African Ladies Play Key Roles in Berthing Giant Containership
En route from the Far East, MSC Sola was guided into the Port of Ngqura by Xoliswa Bekiswa, who recently became the fourth black female marine pilot to obtain an open licence in South Africa, which allows her to help navigate vessels of any size and type into South African waters. Two tugs navigated by a team of all female tug masters escorted the vessel into port. At the previous port of call in South Africa, Durban, the ship was guided in by fellow female marine pilot, Bongiwe Mbambo…
MSC Chicago Charts New Waters for Durban
![Pinky Zungu, the marine pilot who guided the MSC Chicago into Durban. She recently made history with two others to become one of Africa’s first black, female marine pilots with an open licence allowing her to navigate vessels of any size and type into South African waters. [Photo by Terry Haywood]](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w200h200c/pinky-zungu-the-marine-pilot-6232.jpg)
The 9,178 TEU MSC Chicago has become the latest vessel to take advantage of the newly deepened and widened port entrance channel in the Port of Durban, one of Africa’s busiest and largest multi-service ports. The ship is now also the biggest to date to sail into South African waters. Last week the vessel arrived on its maiden voyage to the country en route from Europe and stopped at the Ports of Cape Town, Ngqura and finally Durban. The Port of Durban’s harbour widening and deepening project was completed in March 2010 and saw the channel depth increased from 12…
