves TOTE well on ‘world first’ LNG ContainershipsAs the marine industry collectively struggles to find solutions to the mounting mandates to cut emissions, U.S. owner TOTE, which broke ground three years ago with the world’s first LNG-fueled containership, has more than 36 months experience operating almost exclusively on LNG. To date it has been a rousing success.As environmental mandates for ships continue to get stricter, particularly…

Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) appointed Preston Khomo, previously Richards Bay Port Manager, as Executive Manager: Ship Repair, to manage and administer the organization’s ship repair resources nationally.Thamsanqa (Thami) Sithole has been appointed as the new Port Manager for Richards Bay. Both appointments are effective July 1.Khomo joined TNPA in 2004 as Head of Infrastructure Development: Port Operations and Consulting at Portcon (the then international arm of Transnet)…

The Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) operated Ports of Durban, Cape Town, and Elizabeth have been nominated for the Africa & Indian Ocean segment of the 25th annual World Travel Awards in the category of “Africa’s Leading Cruise Port 2018”.Founded in 1993, the World Travel Awards seek to acknowledge, reward and celebrate excellence across all sectors of the global travel and tourism industry. Global travel and tourism industry leaders will be recognized at the various World Travel Awards gala ceremonies, with Durban hosting the Africa and Indian Ocean segment for the third time.

When a freak storm hit the Port of Durban on 10 October 2017, two cargo containers holding plastic nurdles were dislodged from the deck of an MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company cargo vessel and fell into the harbour. The containers were particularly vulnerable at that time, as they had been loosened for unloading, in line with standard port operations procedures. Hurricane-force winds, torrential rains and flash-floods hit the port of Durban and surrounding region in what amounted to a provincial disaster. Our immediate priority was to make the vessel safe and minimise the environmental impact. We responded proactively by engaging companies with global experience and local knowledge to lead the clean-up operation of the sea and the Durban coastline.

CMA CGM announced the port coverage improvement of its SAMWAF service connecting Brazil and Plata area to West Africa and South Africa strategic markets, in the effort to continue enhancing its product.   As from February 16th, 2018 with m/v GERHARD SCHULTE, the lead product SAMWAF service operated with 6 vessels up to 3,800 TEU.   SAMWAF will call the port of Itajai, Brazil on a weekly basis, in replacement of Navegantes. Argentina and Uruguay ports will be served on relay via Itajai   New rotation: Itajai - Paranagua - Santos - Rio de Janeiro - Cape Town - Durban - Port Elizabeth - Luanda - Pointe Noire - Itajai

Construction of Transnet National Ports Authority’s (TNPA) new bed leveler (plough tug) is underway and was marked by an official keel laying ceremony in Port Elizabeth on January 19. The new vessel is being designed, manufactured, assembled, commissioned and delivered to TNPA’s Dredging Services division by shipbuilder FTC Engineering (Pty) Ltd, trading as Tide Marine Shipyard. The Black-, woman-owned family company has a Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBBEE) Level…

APM Terminals Tacoma concluded its operations on September 30, 2017, ahead of the December 31, 2017 lease expiration date, transferring the lease to Seattle-based SSA Marine who formed a new joint venture with Matson Lines, called SSAT, starting operations October 2, 2017. APM Terminals Tacoma was used primarily by the Matson Alaska Service, with twice-weekly sailings between Tacoma, Anchorage and Kodiak, Alaska, and a weekly service between Tacoma and Dutch Harbor, Alaska, handling a combined 190,000 TEUs in 2016. APM Terminals’ U.S. portfolio includes operations at APM Terminals Pier 400 Los Angeles, the largest proprietary terminal in North America…

Maersk Line sees "great progress" in the restoration of its infrastructure after it was hit by a cyber attack this week, it said in an update to customers on Friday. * "We are open for business and are accepting bookings," Maersk Line, A.

APM Terminals Port Elizabeth welcomed the 8,700 TEU capacity CMA CGM Bianca, marking the first call of the weekly Ocean Alliance US East Coast Loop 3 Service, providing direct service to the US East Coast from ports in China and Southeast Asia. After a formal welcoming ceremony held at the facility, APM Terminals Port Elizabeth hosted a reception for senior executives of Ocean Alliance member lines to commemorate the occasion. The CMA CGM Bianca arrived and departed on schedule with a berth productivity of 129.2 moves per hour (MPH) for the 4,393 container moves at the terminal, for 30.1 gross MPH, and average dwell for rail-destined containers of less than one day. Until recently, container ships calling the Port of New York & New Jersey were mainly of the 5,000-8,000 TEU size class.

As the Panama Canal’s newly operational expanded lane helps set monthly tonnage records, the project’s impacts are being felt along the U.S. East Coast. Effects of the canal’s expansion are reverberating well-beyond Panama’s shores, as ports around the world are in varying stages of work to deepen and widen their channels to accommodate the growing number of Neopanamax vessels that can now transit the canal. Now nearly one year on from the first vessel transit through the expanded waterway, many ports are benefitting, particularly those along the U.S. East Coast.

APM Terminals Tacoma has received notification from Matson, Inc., its main customer, that Matson does not intend to renew its current terminal services agreement after its expiration on December 31, 2017. Accordingly, APM Terminals is evaluating all options with respect to its existing terminal lease, which is currently set to expire on December 31, 2017. The terminal, with 12 employees, became part of the Maersk Group portfolio with the acquisition of US-based Sea-Land Service by Maersk Line in 2000. The 600,000 TEU annual throughput capacity facility was used primarily by the Matson Alaska Service, with twice-weekly sailings between Tacoma, Anchorage and Kodiak, and a weekly service between Tacoma and Dutch Harbor, handling approximately 190,000 TEUs in 2016.

Incat Crowther has announced its recent contract with Legacy Marine Group of Port Elizabeth, South Africa for the design of two new 18 meter catamaran dive support vessels to be built for Stapem Offshore for operation in the coastal waters off Angola. The vessels will feature a customized design specific to supporting offshore dive operations. The aft exterior deck utilizes available space by combining deck lockers and racks for diving equipment storage with a covered dive prepping area. The vessel will have four fold-down dive ladders for water access, three swing davits for assisting divers, and one equipment deck crane for additional operational support. The bow configuration is designed for interaction with personal transfer ladders of pffshore FPSOs and platforms.

Panama authorities have released a Moroccan phosphate shipment from the disputed Western Sahara territory after it was temporarily held by a legal challenge from the Polisario independence movement, officials said on Monday. The vessel was held on May 18 and is the second tanker carrying phosphate cargo from Moroccan exporter OCP stopped this month by a Polisario challenge. Polisario claims the cargo was transported illegally, a new tactic in its dispute with Morocco. Western Sahara has been disputed since 1975, when Morocco claimed it as part of the kingdom and the Polisario fought a guerrilla war for the Sahrawi people's independence. A 1991 ceasefire split the region in two between what Morocco calls its southern provinces and an area controlled by Polisario.

A South African court ruled on Thursday that a seized ship carrying a Moroccan cargo of phosphate from the disputed Western Sahara should remain in port until the case goes to trial or security is posted, a lawyer for the Polisario independence movement said. The Polisario Front alleges the 50,000 tonne shipment en route to New Zealand was illegally taken from Western Sahara territory and went to court to have the cargo seized. The case is a test of Polisario's new legal tactic in its long-running conflict with Morocco over Western Sahara, a disputed territory where the two sides fought a war until a 1991 ceasefire and where U.N. talks have failed to reach an accord.