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FREIGHT & TRADING WEEKLY
FRIDAY 3 July 2009 NO. 1869
The Freight Community’s Weekly Newspaper for Import / Export decision makers – on subscription
Cape coast carnage! By Ray Smuts Something had to give, and it did, as a savage storm relentlessly pummelled the Cape coast last week, wreaking havoc on shipping, related operations and business in general. There were vessels running ground or coming close to it, breakdowns in mountainous seas, containers lost overboard and a toxic ‘threat’ as hazardous material washed
ashore along the Atlantic Seaboard. The upmarket seaside suburb of Sunset Beach – unwilling 26-day host to the stranded Maersk-chartered containership Sea-Land Express in August 2003, was almost in a similar dilemma on Tuesday (June 23) when the 243-metre long bulk carrier, Doce River, lying in Table Bay along with three others, started dragging her anchors. As the vessel came
perilously close – no more than 500 metres – from running aground, the crew feverishly managed to start the engine and she was ordered 20 miles out to sea by port authorities. Cape Town harbour master, Captain Ravi Naicker, believes the crew was not really monitoring the adverse weather when strong north-westerly winds and swells of up to six metres picked up. “It was close,” he says of what might have happened.
Another bulk carrier, Kiran, suffered engine failure, coming perilously close to the Kommetjie coast before being taken on tow by the salvage tug, Smit Amandla, and brought to the safe False Bay waters over the weekend. The 4 145TEU containership Safmarine Meru was en route from Port Elizabeth to Cape Town on June 23 when she hit gale force winds in excess of 100km/h (65 knots) and high seas of minimum
12-metre swells, resulting in 21 containers being swept overboard. The vessel immediately informed Cape Town port control and Cape Town Radio of the position of the stricken containers and a navigation warning was issued. Two containers holding highly toxic Class 6.1 chemical, Cresylic acid, were washed up at Camps Bay and Sea Point and a third spotted To page 8
An ‘Oscar-winning’ performance by logistics major There’s salvation from a tragic end for many of the world’s destitute dogs as the world’s largest international express delivery and supply chain solutions company, UPS, dedicates itself to doing its part to save these animals from abuse, starvation and death. “It is impossible to gauge just how many destitute dogs arrive
at animal shelters every year,” said Paul Horsfall, managing director of UPS South Africa. “However, one can bank on the fact that less than 25% of the world’s homeless dogs are never adopted and face a tragic end.” But, for some of these fourlegged friends, salvation comes from an unexpected source. To page 8
Oscar in Egypt ... 32 boxes containing leads and collars will be sent to all the organisations that Oscar and his two legged friend, Joanne Lefson, will visit around the world.
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