Africa News

Dubai-based ports operator DP World has revealed plans to set up a logistics facility in landlocked Ethiopia, a move that comes as the company is developing a port in neighboring Somaliland. A reuters report quoting the United Arab Emirates state news agency, WAM said that the Sultan bin Sulayem, DP World Group's chairman & CEO and chairman of Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation informed the media that the logistics complex in Ethiopia to cater to the landlocked African countries.

DNV GL has appointed Neil Jamieson Fraser as its new head of Noble Denton marine services in the UK and West Africa. The role will focus on marine warranty, marine advisory/assurance, technical assurance, and advanced engineering services. Fraser  has worked with DNV GL for more than 25 years and has held a number of senior positions within the company in the UK, West Africa and most recently, in South America. He recently returned to the UK after nearly four-years based in Rio…

DP World threatened legal action against Djibouti after the government of the Horn of Africa nation ended a contract this year with the Dubai-owned firm for running a port facility, the company's spokesman said on Thursday.Djibouti ended the contract in February with DP World to run its Doraleh Container Terminal.The Dubai-based company said it issued its statement after "reports of the opening of the first phase of the Chinese built International Free Trade Zone, in violation of DP World's exclusive management rights.""DP World reserves the right to take all available legal actions, including

Pacific International Lines (PIL) is honoured to receive the MPA Safety@Sea Award for the outstanding contributions to the search and rescue efforts in 2017 during the International Safety@Sea Conference held in Singapore (21 June 2018). The Master and Crew of Kota Cempaka, Kota Hidayah and of Southern Lily did us proud by rendering assistance to the Search and Rescue efforts coordinated by Vessel Arezoo off Hong Kong, rendering assistance to RCC Guam for the Search and Rescue…

Italy will refuse to let a humanitarian boat carrying more than 600 migrants dock at any of its ports and has asked the Mediterranean island of Malta to open its doors to the vessel, an official said on Sunday.Malta said it had nothing to do with the rescue operation, opening the prospect of a diplomatic stand-off between the two European Union allies.The move by Italy's new Interior Minister Matteo Salvini, who is also head of the far-right League, is part of efforts to make good on his electoral promises to halt the flow of migrants into the country.More than 600…

South Asia container trade with Europe continues to outpace the Middle East, says Drewry in its Container Insight Weekly report.Container shipments in the combined eastbound Europe to the Middle East and South Asia trade performed well in the first quarter, rising by 5.2 percent year-on-year according to Container Trade Statistics. However, that aggregate rate hides two very different performances by the two destinations. CTS reports that inbound traffic to South Asia soared by 18 percent in 1Q18 to reach approximately 410…

How to create better shipping for a better future was a theme running throughout the 2018 IMO World Maritime Day Parallel Event (13-15 June), held in Szczecin, Poland. “IMO's heritage for 70 years has been to drive improvements in shipping to achieve a better world today. But we cannot rest on past achievements. Our challenge for the years to come remains the same: to create better shipping - for a better future,” said IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim, in his keynote address. The international audience was welcomed by Mr.

The fifth run of the MPA Academy Port Management Programme (PMP), aimed at port masters, harbour masters and middle managers from maritime and port authorities, kicked off today with a record 20 maritime officials from across Africa, Asia, Latin America, Middle East and Oceania. Developed and organised by MPA Academy, the five-day programme will be delivered by practitioners from the industry as well as senior officers from the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA). Some of the key subjects that will be covered during the programme include safety, port planning and security.

The scope of work that LR is undertaking covers design, procurement, certification, construction, integration and commissioning, as well as providing classification services under a risk based inspection regime to the FLNG when it enters into service in 2022.The Coral South field is being developed by Eni in Area Four of the Rovuma Basin, off the coast of Mozambique. The floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) unit will be Africa’s first floating gas facility. The size, quality and position of the field’s resources are set to transform Mozambique’s economy.

FUELTRAX will host a free one-day electronic fuel monitoring solution (EFMS) symposium in Lagos, Nigeria on June 28, to demonstrate the impact of FUELTRAX technology in the West Africa Region.Representatives from FUELTRAX  will inform how the electronic fuel monitoring solution can ensure fuel security, guarantee compliance and optimize the performance. The symposium at Four Points by Sheraton Lagos will includes technology demonstrations, expert advice, lunch, and Q&A sessions.The EFMS uses Coriolis mass-flow meters and operating a closed-loop system. It connects owners and operators to their fuel data in real-time, ensuring compliance with MRV regulations…

Nearly two-thirds (64%) of oil and gas sector leaders expect to increase or sustain spending on gas projects in 2018, as the sector prepares for gas to overtake oil as the world’s primary energy source in the mid-2030s. Confidence in the case for gas is growing, according to a survey by DNV GL, the technical advisor to the industry. The vast majority (86%) of the 813 senior industry professionals surveyed agree that gas - the least carbon-intensive fossil fuel - will play an increasingly important role in the global energy mix over the next decade, up from 77% last year.

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)…

Italy and Malta are refusing to allow charity ships in ports; governments say charity ships help people smugglers. Charities counter that policy will cause more deaths at sea. For the second time in a week, Malta on Monday detained a humanitarian vessel that normally rescues boat migrants off the coast of Libya, where two shipwrecks have claimed the lives of as many as 200 people in recent days. The Sea Watch 3 vessel, operated by a German charity, requested to leave port after undergoing maintenance and the port authority refused, a Sea Watch spokeswoman said.

BP operates largest teapot marketing team among majors; four BP-chartered tankers have trouble unloading off China. Four supertankers chartered by energy major BP have been held up or delayed off China's east coast over the last two months, unable to fully discharge oil as slowing demand from the country's private refiners starts to impact global markets. Two of the four BP-chartered very large crude carriers (VLCCs) are still off Shandong province holding half their cargoes of Angolan crude oil…

South Africa has become the 25th State to sign up to the IMO treaty on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Fishing Vessel Personnel (STCW-F). The Convention sets the certification and minimum training requirements for crews of seagoing fishing vessels of 24 metres in length and above. H.E. Dr. Bonginkosi Emmanuel Nzimande, Minister of Transport of South Africa, met  International Maritime Organization (IMO) Secretary-General Kitack Lim at IMO Headquarters, London, to deposit the instrument of accession (2 July).

SENER  appointed Jorge Sendagorta Cudós to be head of the Engineering and Construction area. He was, until now, the country manager of SENER in Mexico. SENER's Engineering and Construction area, which will be managed by Cudós, comprises three Business Units: Infrastructure and Transport; Renewables, Power, Oil & Gas; and Marine. It has branches in Algeria, Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, South Korea, Chile, China, United Arab Emirates, Spain, USA, Morocco, Mexico, Portugal, UK, and South Africa.Cudós joined SENER in October 2012 in the energy sector.

Damen Shipyards Group has delivered a new Cutter Suction Dredger (CSD) 250 to South Africa-based Dredging Africa to be used for mining sand from the Ash River, just east of Bethlehem in the Free State Province.Arend van de Wetering, Director of Dredging Africa, said, “We wanted to utilize the best equipment available, to be sure of the best production, reliability and lowest downtime. Ease of transport and commissioning were key for us as were sound after-market support and Damen’s offering met all of these requirements.”“Most dredging projects in South Africa are small- to medium-sized…

"Empowering Women in the Maritime Community" has been selected as the World Maritime Day theme for 2019. This will provide an opportunity to raise awareness of the importance of gender equality, in line with the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and to highlight the important contribution of women all over the world to the maritime sector. The Council of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), meeting for its 120th session at IMO Headquarters in London, endorsed the theme, following a proposal by IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim.

Qatar-based maritime and logistics conglomerate Milaha said its liftboat Milaha Explorer has been deployed off the coast of West Africa as part of a long-term charter with a major international oil company.Milaha’s President and CEO, Abdulrahman Essa Al-Mannai, said, “Over the past few months, we have been significantly ramping up our operations, and I am pleased to announce further growth in our geographic footprint and operational portfolio with this long-term deployment, which marks our entry into Africa.

Italy has refused to allow a commercial vessel flying an Italian flag to bring ashore rescued migrants, sticking to a hardline policy on new arrivals as it presses European allies to share the burden of hosting an influx of displaced people.A commercial ship that supplies oil platforms off the coast of Libya pulled 66 migrants to safety on Monday, but it was told not to bring them to Italy, an Interior Ministry source said.Transport Minister Danilo Toninelli, who oversees the coast guard and the country's ports, said the migrants had been transferred to an Italian coast guard vessel on Tuesday after some of them threatened the lives of the Italian crew.They will be brought to Italy…

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.

U.S. shipbuilder Metal Shark powers into the second half of 2018 with a healthy backlog, multiple recent deliveries into foreign markets, and a portfolio of patrol craft that has attracted multiple clients – here and abroad.At a time when more than a few workboat builders are feeling the pain of lingering offshore malaise and an oversupplied inland market that no longer needs large quantities of barges, Louisiana-based Metal Shark has found its groove in a suddenly active and highly competitive niche market.

French-based CMA CGM, one of the world's largest container shipping firms, has agreed to acquire Finland's Containerships from Container Finance Ltd Oy.Terms of the deal, which is expected to close in three to six months, were not disclosed.Containerships, which recorded sales of 227 million euros ($263 million) last year, ships cargo between Finland, Russia, the Baltic States, continental Europe, the UK and Ireland as well as in the Mediterranean region between Turkey and North Africa, it said in a regulatory filing.The acquisition will add to CMA CGM's regional network in northern Europe and