Port Of Port Elizabeth News

South Africa Cruise Ports Nominated for World Travel Awards

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.

Keel Laid for Transnet’s New Plough Tug

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…

$100M Tug Contract: Fourth Boat Delivered in South Africa

Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) is on track with its $100m tug building contract and celebrated the ceremonial launch of the fourth of its nine new tugs being built in Durban. The tug – named OSPREY in honor of the fish eagle – will serve at the Port of Saldanha. In line with maritime tradition, the duty of officially naming the vessel was carried out by Lady Sponsor, Thandeka Mabija, who earlier this month was appointed General Manager for Human Resources at TNPA. TNPA Chief Operating Officer…

Newest Merchant Ship to Fly SA Flag at Port of Port Elizabeth

The Port of Port Elizabeth is home port of a third ship to be registered on the South African Ships Register. This marks another step in South Africa’s drive to become a recognized Maritime Nation in line with the government’s Operation Phakisa initiative which aims to unlock the potential of the country’s ocean economy. On Wednesday, 13 July 2016, oil tanker MT LEFKAS docked at the port’s berth 100 where a ceremonial plaque exchange ceremony was officiated. The merchant vessel…

Second of Nine New TNPA Tugs Sets Sail

The latest of Transnet National Ports Authority’s (TNPA) nine new tugboats has set sail from the Durban premises of contractor, Southern African Shipyards, on Thursday, July 7, destined for its new home at the Port of Port Elizabeth. The tug was ceremonially launched as Qunu in May alongside a third tug, Cormorant. Qunu was named after the Eastern Cape home village of former President, the late Nelson Mandela and is due to arrive in Port Elizabeth on Friday, July 8. She is the second of two new tugs built for the port as part of this large-scale fleet replacement project.

Two New Tugs Built for TNPA

The South African government’s Operation Phakisa: Oceans Economy initiative has yielded more results with the ceremonial launch of two more tugboats built for Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA). The two tugs – named Qunu and Cormorant – form part of TNPA’s R1.4 billion contract awarded to Durban ship builder, Southern African Shipyards. It is the largest single contract TNPA has ever given to a South African company for the building of harbor craft and will see a total of nine new tugs built for the South African port landlord over three and a half years.

First of Nine New TNPA Tugs Sets Sail

The first of Transnet National Ports Authority’s nine new, powerful tugboats set sail from the Durban premises of contractor, Southern African Shipyards, on Saturday, April 2, destined for its new home at the Port of Port Elizabeth. The tug was ceremonially launched as MVEZO last October. It arrived in Port Elizabeth in the early hours of Monday, April 4. Port Elizabeth port manager, Rajesh Dana, said, “The arrival of MVEZO in the Eastern Cape is particularly significant given that the tug was named after the small village in our province where former President…

South African Boatbuilding: Tugboat Honors Mandela Birthplace

Transnet National Ports Authority announced a milestone in its $98 million tug building contract when the first of its nine new tugboats was launched at the Durban premises of contractor, Southern African Shipyards. “This is the largest single contract TNPA has ever awarded to a South African company for the building of harbor craft,” said TNPA chief executive, Richard Vallihu. The tug was named ‘MVEZO’ in reference to the small village in the Eastern Cape of South Africa where former President, the late Nelson Mandela, was born.

9 Voith Schneider Tugs on target in SA Shipyards

Construction work on nine tugboats for Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) at the Southern African Shipyards premises in Durban is well under way. "This is a milestone project that reinforces the capacity and skill of South Africa when it comes to competing in the global shipbuilding industry," said Eugene Rappetti, senior manager for Marine Operations at TNPA. "Despite the challenges of energy disruptions, the project team is forging ahead and has made impressive progress, with around 11% of the fabrication and construction on the project completed thus far," he said. The project kicked off in August 2014 and is set to provide a big boost to the local economy over its 42 month lifespan. It includes the manufacture of one of the world’s largest and most powerful harbour tugs.

TNPA’s Tug Project Going Full Steam Ahead

Transnet National Port’s Authority’s R1.4 billion contract to produce nine powerful tugboats is progressing on time and within budget at the Southern African Shipyards premises in Durban. “This is a milestone project that reinforces the capacity and skill of South Africa and indeed Durban when it comes to competing in the global shipbuilding industry,” said TNPA program manager Eugene Rappetti, Senior Manager for Marine Operations. “Despite the challenges of energy disruptions…

Strategic Seaports

The U.S. Department of Defense (DOD), in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Maritime Administration (MARAD), has designated particular ports around the United States as “strategic seaports.”  Strategic seaports are designated because of their ability to support major force and material deployments in times of war and national emergency, based on their proximity to deploying military units and their transportation links close to those units, and varying other capabilities the DOD has deemed important…