Africa News

Damen Shipyards will hold its first Fishing Seminar in Cape Town, South Africa on 22 November in recognition of this important industry. To be held at Damen Shipyards Cape Town, the event brings together leading companies, the government and other stakeholders.Damen is aiming to create a platform whereby the industry can come together with the government and exchange information about the latest developments in the sector and the new technologies and innovative ideas driving the growth of a sustainable fishing industry.

European Commission’s competition regulators has approved CMA CGM acquisition of Container Finance, the holding company that controls regional container operator Containerships.CMA CGM, the world’s fourth largest carrier by capacity, agreed in June to acquire Finland-based Containerships and its logistics operations."A combination agreement between Container Finance Ltd Oy and CMA CGM, signed on 20th June 2018, has been accepted unconditionally by all relevant competition authorities meaning CMA CGM is free to take over short sea carrier Containerships…

A contract has been signed between Damen Shipyards Hardinxveld and Herman Sr. BV for the building and delivery of a Shoalbuster 2308 S, to be named Teddy. The new vessel will join the five other Damen Shoalbusters currently operated by the company and, with the hull already available from stock, is due for delivery in March / April 2019. This latest addition to the Senior BV fleet will allow the company to expand the services that it offers to the dredging, offshore wind and other sectors.Herman Sr. BV. is a third-generation, family-owned company based in Dordrecht, the Netherlands.

Representing the spirit of DP World’s Director of Global Operations, Patrick Bol along with his team aim to cross the Atlantic Ocean in 27 days or less to collect samples of water and draw attention to the plastic pollution problem.The global port operator said in a press release that Patrick Bol along with his team of rowers Lewis Knollman, Andrew Ruinoff, Matt Wilds aim to cross the Atlantic Ocean in 27 days or less to collect samples of water and draw attention to the plastic…

Shipbrokers Simpson, Spence and Young's Pacific Capesize Index rise by 36 points in the week ending Monday to 6,148.The SSY Pacific Capesize Index was almost unchanged week-on-week at 6,148 points as further robust rate increases on backhaul routes were cancelled out by lower earnings on South Africa-China iron ore and coal trades. The W.Australia-China iron ore spot rate edged up to $8.65/t, while there was a $300/day decline in the Pacific round-voyage rate (180k dwt) to $19,000/day.By Reuters

Oil and gas exploration and production company Kosmos Energy said that it has entered into a strategic alliance with Shell Exploration Company B.V. to jointly explore in Southern West Africa.Initially, the alliance will focus on Namibia, where Kosmos has completed the farm-in to Shell's acreage in PEL 39, and Sao Tome & Principe where it has entered into exclusive negotiations for Shell to take an interest in Kosmos’ acreage in blocks 5, 6, 11, and 12.As part of the alliance, the two companies will also jointly evaluate opportunities in adjacent geographies.

As a member of the President’s Advisory Council – Doing Business in Africa (PAC-DBIA), Bob Wetta attended the September 26, 2018 Fact-Finding Trip Report meeting in Washington, D.C., with U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross and 13 other U.S. Government officials. Their purpose was to deliberate and adopt the final report of the 2016-2018 term of the PAC-DBIA. Prepared by IBM’s Takreem El-Tohamy, but unfortunately unable to attend the meeting, Bob Wetta presented the Ghana information…

North Africa-focused oil company SDX Energy has terminated talks for a potential acquisition of assets in Egypt from the oil giant BP.A press release from SDX announced that further to the announcement made on September 20, 2018, discussions regarding its proposed acquisition of a significant package of assets in Egypt from BP have been terminated by mutual agreement.As the acquisition is no longer proceeding, the suspension of the company’s shares from trading on AIM will be lifted from 7:30 a.m. on October 18, 2018.

Headline rates for shipping liquefied natural gas (LNG) in Pacific and Atlantic basins stand at around $140,000 to $150,000 a day for a 160,000 cubic meter LNG tri-fuel diesel electric (TFDE) vessel, brokers say.That is a 6-year high and compares to Atlantic basin rates of $75,000 at the end of August and around $95,000 at the end of September.Rates have jumped due to supply from new plants, longer distances traveled and anticipation of higher prices prompting shippers to lock in longer-duration contracts."Charterers continue to lock in multi-month contracts ahead of the winter and we continue

Security guards aboard a Hong Kong-flagged cargo ship repelled an attack by pirates in a gunbattle off Somalia's coast this week, the European naval force in the region said on Friday.It was only the second reported attempt by Somali pirates to seize a commercial ship this year, after a resurgence of attacks in 2017 following years of relative calm brought about by regular patrols of the European Union Naval Force (EUNAVOR).On Tuesday, pirates approached and opened fire at the Hong Kong-flagged MV KSL Sydney freighter 340 nautical miles off Somalia…

A new mentorship scheme to encourage the next generation of women into the maritime sector has been launched at the annual conference of the Women in Maritime Association, Caribbean (WiMAC), which is being held in Belize City, Belize (October 16-19).This type of scheme is consistent with  International Maritime Organization (IMO)'s Women in Maritime program, which supports the participation of women in both shore-based and sea-going posts, in line with the goals outlined under…

The global provider of classification and technical advisory services to the marine and offshore industries ABS granted Approval in Principle (AIP) to Hyundai Heavy Industries’ (HHI) Standardized design for a Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) facility.Initially intended for operations in West Africa, HHI advises its standardized topside design is adaptive to a range of conditions, potentially offering reduced costs and shorter project timelines.“ABS is the world leader in Offshore and in FPSO classification.

Tilbury Port and the people that work there will play a major role in helping the UK to increase international trade after we leave the European Union.International Trade Secretary Dr Liam Fox visited Tilbury Port  to meet with port workers and management, as well as members of the Tilbury on the Thames Trust.Tilbury is the fastest growing port in the UK and a £1 billion investment programme will see the port employing 9,000 people by 2020, 3 times more than it did in 2012. One…

Indian Register of Shipping (IRClass), a leading international classification society, plans to further expand its operations into the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region with new offices in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt, Lebanon and Nigeria.The expansion plan underlines its commitment towards the growing number of customers from this region and enhances the classification society’s proximity to flag administrations, ship owners, shipyards and other stakeholders in the MEA region.Promoting its new strapline - ‘Your Partner in Maritime Risk Management’…

At least 17 migrants died in the space of 24 hours while trying to cross the sea from North Africa to Spain, and rescuers picked up more than 100 others, the Spanish coast guard said on Monday.Two rafts were found in the Western Mediterranean between the Iberian peninsula and Morocco and Algeria with 80 people aboard, and 13 dead. They were taken to the Spanish North African enclave of Melilla, the coast guard said.The coast guard also found four bodies and rescued 22 men in the Atlantic off the southern Spanish city of Cadiz.Spain has now become the main destination for undocumented migrants and refugees from Africa and the Middle East trying to reach Europe.More than 47,000 people made the treacherous journey to Spain, often on flimsy dinghies and rafts, between Jan. 1 and Oct.

Damen will present its new vessel leasing fund, which is specifically designed for African shipowners, at the first Damen Fishing Seminar being held in Cape Town, South Africa on November 22.Damen Finance Manager, Francesco Verschuren, who will speak at the Seminar and is a specialist in financing in Africa, comments: “The new fund is particularly interesting for smaller, private fishing vessel owners. We are using our years of experience to support them with their vessel financing based on a leasing agreement.” Damen has delivered more than 1…

Shiosai, a bulk carrier operated by NYK Bulkship (Atlantic) NV., rescued a distressed yachtsman on October 23 (local time) off the coast of Western Australia.While Shiosai was navigating in the southern Indian Ocean, the vessel received a call from the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre (JRCC) of Australia to cooperate with a search and rescue operation for a distressed yacht.The ship immediately headed to the instructed area, and in bad weather and heavy swells rescued a man in…

The European Union and the Global Maritime Crime Programme of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC GMCP) have a long and effective relation in building capacities to tackle maritime crimes.The EU and the Global Maritime Crime Programme of UNODC started partnering in 2010 to support Eastern African states (Kenya, Seychelles, Mauritius and Tanzania) prosecuting piracy incidents off the coast of Somalia.Currently, the EU and UNODC GMCP are jointly working on  capacity building support in Somalia…

Scandinavian based Shipping and Freight Forwarding company Martin Bencher expands in North America with an office in Vancouver, BC, Canada.A press release from the project logistics company quoted  Peter Thorsoe Jensen, CEO MB Group as saying: “North America is a very important project market for the Martin Bencher Group and with an office in Vancouver, BC, Canada, we are in a better position to service existing and new customers in the Pacific North West and throughout Canada.”“After 10 years of successful operation in the USA…

Kalmar, part of Cargotec, is to deliver two rubber-tyred gantry cranes (RTGs) to EUROGATE, Europe's leading shipping line-independent container terminal operator, for use in their Tanger S.A. terminal in Morocco.The order was booked in Cargotec's 2018 Q3 order intake, with delivery scheduled to take place during Q3 of 2019. The EUROGATE Tanger container terminal is conveniently located on the Strait of Gibraltar in Morocco, making it the ideal transhipment hub for the western Mediterranean…

Offshore geophysical firm Polarcus Limited said Thursday it has received an award for a 3D marine seismic acquisition project in West Africa.The award comprises two surveys of approximately three months each, with the first survey expected to commence Q2 2019 and the second survey Q4 2019.

Practical efforts to implement ship energy-efficiency measures and promote technology transfer are an integral part of International Maritime Organization (IMO)'s initial strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from ships.A press release from the UN-body said that this is embodied in the global network for energy-efficient shipping under the Global MTCC Network (GMN) project, funded by the European Union and run by IMO.Representatives from the five Maritime Technology Cooperation Centres (MTCCs) in the GMN network recently met for their second annual meeting (22-26 October) in London…

Oil and gas industry company TechnipFMC has signed a major Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) contract by Middle East Oil Refinery (MIDOR) for the modernization and expansion of their existing complex near Alexandria, Egypt.Middle East Oil Refinery (Midor), considered to be Africa's most advanced refinery, is a unit of Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation.This EPC contract covers the debottlenecking of existing units as well as the delivery of new units including a Crude Distillation Unit…