South Africa News

Unique Group Acquires APAC Marine Unit

Integrated marine and subsea solutions provider Unique Group has announced the acquisition of the Australian-company Western Advance’s Marine Division.The provider of services and solutions for the offshore, subsea and life support industries also announced the appointment of Chris Forde as its new regional vice-president.Western Advance’s integration with Unique Group ties in with the Group’s strategy to enhance its portfolio of autonomous solutions for marine, offshore and subsea industry operations in the region.Harry Gandhi…

Nestlehutt tapped to lead SCI

The Seamen’s Church Institute of New York & New Jersey (SCI) selected Rev. Mark S. Nestlehutt as its new President & Executive Director, succeeding the Rev. David Rider, effective February 18, 2020.With more than two decades of church experience in Massachusetts, Illinois, Maryland, Australia and South Africa, Mark joins SCI from Washington Memorial Chapel in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania where he serves as Rector. His previous employment and interests include service as an officer in the U.S.

Amoil Appoints Margaritis MD

Amoil has appointed Alexandros Margaritis as Managing Director as of January 1, 2020.Margaritis brings 14 years of industry experience and has held previous positions in Singapore and Dubai respectively.Amoil was established in 1984 as the first independent bunker trading and supply service in South Africa.

China to invest billions in Brazilian Port

China will make a billion-dollar investment in the Brazilian port of Sao Luis via China Communications Construction Company, two sources with direct knowledge of the matter said on Wednesday.Speaking on condition of anonymity, the sources said the announcement will be made at the summit of leaders of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, the so-called BRICS group of emerging nations, who are meeting in the Brazilian capital for a two-day summit.The deal will be part of the largest foreign direct investment into Brazil this year…

DP World, Namibia's Nara Namib Sign MoU

Dubai based logistics giant DP World has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to develop a free economic zone for industry and logistics in Namibia.The port operator said the agreement with Namibia’s Nara Namib Free Economic Industrial Zone will support the growth of Namibia as a regional hub for southern Africa.The development will help Namibia grow as a center for industrial operations and logistics, creating opportunities and jobs across multiple sectors including agriculture…

Monjasa Expands to Angola

Danish bunker company Monjasa announced the opening of its first office in Luanda, Angola, to support the West Africa oil and shipping activities.Monjasa started supplying bunkers across West Africa in 2009 and since then, it has delivered a total of 10.6 million tonnes of fuel products across the region from the Gulf of Guinea to Namibia."Monjasa is currently enabling the IMO 2020 transition by making new low-sulfur marine fuel available across the region. Today, Monjasa is the leading supplier in West Africa measured on volume and a fleet of 10 tankers deployed in the region…

MOL Adds Southern Treasure to its Fleet

Japanese shipping company Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) has announced that the new scrubber-equipped wood chip carrier Southern Treasure has been delivered.The delivery ceremony for the 60,300 dwt vessel with with a cargo capacity of 4.3 million-cubic feet was held at Oshima Shipbuilding, Nagasaki Prefecture.MOL will operate the vessel, which transport wood chips for Hokuetsu Corporation, said a press release."The vessel is equipped with a SOx scrubber and Ballast Water Management System (BWMS) to comply with today's stricter environmental regulations…

VMS Group Expands into West Africa

The Danish maritime service company VMS Group A/S expands into West Africa opening a workshop in Walvis Bay, Namibia. A favorable location combined with a rapidly growing offshore market and fishing fleet creates huge potential for a strong, maritime cluster in this region.Being the only port with service facilities between Cape Town, South Africa, and the Canary Islands, Walvis Bay on the Namibian west coast is a key area for marine traffic in the Eastern Atlantic. This is the reason why VMS Group…

WISTA Re-elects Theodosiou as President

Women’s International Shipping and Trading Association (WISTA) announced that Despina Panayiotou Theodosiou (WISTA Cyprus), CEO of Tototheo Maritime, was re-elected to a second term as President.WISTA International elected Alexandra Anagnostis-Irons, President of Total Marine Solutions (WISTA USA) as Secretary, and Fabiana Simões Martins (WISTA Brazil), as Board Member, to the WISTA International Executive Committee at the 39th WISTA International Annual General Meeting on Grand Cayman on 30 October 2019.Naa Densua Aryeetey (WISTA Ghana)…

Mombasa Port to Upgrade Four Berths

Kenya's port of Mombasa will spend 20 billion shillings ($193 million) to modernize four berths to handle both container cargo and goods not packed in containers, the head of the state port operator said.The port, built in 1895, is the main trade gateway for the Eastern Africa region, serving Kenya and seven neighbors, including Uganda, Somalia, Rwanda and South Sudan.The investment is driven by growing demand for imported cargo in the region, where most economies are growing by at least 5% per year…

Siemens Gamesa Wins 250MW Gig in Egypt

Siemens Gamesa has pledged its further commitment to the growth of clean energy in Egypt through the construction of the 250 MW West Bakr Wind project which is owned by the renewable power generation company Lekela.Siemens Gamesa will install 96 SG 2.6-114 turbines through a turnkey EPC contract and will provide long term maintenance through a 15-year service agreement.Alfonso Faubel, SGRE Onshore CEO, said: “We are proud to have been selected to contribute to the ambitious goals in renewable energy the Government has set for the coming years.

PORT PROFILE: Big Baltimore

The Port of Baltimore is poised to muscle its way into the nation’s elite top 10 ports. How that happened really isn’t hard to understand. That’s because what comes next will be the dividend of many years of focused planning.The Port of Baltimore consists of state owned marine terminals managed by the MPA and privately owned marine terminals. Approximately 90 percent of all general cargo tons move through the MPA’s public terminals, while the private terminals handled most of the Port’s bulk commodities.In 2018, the Port of Baltimore (POB) experienced a record year in foreign cargo tons.

Grindrod Sells NWK Stake

South African freight and logistics company Grindrod signed an agreement to sell its 20.3% stake in grain services provider NWK to NWK Holdings for R204-million (USD 14 million).According to the press release, the sale is subject to the fulfillment of conditions precedent which is expected to be concluded by the end of the last quarter of 2019.During August 2019, Grindrod announced as part of its strategic review process, its intention to dispose of certain non-core businesses which included its agricultural investments in NWK and Senwes.Said Andrew Waller…

Aids to Navigation Training held in Cape Town

Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) successfully hosted another IALA Level 1.1 Aids to Navigation Manager training course for six participants from Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa and The Gambia. The course was held in Cape Town from 22 July to 16 August 2019.The Level 1.1 Aids to Navigation (AtoN) Manager training was developed by IALA, the International Association of Marine Aids to Navigation and Lighthouse Authorities. IALA is the only international body concerned with the provision of AtoNs at sea and on inland waterways…

Cape Town Damen Shipyards Joins WISTA

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…

New Shipbuilding Facility in Cape Town

Veecraft Marine, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Paramount Maritime Holdings and African-based global aerospace and technology company Paramount Group,  opened its new premises at a ceremony held in Cape Town. Veecraft Marine has manufactured more than 60  maritime platform solutions in various classes since its inception in 2002, totaling more than $130 million of contracts. Leveraging its specialization in the construction of 20 to 30 meter vessels, the company has secured an order book valued at more than $13.5 million.

Dan-Bunkering Staff Changes in Houston

Dan-Bunkering (America) has announced the promotion and employment of two staff members.William Cline was recently promoted to Team Leader Offshore Division. William was hired as Bunker Trader back in 2014 and has since his employment demonstrated excellent skills, especially within the offshore sector where he has been one of the key contributors to Dan-Bunkering’s growth within this particular market. As the company has clear intentions of further positioning its presence in the sector…

ONE Offers New African Service

Container lines Ocean Network Express (ONE) is launching a new service covering Africa, India and the Middle East (AIM).The new product will broaden ONE’s already expansive global coverage by offering direct port calls between West Africa, South Africa and key locations in West Asia.The new service will offer market leading transit times between the West Asian ports of Jebel Ali, Mundra, Nhava Sheva and Colombo and African ports of Durban, Cape Town, Tema, Tincan and Apapa.The AIM Service…

Hapag-Lloyd Launches New Africa Service

Hapag-Lloyd is expanding its African liner services and will offer its MIAX (Middle East-India-Africa Express) service starting in October 2019. It will include direct connections between the Arabian Gulf, India, Colombo (Sri Lanka), La Réunion, South Africa and West Africa.MIAX is integrated into the Global Mainline Network with the central ports Jebel Ali (Dubai) and Colombo. Hapag-Lloyd will operate MIAX jointly with Ocean Network Express.

Go-slow at Port Hits South African Car and Commodity Exports

A go-slow by workers at a major South African port is hitting exports of cars and other commodities, the country's Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan said on Thursday.State-owned rail operator Transnet said it had suspended a number of employees at its Ngqura Container Terminal for engaging in what it said was an illegal industrial action."We are getting reports of a go-slow at some of our ports which is beginning to (have an) impact on the export of vehicles from South Africa in particular but perhaps other commodities as well…

17.5 Tons of Cocaine found on Containership

A U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI)-led multi-agency examination of shipping containers at the Philadelphia seaport netted a historic load of cocaine, the largest cocaine seizure in the 230-year history of U.S. Customs and CBP, with an estimated weight of over 17.5 tons and a street value of about $1.1 billion.During a midstream joint boarding Sunday night, CBP, HSI, and U.S. Coast Guard authorities detected anomalies while examining seven shipping containers aboard the MSC Gayane…

Kadow tapped to head AGCS Marine

Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty SE  (AGCS) said that, effective July 1, 2019, Ulrich Kadow will be appointed as AGCS Global Head of Marine. Currently Chief Agent of AGCS Canada, Kadow will take over from current Global Head of Marine and Energy Simon Buxton, who is leaving Allianz. Until a successor in Canada is confirmed, Kadow will maintain a dual leadership role for both the country and Marine Line of Business responsibilities.Kadow has led AGCS’ Canadian business since May 2015, after originally joining AGCS in 2006.

Mariners Set to Strike at South African Ports

South Africa's transport workers union Satawu threatened a "total shutdown" at major ports across the country from Thursday after issuing a 48-hour strike notice for mariners over a payment dispute, the union said on Tuesday.The South African Transport and Allied Workers Union (Satawu) called the strike after negotiations with management became deadlocked over salary discrepancies between black and white mariners, with what it says are white mariners drawing higher salaries than their black counterparts…

Cape Town to Employ Helo Pilotage Transfers

Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) has taken the decision to introduce a helicopter service at its Port of Cape Town to transfer marine pilots onto and off visiting vessels. This would make the port one of three within the South African port landlord’s complementary port system that offer the service, the others being Durban and Richards Bay.TNPA expects to commission the helicopter in Cape Town in 2021, according to GM: Infrastructure and Port Planning, Hamilton Nxumalo.In…

Poor April for Seaborne Coal masks Better Market

Coal exporters suffered a poor April with seaborne volumes dropping from the previous month amid slack demand, but the overall picture for the industry so far this year isn't quite as gloomy as it may appear.April is not traditionally a strong month for coal demand as it falls between the winter and summer power demand peaks - declining seaborne volumes are to be expected.It's also worth noting that the world's top coal exporters have managed to boost shipments on a year-on-year basis…

Miami Delegation Returns to Port of Cape Town

Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) welcomed a high-level delegation from the Miami-Dade County in the United States for a tour of South Africa’s second busiest port, the Port of Cape Town, on Tuesday, March 26, 2019. The visit formed part of the Miami-Dade Business Development Mission to South Africa from March 24 to March 27, 2019.The Miami-Dade delegation was led by Ms Audrey M. Edmonson, Chairwoman of the Miami-Dade County Commission. She was joined by senior representatives of entities including Miami-Dade Aviation Department…