Maritime Review: 20th Anniversary Issue

MANAGING EDITOR:

Colleen Jacka editor@maritmesa.co.za

ADMIN & ACCOUNTS:

Lesley Jacka admin@maritmesa.co.za

ADVERTISING SALES: INTERNATIONAL & NATIONAL admin@maritmesa.co.za 021 914 1157

OFFICE: 021 914 1157

POSTAL ADDRESS: PO Box 3842 Durbanville 7551

COPYRIGHT: No content published in Maritme Review Africa may be reproduced in any form without writen permission of the editor. Inclusion of any products in features or any product news does not indicate their endorsement by the publishers or staf. Opinions expressed in the editorial are not necessarily those of the publishers, editors or staf of the magazine.

Every efort is made to check the content for errors, omissions or inaccuracies, but the authors, publishers and contributors connected with the magazine will not be held liable for any of these or for consequences arising from them.

THEME | Two Decades of Maritime Publishing

COVERED

20 YEARS OF MARITIME PUBLISHING 04 „ Incident Response

Project Reviews

People and Events

Fishing News

POINTS OF INTEREST

CHOKEPOINTS 12

While there have been signifcant reasons to celebrate over the last two decades, it would not be accurate to document the last 20 years without highlightng some of the recurring themes that contnue to act as chokepoints in the subsectors. Unfortunately, these remain related to sectors that can ill aford the contnued stalemate that hinders the artculated goals of potentally promotng both economic growth as well as job creaton and stability in some of the maritme sub-sectors.

WAYPOINTS 20

Brian Ingpen outlines some of the many waypoints along South Africa’s maritme journey.

HIGH POINTS 30

Debbie Owen provides 20 high points and milestones at the Lawhill Maritme Academy.

LAUNCHED

CATAMARANS 38

Published by More Maximum Media

Vanessa Davidson investgates how South Africa managed to dominate the global catamaran market and claim the positon as the second largest catamaran producer in the world.

Fleet investment delivers tough tugs

Two decades of naval acquisitons

West Coast GRP builders

Fisheries patrol vessels

Celebratng a decade of service

NSRI feet bolsters local capacity

WOMEN IN MARITIME

AN EXCITING TIME

The 2021 Women in Maritme Survey results published by the Internatonal Maritme Organisaton (IMO) and Women’s Internatonal Shipping & Trading Associaton (WISTA) on 18 May reveals a changed gender landscape over the past two decades. Clare Gomes reports back. „ In memoriam

„ Industry embraces Internatonal Day for Women in Maritme

BY ASSOCIATION

56

Our cover and back cover aim to provide a snapshot of the stories from the last two decades.

REPRESENTING THE INDUSTRY 60

The South African maritme industry and its sub-sectors are represented by a plethora of organisatons, associatons and insttutes that range from professional bodies to clusters and business chambers. In additon to those that were established during the last century, many more have launched in recent years. While one could argue that the vast maritme landscape requires the input of each and every associaton and organisaton – there is a case to be made to address the overlapping mandates that they share. Colleen Jacka explores the landscape.

COMPANIES

START-UPS AND STALWARTS 65

The maritme landscape ofers a challenging environment for both new and established companies.

While there have been some notable new additons – the industry has also seen the demise of previously infuental names such as DCD Dorbyl, Globe Engineering, Eraco, Safmarine and more. To their credit, many other stalwarts contnue to survive in the challenging environment. „ African Marine Solutons „ South African Internatonal Maritme Insttute

Hydac Technology

The South African Journal of Maritme Transport is a special supplement published by the Department of Transport in recogniton of their hostng of the World Maritme Day Parallel Event in Durban during October 2022.

TWENTY YEARS

tTwenty years is a long time

Twenty years is a long tme, and the history of the maritme industry over this period is captured on the pages of previous editons of Maritme Review in what I believe is a valuable resource. It is, therefore, with some regret that we were forced to transiton to a purely digital format in 2021. Going forward, we aim to seek appropriate opportunites to publish physical copies, but the majority of our content will appear online. We are, however, commitng to at least one printed copy a year. The content of this special publicaton will be writen to create a tmeless editon centred around a specifc theme.

Twenty years is a long tme, and it is almost impossible to curate a single limited page publicaton that truly does justce to the people and companies that have toiled within the maritme sector over this tme. We have, however, atempted to provide a snapshot of highlights and milestones over this period, but acknowledge that there are gaps. We need to pick up some of this content on our digital platorms to debate where the industry stll needs to focus its atenton.

Twenty years is a long tme, and it is unlikely that I will be scribing an editorial comment two decades hence, but I would like to see an industry that has achieved its ambitous goals for economic growth and job creaton – as well as one that has risen to the challenges of climate change by decreasing its carbon footprint.

Twenty years is a long tme to rely on industry support, but we are grateful for the partnerships that contnue to sustain our existence. Our intenton is to contnue to evolve as a platorm within the maritme sector and we are excited about a new business model that we will be launching for 2023 – a model that we antcipate will ensure the survival of the ttle beyond our ownership. We will begin to actvely pursue succession strategies within the next few years that helps maintain a dedicated maritme media platorm.

Twenty years is a long tme, but it is also a short blip on the radar of the South African maritme industry, and I feel privileged to have been a part of this era.

Twenty years is a long tme and my hair is signifcantly more grey than it was at our launch functon in April 2002. Publishing deadlines, business challenges and the changing media landscape have all contributed to this accelerated aging process in my opinion.

Colleen Jacka, editor editor@maritimesa.co.za

Take a look at our Facebook album of our launch functon held at the Oceana Power Boat Club in April 2002 and see if you recognise anyone.

COMMENT

Covering the maritme industry 2002- 2022

INCIDENT RESPONSE |

As one of the frst countries to employ the services of a Dedicated Emergency Tug programme, South Africa has been able to respond to a number of challenging incidents along our coastline over the last 20 years. From the very visible Maersk Sealand Express that grounded in Table Bay to the Jolly Rubino that foundered along a hard-to-access secton of our coastline - our salvage sector has stepped up to mitgate the loss of life as well as damage to the environment.

In the early days, the coastline was serviced by two standby tugs, the Wolraad Woltemade and the John Ross (now the Amandla). Wolraad Woltemade was retred, and AMSOL has recently brought in the Umkhuseli (see the image on the lef). The future of the tug programme is under consideraton as a tender for the building of new tugs to take over the service was issued recently, but has not been fnalised.

PROJECT REVIEWS |

The many project reviews that we have published over the last two decades have showcased a ship repair sector that is capable of providing skilled services to casualtes, refurbishment projects, scheduled maintenance and survey work.

Some of the casualtes have delivered interestng and challenging work to repair yards including the Nino and Cape Africa - where major steelwork had to be undertaken to ensure the vessels could contnue their journeys at sea.

The sector has faced challenges, however, from lack of investment in port facilites to the feast and famine nature of the industry. These challenges have seen the demise of major companies such as DCD Dorbyl and Globe Engineering.

Atractng ofshore oil and gas platorms became a focus for the sector in the early 2000s, with some signifcant success. However a downturn in the oil sector has impacted plans associated with the development of dedicated facilites such as A Berth in the Port of Cape Town as well as the Saldanha Bay Industrial Development Zone.

PEOPLE & EVENTS |

To describe the last two decades as eventul would be an understatement. Trying to decide what to highlight is an almost impossible task.

The many conferences and exhibitons have brought local, contnental and internatonal maritme stakeholders together. From the, now defunct, Fish Africa and the Natonal Maritme Conference to more recent workshops and seminars - there has been much opportunity to discuss future ambitons for the many sub-sectors of the maritme industry.

A number of Awards Ceremonies have also been added to the calendar including the Seafarer of the Year (launched in 2010) that evolved into the Maritme Industry Awards; hosted by the magazine and industry sponsors - most notably the South African Maritme Safety Authority (SAMSA)

Vessel launches have also kept us busy and you can read more about the signifcant vessels that have entered into service over the last 20 years later in

this publicaton. From the mammoth SA Agulhas II a decade ago that was built in Finland, to the more recently delivered frst of three Mult-Mission Inshore Patrol Vessels that were delivered to the Navy this year - South Africa has welcomed a feet of quality new platorms into service.

Another type of launch event has also highlighted how South Africa plans to develop its blue economy. The launch of the South African Internatonal Maritme Insttute (SAIMI), and the establishment of the South African Maritme Training Academy (SAMTRA) are key developments within the educaton and training space, for example.

In additon, policy and strategies such as Operaton Phakisa in 2014 and the Comprehensive Maritme Transport Policy in 2017 highlight how the country has tried to cure its "sea-blindness".

During COVID-19 pandemic the industry became used to engaging online with the launch of regular webinars including our own Maritme Industry Dialogue sessions.

FISHING NEWS |

Thanks to the contributons from the well-respected fsheries journalist, Claire Ward, the magazine has included coverage of the important fshing sector. A number of fshing boats have been profled over the years as companies have taken delivery of both new and refurbished vessels.

Fisheries management has claimed many pages over the years as we monitored the Fishing Rights Applicaton Processes that have unfolded in a number of rounds - a topic that contnues to plague the sector as the government department involved has come under fre for their lack of commitment to ensure a smooth process. More recent developments have seen an emphasis on aquaculture as well as the need to include small scale fsheries into a formalised sub sector.

We must acknowledge, however, that over the last few years our coverage of this sector has been diminished. The current FRAP challenges are, however, on our radar and our intenton is to rectfy our focus on this sector going forward.

CHOKEPOINTS

Changing course for smoother sailing

While there have been signifcant reasons to celebrate over the last two decades, it would not be accurate to document the last 20 years without highlightng some of the recurring themes that contnue to act as chokepoints in the sub-sectors. Unfortunately, these remain related to sectors that can ill afford the contnued stalemate that hinders the artculated goals of potentally promotng both economic growth as well as job creaton and stability in some of the maritme sub-sectors.

That the ports are at a centre of at least two of these recurring themes is also unfortunate, but it is antcipated that the imminent corporatsaton of the

Natonal Ports Authority will help address some of the inerta. Putng cynicism aside, one can only hope that this is indeed the case. South Africa’s ability to operate an efcient port system

that meets the needs of all port users is critcal to the successful delivery of many of the country’s ambitons within government strategy and policy.

The unfortunate roll out of the Fishing Rights Applicatons Process (FRAP) both during this round of allocatons as well as during previous rounds, provided substance to the critcisms levelled against the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment both under Tina Joemat-Petersson as well as the current minister, Barbara Creecy. 

Repairing the damage

Many of the challenges being faced by the ship repair sector are directly related to the lack of investment in routne maintenance by Transnet Natonal Ports Authority (TNPA) in their ship repair facilites. The lack of ongoing management of these facilites, has resulted in a direct loss of business for the sector that relies heavily on port facilites.

Seen as a life jacket for the industry, Operaton Phakisa, sadly defated hopes further as the tmelines associated with infrastructure repair and maintenance seemed to sufer from an insidious ability to periodically reset to day zero.

Now, some eight years afer the incepton of the quick-results interventon promised by Phakisa, major drydocking facilites stll sit without the much-needed investment in suitable cranes – despite this being identfed as one of the earlier outcomes on the dashboard. First we had the economic downturn to pin our excuses on and then the COVID-19 pandemic, but the unequivocal truth is that we should have progressed more steadily than we have.

In 2015, just one year afer Operaton Phakisa was launched, the industry highlighted the need to address the tmelines. Even then, these were seen as being too long – and now seven years later, many contnue to stretch well into the future.

TNPA presented revised tmelines to the industry during the course of 2019 at various stakeholder meetngs citng decreased number of vessels calling at ports and the recalculated projectons for the country’s economic growth potental as reasons for the shif in deadlines.

What makes it all the more disturbing is the long history of

mediatons between industry and TNPA that have been ongoing for at least two decades.

During this tme the TNPA has behaved much like a belligerent partner – intermitently promising to do beter, but not living up to these undertakings. This is despite admitng in one of their presentatons that the “current ship repair operatng model is not sustainable”.

In November 2004, for example, the Cape Town industry held a two-day workshop under the mediaton of Peter Thomas to address concerns. As an outcome, a SWOT analysis was developed, and a ship repair cluster established. That cluster is now defunct; most of the weaknesses and threats remain, and some of the opportunites and strengths are at risk of being lost.

Fast forward a few years and the industry once again had a carrot of hope dangled in front of them in the form of a proposal from TNPA to privatse the ship repair facilites in all of the ports. By April 2011, the industry was stll waitng for a response to their bids and soon thereafer TNPA abandoned the plan altogether.

One cannot help but wonder whether the current maintenance programme under Initatve 5 would even be necessary had that proposal succeeded to make maintenance and refurbishment the responsibility of industry.

One industry observer stll believes that this is the way forward. “I am sure that TNPA will have to go this route if the Phakisa development ideals are to be realised. The operaton of State-Owned port facilites has run aground,” he said.

A Secton 56 opportunity

Interestngly, TNPA seems to have woken up to the same realisaton. During September this year they issued a request for informaton from interested partes to invest in the development of modern ship repair facilites in the Port of Durban in order to positon the port as an atractve destnaton for repairs on the global market.

The bid document notes that the ship repair industry in the Port of Durban has not evolved in line with global trends, hampering the ability of the industry to maintain its market positon or atract new business. Again, it should be stated that this is a situaton that could have been avoided had the sector’s proposals been more adequately considered.

One can only hope that this request for informaton has more teeth than the more extensive calling made in earlier years for the operaton of all the TNPA facilites.

“In the event that, RFI Responses, submited by Respondents indicate good prospects for the envisaged Concession, the TNPA will issue an RFP, for the appointment of Facility Operators to undertake the Concession, as provided for in secton 56 of the Natonal Ports Act,” the document states.

"Secton 56 of the Ports Act permits TNPA to enter into an

agreement with any person in terms of which that person, for the period and in accordance with the terms and conditons of the agreement, is authorised to: design, construct, rehabilitate, develop, fnance, maintain or operate a port terminal or port facility, or provide services relating to its operaton."

The latest call for informaton focuses on the Bayhead Park Precinct within the Port of Durban where several facilites already exist that are currently being used mainly for marine manufacturing and repair.

The precinct consists of a 352m long and 32m wide Dry Dock (Prince Edward Graving Dock), and over 2,000 metres of quay length, used for wet repairs and docking of foatng docks and a slip lane.

One has to admit to a hint of irony when reading the full document. “If Port of Durban shipyards are able to ofer large capacity facilites with specialist skills at compettve prices, there is a clear opportunity to increase the size and number of vessels

to be repaired each year,” TNPA notes in the document.

Given the pronouncement made during Operaton Phakisa by the Department of Trade, Industry and Competton (DTIC), that the port authority had essentally sidelined investment in marine manufacturing within the current (2014) Market Demand Strategy, this bid seems rather overdue. The call to align Transnet’s corporate plans with the needs of the ship repair sector is now more necessary than ever.

This development, notwithstanding, one can only hope that future artcles writen about the ship repair facilites in South African ports will show a clear trajectory towards improvement in the near future. Because, as we hurtle towards 2025, what is unsetling is a warning in red on one of the original Phakisa presentatons which reads: “If SA Inc waited untl 2025/26 there would no longer be an industry (marine engineering) – other compettors in Africa would have grabbed our market share”. ß

TOP AND ABOVE RIGHT: The focus on much overdue maintenance in the drydock facilites got underway over the last two years. Additonal investment is needed however, and the recent call for informaton from TNPA for interested partes to operate the Durban ship repair facilites will be well-received.

ABOVE LEFT: The privately-owned foatng dock for Dormac helped add capacity to ship repair facilites in Durban.

Interestngly, TNPA seems to have woken up to the same realisaton. During September they issued a request for informaton from interested partes to invest in the development of modern ship repair facilites in the Port of Durban in order to positon the port as an atractve destnaton for repairs on the global market.

Port ability

Port efciencies have long been an issue of concern for port users. Interventons made by the Ports Regulator of South Africa as well as the actvites of the Port Consultatve Commitee have helped to highlight that there is a performance gap that has not been adequately addressed by Transnet Natonal Ports Authority (TNPA). As stakeholders wartch South African ports slip down the rankings of world ports; politcians, importers and exporters have all issued statements lamentng the status quo.

Many industry forums are notceably lacking in TNPA input. The simple truth is that without a major course correct, the ports performance is sadly detractng from ambitous goals to grow the country’s blue economy. There are precious few maritme sub-sectors that do not rely on the efcient workings of the port to succeed.

It’s now over two years since the Minister of Transport said that the process to corporatse Transnet Ports Authority as stpulated by the Natonal Ports Act, 2005 was gaining momentum – yet aspiratons set for

April of this year have come and gone without the process being completed.

In the same 2019 budget speech, the Minister also reiterated that the various regulators in the transport sector would be consolidated into one regulator. This is yet to materialise.

Operaton Vulindlela was announced in October 2020 with the goal of fast tracking the delivery of economic reforms. In terms of Vulindlela, the target for Parliament to pass the Economic Regulaton of Transport Bill was in July last year with the aim to establish a business plan for a single transport regulator due to have been achieved by March this year.

Vulindlela has set the target of December 2023 to fnalise the

corporatsaton of TNPA.

At the tme, the Department of Public Enterprises had already issued a tender for proposals to conduct a study on the impact that separatng the Ports Authority from the State Owned Enterprise of Transnet would have on the enttes.

That this was only being considered in 2019 when the Ports Act had stpulated this as a requirement, seems rather like the tail wagging the dog.

Nipping it

The gazetng of the Natonal Infrastructure Plan 2050 (NIP 2050) was a welcome development in August of last year. The plan highlights the current high port tarifs as well as low efciencies, and suggests these are harming the country’s compettve positoning.

“South Africa’s port efciency generally lags behind global averages which is adding to the high cost of logistcs and is eroding the compettveness of South Africa’s economy through the elevated total cost of transport. Many of these problems have been atributed to the monopolistc nature of port operatons for key segments

such as container terminals and automotve terminals which are provided by Transnet Port Terminals. Steps must be taken to promote a more compettve environment in port terminal operatons,” it notes.

NIP 2050 identfes the Port of Durban for positoning as a global shipping hub and suggests a review of the investments that need to be made to achieve this objectve. In additon, a strategic shif to ensure that South

Creatng a diversion

Forwarding and Clearing agents have had to chase containers and cargo from one port to the other as port delays result in last minute changes to shipping schedules. Reportng on such issues date back to the incepton of the magazine in 2002 and before.

That provincial MECs are stll issuing statements in this regard is worrying, especially as year afer year, TNPA ofcials report back to port users at roadshows hosted by the Ports Regulator of South Africa that they are devising new plans that include massive investments in equipment, training and services.

It is true that there has been a steady fow of new cranes, gantries, work boats, tugs and, more recently, helicopters to assist with pilot transfer – but

the reality is that this does not seem to be translatng into tangible gains despite what press releases issued by the authority may say.

Situatons where vessels have had to wait outside ports for two weeks have had signifcant impact on importers who sometmes have to wait for more than a month to receive containers. The knock-on efect of severe congeston within the port precinct as trucks queue for hours to load or ofoad containers also impacts other port users atemptng to go about their business.

Some headway was made in this regard in the Port of Durban where a task team was established to work on alleviatng congeston through the introducton of a truck booking system. A mandatory automated truck booking system was implemented at the Durban Container Terminal in 2020. It was later introduced at other terminals.

Speaking at the tme, Moshe Motlohi, General Manager at the Port of Durban, said that the booking system aimed to provide port intelligence relatng to expected arrival of trucks in order to deploy resources more efectvely.

“This interventon is to sync the depot operatons with the terminal operatons, to ensure

alignment and that trucks are dispatched accordingly for cargo to be collected even during less popular hours, such as weekends and afer hours. That would reduce congeston in traditonal peak periods,” he said.

Capex

One of the other issues that port users feel needs to be more fervently addressed is that of the lack of delivery on approved CAPEX spend – a concern that was exacerbated by the impact of the COVID-19 lockdown. According to input at the port roadshows, this can be atributed to non-awards and governance issues in some cases.

The reality is that port users remain frustrated at the lack of delivery of essental projects and are concerned that further delays will afect future efciencies as well as reduce the overall compettveness of South African ports even further.

The Authority did not spend approximately 42.5 percent (R125.4m) of the maintenance budget in FY 2020/21, due to amongst others, delays atributable to COVID-19 Lock Down; and deferment of scheduled layup actvites due to sourcing challenges.

Against this backdrop, TNPA has announced the Transnet 

“South Africa’s port efciency generally lags behind global averages which is adding to the high cost of logistcs and is eroding the compettveness of South Africa’s economy through the elevated total cost of transport. Many of these problems have been atributed to the monopolistc nature of port operatons for key segments such as container terminals and automotve terminals which are provided by Transnet Port Terminals. Steps must be taken to promote a more compettve environment in port terminal operatons,” it notes.

ABOVE: Port Congeston problems contnue to plague both the Port of Durban and the Port of Cape Town. A truck booking system in the Port of Durban has, however, helped alleviate the issue to some efect.

Segment Strategy which presumably replaces the Market Demand Strategy (2012) which morphed into Transnet 4.0 and was then reintroduced as the Game Changer Strategy in 2020. At the Port Consultatve Commitee engagements last year TNPA described how the Game Changer Initatve would ultmately align corporate investments with customer needs as well as build in-house capacity for planning.

Launched in April 2012, the Market Demand Strategy (MDS) commited to spend R300 billion on capital projects over the following seven-year period. It acknowledged South Africa’s historical under investment in infrastructure that was inhibiting the economic growth of the country.

In 2018, however, TNPA, admited their slow response to technology change and in their 2018 Integrated Report highlighted the shif from MDS to Transnet 4.0: “Our customer surveys have shown that we are stll slow to respond to their fast changing requirements, which is a combined factor of our systems, customer support structures and our organisatonal culture, all of which need to undergo a fundamental transformaton in the context of Transnet 4.0. We are actvely leveraging technological advancements to improve operatonal efciency and develop the culture and mindset to be a benefciary of the changes we are observing,” the document read.

Partnering with the private sector

In the 1990’s when I frst started reportng on the maritme sector, industry conferences were abuzz with the noton of privatsaton within the port system. Privatsaton soon became a blasphemous expression as unions naturally weighed in and expressed concern about the impact on port workers. The fear centred around the noton that private companies would seek improved efciencies by increasing automaton and laying of staf.

Internatonal companies were eager to present their expertse and experience in port operaton and were lining up to sponsor conferences and use these platorms as advertorials. And even as the tone of the conversaton shifed from privatsaton to concessioning, these companies contnued to express their interest in the investment opportunites. Build Operate Transfer (BOT) strategies were conceptualised by well-paid consultants and transacton advisors, but there was modest tracton.

Now we are once again pinning our hopes on Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) and Minister Gordhan uses words like “hopeful” that there will be an appette for foreign investment.

The extent of state capture uncovered by the Zondo Commission as well as the recent unrest that spilled over into the entre logistcs network should

make him less than hopeful. In additon, the recent decline in certain port volumes may also further dash that optmism.

“We need to work harder to create an investment climate to atract investment,” said Gordhan acknowledging the critcal need to instl the right expertse and “bold leadership”. The Transnet Chair conceded that access to funding was becoming increasingly difcult and that “creatve ways are needed to unlock capital to atract foreign investment and funding”.

September saw the release of documents calling for partes to express interest in operatng a bulk liquid terminal as well as a mult-purpose terminal in the Port of Durban. Secton 56 of the Natonal Ports Act provides for the appointment of a concessionaire to operate infrastructure within the port systems. Secton 56 agreements usually include the lease of land and infrastructure as well as the right to operate the port terminal or facility.

The bids close later this year and it will be interestng to ascertain the level of interest that exists for such opportunites.

Looking ahead to a future that does not include dismal headlines of port inefciencies, the milestones that have been set need to be adhered to. Without this commitment, it will be impossible not to see South African ports slip further down global port rankings in the future. ß

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WAYPOINTS

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Entering service between 1977 and 1979, nine containerships once operated on the inital South Africa-Europe Container Service (SAECS). When trade sanctons against South Africa reduced cargo volumes, the feet dwindled to the four iconic Safmarine “Big Whites”, one bearing the Deutsche Afrika Linien colours. In the post-apartheid shipping boom, cargo volumes increased, expanding the number of SAECS ships on the trade, some operatng under new names - P&O Nedlloyd (a conglomerate of Britsh and Dutch interests that had been part of SAECS) and the Copenhagen-based Maersk Line that later would absorb P&O Nedlloyd (1996) and Safmarine (1999).

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ABOVE: MSC has become the dominant cruise ship operator along the South African coast. MSC Sinfonia is shown at Cape Town’s Passenger terminal in 2019.

Photo: Brian Ingpen

Although few local people could aford to travel in her, visits to South African ports by the grand 294-metre Queen Elizabeth 2 (QE 2) were eagerly awaited. QE 2 called regularly at Cape Town and Durban during her worldwide cruising schedules from 1969 to 2008 when she was sold to Dubai interests and currently serves as a foatng hotel at that city’s waterfront.

In er o ners unar ar o e arn al rou n ro uce e e en larger Queen Mary a a e er rs s o ou r ca n arac ng ass e u l c n eres no seen s nce e las sa l ngs o e n on as le a ls s n e s e nor all n rans gen a e o n ar our secur o c als o ene e

rea a er or e cro s o a c er lea e s s e ne Queen Elizabeth and Queen Victoria a e also rece e uc a en on l oug e nu er o cru se s s call ng a local or s rose re ar a l n e os a are ears e co an a ng e grea es con r u on o

e local cru se sec or s ru ses ose rs s o o era e coas al an n an cean cru ses ro ur an Achille Lauro as es ro e re en rou e o ou r ca n eceer a a cr s s ousan s o eo le a oo e cru ses or er ou r can sc e ule an a re lace en s Symphony a e co an a een urc ase s or l e ore Achille Lauro’s loss as resse n o ser ce o co le e an e ens e re a a egun n al s r g s an o er ar sans ca e sou n er or ng roun e cloc so a on arr al n ur an e s as al os rea or er rs ou r can cru se

o n ng er n e ee n as e cru se s Monterey an al os e a el ca e o ou r ca or e su er cru se season carrng nearl assengers er o age along e coas an o o a ue oon Rhapsody (a or er unar cru se s a also o ne e ee o ro e a onal er s or ou rcan cru se assengers ng a e larger cru se ar e oo an n er ea e s e n a rec on en

n urc ase e or er o e ne essel Atlantc ree er e ens el an rena e er Melody

s e glo al cru se n us r losso e sol s ol er s s o con nue s ues o en er e glo al large s cru se league urc as ng MSC Opera, MSC Harmonia, MSC Sinfonia and MSC Lirica eac carr ng o er assengers ur ng su s an al re s a sa eac essel leng ene e r co leen as ncrease o o er assengers ollo ng ull oo ngs an a r ng cru se sec or e an e s ee e en larger s s en ng one o ese o ern lu ur ous essels o ou r ca or e su er season en ousan s en o e o ages a oar e s s es a l s e sel as e a n cru se o era or along e ou r can coas sc e ules e en ng o o aue n an cean slan s an o a an or s onus ca e o n erna onal ra elers en e co an o ere re uce ares or e re os on ng oages e een e erranean or s an ou r ca n c o er eac ear as ell as on e nor oun assage usuall n r l

e long an c a e cus o es gne assenger er nals n ur an an a e o n a e en ance cru se o era ons aloug ser ous conges on occurs n a e o n en s s arr e o se ar assengers an o e ar a s lar nu er or e ne cru se e ar ng on e sa e a

e o an e c cons gne cru se s s o la u all o er e orl MSC Orchestra anc ore o ur an or ee s or una el as e an e c rece e e cru se n us r rea a ene an ou r can cru ses resu e ß

Por o g ura

I

n es ga e n e s as a oss le s e or an ron ore e or er nal en e e s ng ac l es n Por l a e eca e oo s all or e olu es o ore o e s e an oo s allo or a es e essels e area aroun g ura as scoun e n a our o al an a a ere an ore er nal egan o era ng n ur er sur e s ere one a e g ura n connec on e o enal o e s e or o er neral e or s an n cons ruc on egan os ens l on a ul or en no anc or ac coul e secure or e e a e n erlan s role as re e ne an or egan on a ang o eco e a ee a er con a ner u MSC Catania as e rs co erc al essel o er a e or on c o er o sc arge con a ners e or no as our con a ner er s an o general cargo ul er s a a er e o e res allo ng large con a ners s o en er an or alongs e l oug a a e een re era le an c ea er o e an e Por l a e on a ner er nal an es e g ura su er ng ro n ela s o con a ner o era ons s e elo en as a con a ner u an a con a ner or or so e au eng cargoes as een success ul s use as a ul or as ell as an or o n or ro ec cargoes as also een sa s ac or le e a acen n us r al e elo en one as e an e s ul an l ng ac l es ll nclu e a anganese er nal o re lace e e s ng ac l a Por l a e s a er e ll allo Pana a s s o er en a e ro c e cal er nal s u l a g ura e curren an er er nal a Por l a e ll close ur er re uc ng a or s range o ac es ß

The general cargo quays in Ngqura, the busy deepwater port about 10 nautcal miles north-east of the Port Elizabeth breakwater light.

Photo: Brian Ingpen

ABOVE:

LEFT: Queen Elizabeth 2 arriving in Cape Town during one of her world cruises.

Photo: Andrew Ingpen

ug e lace en Progra es

Are olu on n ar our ug o era on egan n e s as our g l anoeu ra le ne genera on essels o c ne er ro uls on s s e s re lace so e o e ol s ea ugs so e o c a een o era ng n ou r can ar ours s nce e la e s ugs o er ro uls on s s e s suc as ree a anese u l ugs a ser e n Por l a e an c o el ugs a ere u l n ur an also en ere ser ce aroun a e e s c o o n rec onal essels as e rs co or na e ug re lace en rogra e n local ar ours or ears onal ugs ere u l o ser e e ne or o c ar s a ere a es e ul ers a egun call ng o loa coal le large an ers an ul ers n allas ere un er ng or re tng a so e ou r can or s ree ra el o ne o c ne er ugs ere u l o n rance an one n ur an o an le e ore carr ers n al an a a e a en n ou r can or s o large g s e con a ners s ulnera le n s rong n also as ene e s c o o n rec onal ugs e success o e n al o n rec onal ugs le e arour au or o or er our on ollar ull ugs ro e or l s ar n ur an e r genera on o ar our ugs a on ollar ull egan en er ng ser ce n an la er a n ne ug or er e our genera on o o n rec onal ugs as lace a ur an s ar nl e g en ere ser ce a nl o re lace ol er essels u also o ro e co erage or e Por o g ura ß

LEFT:

TOP RIGHT:

ABOVE: Umbilo (built in Durban in 2017) is one of the latest tugs constructed in a nine-tug building programme, but only eight were delivered.

elena er ce goes a r orne

Te e ar ure o e o ular RMS St Helena ro a e o n on anuar close a un ue an o ular ser ce a a l n e a e o n elena an scens on slan s or ears or an ears e slan s ere ser e a nl n on as le ne s n er e a e essels u on e r ra al n on as le sc e ule calls so e o s a ls s an n e s u l e no cargo a ls s Southampton Castle and Good Hope Castle or e elena an scens on slan ser ce e e r s ee allo e e o a n a n e s r c a l sc e ule ollo ng e er na on o e ou a on ou r ca a l ser ce n c o er e a en o age o St Helena n eral e a ne ser ce or e cargo an assenger nee s o e slan s e la er St Helena a rac e assengers ro ar an e an oo ng e r o ages o e slan n an c a on o e rac ng e un ue s or o elena le en o ng e a s eac a on s s ec al s e een a e o n an e slan e slan s u ure econo s s conclu e la no n a ne s u n larger nu ers o ours s s ng e slan a l e econo s s coul no easure e s ec al a eal o s re ar a le essel anne os l slan ers an ers ng assengers n e slan s r e a el e oar e n ee e s as an n egral ar er a s e cen ral ar o e elena slan e er ence or egan o u l an a r or es e scares rela ng o a ar ous n s ear e er ence es g s o e a r or e rs co erc al g lan e on e slan la e n en s e le a e o n on er nal assenger carr ng o age an re ec e ee nos alg a on e orl s las real lue a er assenger ser ce a s l s o e e s all re g er Helena no o es cargo o e slan s ß

TOP

The coal-burning steam tug RB Waterston working with the new omni-directonal tug J.H. Botha to turn the Portuguese motorship Carvalho Araujo in Cape Town’s Duncan Dock circa 1975.

The Port Elizabeth tugs Imont and Shiraz, photographed in 2009.

Photos: Brian Ingpen

BELOW: The Royal Mail Ship St Helena sails from Cape Town for St Helena Island. Photo Brian Ingpen

e se o e coas al ser ces

A fascinatng history surrounds the South African coastal shipping services. Thesen’s Steamship Company’s small coasters loaded in Cape Town, mainly for west coast ports as far north as Walvis Bay.

Te r s allo raug allo e so e o ose coas ers o ener Por ollo o sc arge uel or e s ng ee an or e a on n ng o era ons an a e range o consu er goo s or e sola e or er a er s a an al an a a an occas onall s all etes a elena a ere a ong e es na ons or ese s s a ro ra e un er e n corn colours a er s are ransac ons sa esen s ser ces a sor e n o n corn s o era ons

roug e erger o r can oas ers an s co e or s oas ers e or aon o n corn nes n e s ra onal se coas al ser ces oun or a e or s essels le ur an ull la en e er ro ers ro uc s sugar an ne s r n re urn ng canne oo s ro uc s l uor an ro Por l a e

res an o er e cle ar s o ro ser ces also o e cars along e coas

or an l e ou r can agge coas ers nu er ng a ou s s a one s age elo e ou r can cre s an use local ser ces us rong goo re urns o assoc a e co an es an su l ers ra uall e ser ce c ange lue a er con a ners o eraons so e en o ng su s es or s gn can a ene s ro e r o n ag s a es egan l ng coas se con a ner se cargoes

ecause o go ern en learg ou r can s o ners no a e e sa e ene s an slo l co e on eca e or a le n corn a e e o or o n o era ons a ar ne an la er o era e s o n cean r ca on a ner ne e ano al s a al oug

Port Nolloth sea trade was eclipsed by road transport, Oranjemund undertook charter voyages for oil majors, mostly carrying diesel between Cape Town and Lüderitz, as well as ship-to-ship bunkering of the ofshore diamond-mining vessels at sea.

carr es ou r can cargoes c ar ers onnage cre e ore gners us en ng e loen o local sea arers en coas al an ers o era e e r n ro rou a e een relace ore gn agge essels ee er ser ce o era e a ore gn agge c ar ere s e een Por l a e an as on on carr es a nl con a ner se car ar s o as on on an re urns so e con a ners loa e cars o coun er s rac ce an o e lo ore ou r cans a ull ca o age o era on on e ou r can coas nclu ng e o e en o o l ro uc s curren l carr e ore gn aners s oul e le en e ß

ABOVE: The coaster Oranjemund was built in Durban in 1976 for the trade from Cape Town to Port Nolloth. She was modifed in 1986 to carry edible oils as well as some dry cargo, and in 1992, the remaining dry cargo space in the ship was converted to carry diesel. Once the

Photo: Unicorn Collecton

e ecl ne o e ou r can ng eg s er

ABOVE: Her South African registraton very apparent on the stern, Safmarine’s SA Winterberg in Le Havre, France, in 1992. No containership is owned in South Africa, none is registered in South Africa, and no containership is crewed by South Africans.

Sll rou l ng an oc lan ers s e sale o ore gn o ners o a ar ne once e o nan e el n ou r ca s s ng cro n en s a or s are ol ers s e e r n eres s n a ar ne as sol n o ar s s ona ner s on en o e o en agen ase P oller rou o c aers ne s an n egral ar le e ree co an n er r se ng ra ng oug a ar ne s ul s on es e s earl er l n u a elg an co an an a ar ne s ea uar ers o ng o n er so e el e e nee e a or ar ners n glo al cona ner ne or s o e an or oul s agna e e sale o e on a ner s on oe er engen ere anger an sa ness a a na onal asse en o ore gn u ers ou an local con rol u se uen e en s rans err ng e ec n cal an cre ng s on o a ar ne ro a e o n o nga ore e en al o e loen o ou r can o cers ca e s an ra ngs an n ra ng e a ar ne ran nclu ng e a rac e curs e logo an e s nc e e ulls o e s s us e sg ngs surroun ng e sale o s ou r can s ng con lso s ng as e sale o a ar ne s ul s on a nclu e a

ercen s are n Pen o ar ne an n e s ra eg call al sal age ug o eraon a or ercen s are ol ng n e local n corn nes as ell as se eral ell a n a ne rela el ne ul ers an s ree er s s a o era on coul a e con nue success ull ou s ores e log s cs ne or s or o era ng ar ners an rel e on goo s ro ers o o a ar ne a an e c en ea n er al a n corn nes o e s ra eg call or an coas al o l rouc s an or una el r n ro anage o u ac e s ares ro e ree co an

oon a er e sale e ree n ol een n ou r ca as re uce o a s all o ce le a ar ro so e sen or o cers ou r can sea arers ere no re e lo e on e or er aul s s e ou r can agge an cre e coas al ser ces also ecl ne u a ng s e ul ers e onl co erc al essels on e local reg s er e as a or o ou r can or s an e or s s carr e n ore gn agge essels a earn re enue or ore gn an accoun s s a s ua on a calls or e care ull lanne leen a on o a ca o age s s e argeng so e neral e or s o l or s so e con a ner ra c an all coas se cargo s en s ß

Photo: Brian Ingpen

e grea nese s ng oo

As e cen ur urne econo c an s ng ro ec ons egan o soun os e or s a u no one coul a e oreseen a la a ea P eno enal c anges n na oul n rec l unleas roa er econo c gro a oul cause sng ra es n a a er o on s o r se o un rece en e le els erg ng ro e sola on o as eca es an oc ng o ur an areas e ll ons o nese nee e ous ng an o er a en es le nese n ras ruc ure a o e u gra e crea ng a rea ar e or ll ons o ons o s eel ce enng uel oo an asses o es ern consu er goo s nese n us r es real se e oen al o e e ens e uro ean an or er can ar e s or ro uc s a e coul ro uce ore c ea l e s ng or ons a eare as con a ners s carr e goo s o an ro na le an ers roug uel an ul ers roug s eel cons ruc on a er als an nerals or nese s eel lls a e o su l ng ollo e o ee e surg ng

ra e an crea ng a grea er e an or s eel ssoc a e e rans or oo as e gro n nese e cle anu ac ur ng ncreas ng e nee o or s eel an e cle ar s e nese rs or o l an o l rela e ro uc s cause e o l r ce o ncrease o o er a arrel n a a er o on s an se n o on a oo er o or an er o ners al oug also ncrease e r ce o un ers co ensura e ncreases n o era ng cos s

o ners nclu ng ur an ase r n ro roug s an er o era ons an slan e ng s ul ers ene e ro e soar ng c arer an re g ra es o e a es e ul ers ere earn ng aroun a a an e en ra es or an s e essels ere reac ng un rece en e le els o e ol er or less econo cal essels a nor all oul a e een scra e re a ne n ser ce as o ners soug e er o or un o cas n on e soar ng ra es

suc g re g ra es an un er r ces lan e cos s o cargoes

ncrease ra l ncreas ng ro uc r ces

e so calle cre crunc lunge an ng an co erc al sec ors n o sarra an s ng ra es onl on s earl er a e r g es le el e er colla se o re le els e alc on a s ere o er r ng s s o all es n o la u or n o slo s ea ng o e le ol er onnage en o e scra ar s ß

BELOW: Island View Shipping brought good profts to parent company Grindrod. Here, the Handymax bulker IVS Hunter loads rutle in Saldanha Bay circa 2008.

Photo: Andrew Ingpen

ABOVE:

RIGHT: Joseph Lykes, one of three former Nedlloyd vessels taken over by Lykes and placed on its North America-South Africa trade when the company resumed its service afer the aboliton of apartheid.

Photo: Andrew Ingpen

ree er can co an es co e s a no ore

Tree er can co an es ose s s ere a l ar s g s n ou r can ar ours sa eare ro e sea lanes e las e ng a sor e a ana an co an n arrell nes er ca ou r ca ne s rs s e c ar ere Eastern Glade arr e n a e o n n o eg n a ser ce a al oug n erru e orl ar con nue as arrell nes un l e s n e os ar er o arrell s use ar u l no s ea ers on e ou r can ra e n a on e co an o era e o s ar assenger s s o ou r ca un l n e earl s s as re g ers ear ng a l ar arrell na es re lace e or g nal ee ou e res longer an e r re ecessors ese ne essels a se en ol s o carr ore cargo an err c s nclu ng a on err c o an le ea l cargoes or ou r can nes o ers aons an ac or es as ell as agr cul ural an ear o ng ac ner

e r s s ea ur nes us e e along a no s an a er se eral recor s ell o ese as essels African Dawn se e nal recor n or a

assage ro e or o a e o n a s ours an nu es

ecause e r s ee cargo ca ac an ea l ca a l a e e o en all use ul ur ng es o con c all s s s a een rans erre o e n e a es eser e lee en arrells re ro e ou r can ra e o n ne

o n ne l s e essels o s ar s ne os ar ou r ca ser ce Robin Sherwood naugura ng e ser ce n e s s a e r o n n eres ng general arrange en lan so e an unusuall s a e unnel an s rea l ne su ers ruc ure n oore c or ac nes oo o er o n ne an soon o re lace ar u l re g ers oore c or ac roug as ne s s n o serce e een an n

Mormacdraco ca e ou er s s ea ena le er o se a ne recor or a assage ro a e o n o oson a s ours an nu es a erag ng no s s e con a ner re olu on ga ne rac on ese s s ere o e o carr con a ners o n elo necess a ng a

e re sec on a nclu e a cellular ol an o an e cranes o e a e a ea o e acco o a on n e co an ara n ro e ou r can ra e es ro ers es ro ers oneere e ul ou r ca ra e also us ng ar u l s s u as e s s age e co an ugra e s ee larger an as er essels

Pressure e an a ar e lo es re ro e ou r can ra e en e e es a l sol e coan n eca e ar o e or ora on u e a l re urc ase n er e co an re urne o ou r ca ree or er e llo essels on ulc en err c s s class as succee e uss an u l c ar ere s s a ro ro ca ac n e re nan o e co an as oug P s a sel as a en o er n ugus e er an co an a o ns a ag lo e ano er a l ar co an e rs regular l ne ser ng ou r ca o a e s logo on s s s s es an e las er can s ng co an o ra e ere sa eare o er e or on ß

Farrell Lines143-metre African Star alongside Cape Town’s D Berth, circa 1954. Brian Ingpen-George Young Collecton

HIGH POINTS

e ie en is the Hea o the a hill Maritme ca em in Simon s o n an has een in ol e in the aca em since its incepton She has a histor as a comm nicaton specialist or Sa marine an is an act e champion o the e caton in the in str She recentl on an a ar or her contri ton to the in str at a ncton in r an this g st

a hill ca em cele rates high points

01a hill al mni ha e one the maritme st ies programme pro mong them are those ho ha e cele rate man rsts incl ing Thobela Gqabu and Nicole Gouvias the programme s rst male an emale Master Mariners Kelly Mars (nee Klaasen) as the programme s rst emale to ali as a hie ngineer

02Blondie Jobela is c rrentl ser ing as Secon ngineer on oar o al ari ean r ise iners Her t o rothers ha e ollo e in her a e an are oth or ing at sea hile man other st ents ha e p rs e careers ashore ith lea ing companies incl ing as Maers MS an S M

03Sean a Scholar Enkosi Ntame

lass o achie e nine istnctons in his nal school lea ing S e ams a consi era le achie ement consi ering the impact o i ha ha on his e caton in

a hill s oar ing acilites ha e ma e it possi le or o th rom r ral areas to gain a maritme e caton n a ne mo ern Lawhill Maritme Centre replace the shipping container ase a hill Ho se Hostel hich as ilt anchor n er Sa marine Sa marine an Maers ha e pro i e consistent s pport to the programme or the past ears he ne il ing hich as onate he o n aton as e ten e in to accommoate more st ents

05er the ears se eral o the a hill st ents ho ere gi en the opport nit to spen tme onboard vessels ent on to p rs e a career at sea his highlights the importance o ma ing these o ages a aila le to high school learners

06he a hill programme has on se eral internatonal an local a ar s since its incepton in the mi s o o n er o the maritme sties programme Brian Ingpen recei e a resi ental ar – the Order of the Baobab – in o em er in recogniton o his contri ton to maritme e caton

07Thami Hoza (Class o ecame the rst an onl a hill st ent to recei e the o ng lo al ea er a ar rom Her Ma est een li a eth in his ear al mn s Nomkhita Mbele on t o prestgio s a ar s hile a hill Hea Debbie Owen recei e a est Mentor a ar a hill also recei e the caton an raining ar Mi le ast n ian S contnent an rica a ar in ai in

08he a ar inning a hill maritme st ies programme has also ma e its Maritme conomics an a tcal Science online te t oo s an i eos reel a aila le ia the www.maritmesa.org website a hill al mni a e la an re Sosi o spearhea e the pro cton o the ra e a tcal Science ieos hich ere pro ce in

10The Lawhill Sailing and Motor extra mural programme has gro n rom strength to strength his ear nine stents ali e as S MS lass accre ite a S ippers he achie ement as ma e possi le ith the s pport o onors an ol nteers

09Electronic Chart Display Informaton System (ECS so are onate aptain ieron o has gi en st ents the opport nit to p t na tcal science theor into practce a hill has also intro ce its st ents to co ing

11a hill s maritme e tra m ral programme c rric l m egins ith all ra e oarers eing gi en swimming/water confdence training

12n the S donated a rigidinfatable boat for training p rposes he as name in hono r o Sean a one o the a hill programme s most lo al s pporters

13he maritme mentorship programme Marine Inspiratons has also pro i e opport nites or a n m er o a hill st ents to sail in i a Spain

he Marine Explorers programme in partnership ith Sa e o r Seas o n aton in al a intro ces a hill st ents to i ing an snor elling

15A “learn to row’’ programme introce in partnership ith the ape oastal oing l pro i es al a le s ills training on ee en s

16n Lutho Thomas (Head o lass o em race a hill s li others as o rise philosoph sing his grat it mone to la nch a n that ma e it possi le or ello learner Janoel Meyer le to oin him in the S per acht in str in rope

17n str hoste work-shadows ha e also pla e a e role in preparing st ents or careers in the in str a hill is commi e to maintaining the close relatonship it has eno e ith the maritme in str so as to ens re its training an mentorship remains rele ant an in eeping ith in str eman s

18a hill st ents are also achie ing o the ater than s to sponsorship pro i e the Insttute of Chartered Shipbrokers and the Newall Family ict re are the rst

a hill st ents to complete the S s n erstan ing Shipping co rse hile stll at school

19n an ar Nqobile Khuzwayo r ill sail rom ape o n to Map to as she oins the internatonal all emale Mai en cre sailing aro n the orl to raise mone or girls e caton o ile is pict re here ith her sponsor hil a e More details on this once-in-a- lifetme opportunity are available on www.maidenfactor.org

20President of the World Maritme University r leopatra o m ia Henr is among the h n re s o isitors an g est spea ers ho e share no le ge an inspire a hill st ents o er the past ears

May the Lawhill programme contnue to innovate and thrive in the next two decades and beyond!

How did South Africa manage to positon itself as the second biggest producer of catamarans in the world?

A look at how the catamaran sector started and the impetus that lead companies to believe that they could compete in this market. 

Many of the boat yards in South Africa have a common theme; a passionate sailor who wants to take his family cruising and builds a boat for himself and his family - and subsequently becomes a highly successful as well as world renowned boat builder.

This is true of Duncan Lethbridge the founding owner of St Francis Catamarans who built the frst St Francis 43 catamaran, an Angelo Lavranos design, in the late 1980s. Dean Catamarans founded by Peter Dean Snr was probably the frst producton catamaran builder in South Africa. They were closely followed by Voyage Yachts,who were exportng catamarans in the early 1990s to their charter base, Voyage Charters, on Tortola in the Britsh Virgin Islands. That virtual integraton of the company remains unchanged to this day and has been a success story.

Maxim in Durban were also early producton builders. Husband and wife team, Peter and Fiona Wherley, built their own catamaran were cruis-

Vanessa Davidson has an extensive history in the maritme industry in a variety of roles including the Executve Manager of the South African Boat Builders Export Council (SABBEX) and the Saldanha Bay IDZ. She has completed signifcant research and has a partcular interest in vocatonal educaton, artsanal work and curriculum development.

ing and chartering when I frst met them on Tortola in 2000. In 2001 they founded Matrix Yachts and started commercial producton in Cape Town

Founded in 1989, Two Oceans Marine, now a large custom-build catamaran boat builder, also had a personal starting point. Rod Delany took a trip out of the Knysna Heads on a Supercat Marine catamaran and was hooked. “I couldn’t believe it – I said this is the way to go, and then we started working only on cats from Supercat Marine," he recalls. Over the next ten years the successful collaboraton between Supercat Marine and Two Oceans Marine produced approximately 100 boats.

The company is now headed by Mark Delany and employs over 700 people. The have evolved to build bespoke large catamarans under their own brand as well as world-recognised catamarans under the Balance brand.

A few key commercial drivers were catalytc in developing the South African catamaran industry, but Alex Simonis needs to be recognised for designing good looking modern catamarans in the early 1990s. This built on the strong growing yacht design

base in South Africa, started by Angelo Lavranos in 1975 and expanded by Anton Du Toit with the extremely successful Du Toit Yacht Design.

Another key driver was the dropping of dutes on used boats that was gazeted in the early 1990s. Further commercial impetus came in 1997. David Abromowitz, then part owner of Central Boatng, had started Dave Abromowitz and Associates, a yacht brokerage business with business partner, Bruce Tedder. The duo saw the opportunity to import used monohulls from the Moorings feet where they are sold afer fve years. Abromowitz also asked for the rights to the distributon of Moorings vessels in South Africa.

This led to a catalytc fact-fnding trip to the Britsh Virgin Islands by the two partners around 1996. “We spent four or fve days getng to understand the Moorings company and then few to Tampa, Florida to stay with Lex Raas and meet the Moorings CEO,” recalls Abromowitz. Tedder adds; “we notced no catamarans in their feet and in South Africa we were already building some prety nice modern catamarans”.

Raas became a key personality in South Africa’s catamaran success story. Abromowitz was instrumental in Raas setng up shop in Cape Town. He then ordered a monohull racing yacht from Raas in 1981.

Named Assegai, she went on to win numerous races with Raas, Abromowitz, JJ Proveyeur and Rick Nankin on the sailing team. Raas also established a partnership with John Robertson in an earlier boat building entty, Ton Cup Yachts in Cape Town.

“Lex went on to fnd his fortune abroad with the Beneteau group in the USA. Their biggest client was the Moorings and he was in charge of the Moorings acquisiton programme at the tme of our visit,” recalls Abromowitz

Tedder contnues the story, “We met with him in Tampa, and asked him why there were no catamarans in the Moorings feet at the tme. He was adamant, that people did not want to charter a catamaran, but preferred the true sailing experience of a monohull." The two, however, pressed Raas to send them a list of vital features for a catamaran for the charter market, just as an exercise.

“We took the list to Alex Simonis and he designed the Leopard 45. Then we chated with John Robertson to put a basic costng together,” recalls Tedder. Afer discussion, it was agreed that Raas and the Chief Engineer at the Moorings would come back to South Africa and meet with John Robertson.

This became the foundaton of Robertson & Caine, founded by John Robertson and the late Jerry Caine

- a company that is now the world’s largest producer of power catamarans worldwide employing a staf of 1,700.

Funding to get the programme of the ground and provide Robertson & Caine with the capital that they required to commence the manufacture of the moulds, came from boat number one owned by The Moorings, together with the owners of boat number two; namely Abromowitz, Tedder, Proveyeur and Geof Meek.

Dave Abromowitz and Associates as a yacht brokerage then sold boat number three to Stan Ratclife and boat number four to John Asbury and the rest is history. South Africa, with its growing reputaton of building robust, well-designed quality catamarans was soon seen as a serious global player. Additonal factories opened and SA catamarans as a brand was established.

As always in this industry there is something serendipitous to every story. Some 25 years later, the Leopard 45 boat number two, Spellbound, is back in the hands of South African owners. She belongs to Ian Martn, younger brother of the legendary solo sailor, John Martn and is run as a charter catamaran in Saint Maarten, stll named Spellbound. This is certainly testmony to a great design and build from South Africa that has withstood the test of tme. 

New designs and builds are fying out of the factories in South Africa and the country's reputaton is well established and set to grow with numerous internatonal awards bestowed on South African catamarans every year.

Statstcs prove dominance

In 2003 the SABBEX industry guide enttled Alive with Possibility which featured a photograph of the late Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu on the inside cover blessing a feet of vessels and a preface by then Minister of Trade and Industry, Alex Erwin, opened with the words “The SA Boat builders generate a turnover of R700 million, a small industry in world terms but a dynamic sector that has grown 120 percent in turnover since 1994.”

Tedder writes in the Industry Overview: “South African boat building products have gained a high degree of internatonal credibility over the past fve years. For instance, in 2000 a South African company outbid fve US yards and a New Zealand yard for the contract to build three state-of-the-art hi-tech epoxy 60f catamarans for the US market, while South African manufactured yachts have won Boat of the year in America six tmes since 1997.”

In 2006 the industry had an annual turnover of R1.1 billion By 2019, and pre-COVID, that fgure had doubled to R2.2 billion. We wait for the next research report into the post COVID growth fgures, but the traditonal global forecast of approximately four percent per annum is being blown out of the water. Speculatvely, we antcipate more than a 15 percent growth per annum in the next three to four years.

The impact of COVID

Hard lockdown level fve saw all boat building factories closed along with prety much the entre South African economy. When lockdown level four restrictons were published for comment, SABBEX lobbied government

to allow boat building factories to return to 50 percent operatons based on a precedent set in the automotve sector.

A huge collectve push from all quarters saw this become a reality. It saved a number of boat yards from possible permanent closure and retained jobs. Keeping the doors open was critcal, as the world was about to discover. Interestngly, COVID 19 precipitated a boom in the boatng industry.

People were choosing to socially distance on the water where they felt safe. Many people who had been puttng of their boat purchase for various reasons, now saw the importance of making their dream a reality. In additon, working via Teams and Zoom and other platorms opened up the possibility of being able to operate from a boat with good WiFi capability.

Like many internatonal boat building yards, South African catamaran builders order books are full for the next three to four years. Whether the current boom will be sustained remains to be seen and the marketng eforts over the next three years will be critcal to answering that queston.

Maintaining our status

We can maintain this status. Bear in mind many innovatons, developments and features are driven by customers and our boat yards listen to their customers. That customer base is increasingly focused on cutng carbon footprints, using sustainable building materials, addressing issues of circularity and alternate propulsion systems.

We already have a number of yards either producing hybrid propulsion vessels or pure electric vessels. Solar and wind have been standard in the industry long before other sectors were considering renewables. Because it is a customer-driven adaptaton, the boat builders don’t really forefront their innovatons and developments. For them it simply represents market

responsiveness and a desire to seek the best soluton to meet the customer’s needs.

Future outlook

At this stage, the orders are placed and deposits have been paid by clients. Boat builders are already hiring more staf and training more people, but we need to ensure a pipeline of suitably qualifed people into the industry.

We are startng to see second generaton builders startng to make their mark on the industry. They are employing smarter ways of working and managing their processes as well as leveraging social media marketng platorms with an agility frst generaton builders have struggled to harness efectvely.

They are also recognising the benefts of vertcal business integraton as well as distributor agreements that widen their business and marketng scope.

On the downside we stll face huge supply chain disruptons that are unlikely to be resolved in the short term. With a signifcant number of imported components stll forming part of producton, having a reliable and tme bound supply chain is critcal. Likewise, the export of our vessels on board ships with unpredictable shipping schedules, have cost the boat builders money.

The handover of a new boat and the fnal payment can be delayed by shipping delays for components such as generators, watermakers or winch components. This afects the botom line and a return to higher levels of shipping and supply chain stability is essental.

It is ofen up to the boat builder to keep the client happy despite the delays untl they can hand over a fully commissioned catamaran to a satsfed new owner who, in turn, fies the fag of South African catamarans as they sail the world. ß

The much-antcipated tug renewal programme fnally got underway in August 2014, with the frst tug leaving the shipyard in November 2015. Built by Southern African Shipyards (now Sandock Austral), the tugs represented a R1.4 billion investment by the Transnet Natonal Ports Authority. as well as the largest single contract ever awarded by the authority to a local company. Initally set to deliver nine tugs into the South African port system, the eventual tally was eight.

“The building of Mvezo and the other tugs in this project, demonstrates that this country has the expertse to compete in the global shipbuilding industry and to use the maritme economy to unlock the economic potental of South Africa, in line with the government’s Operaton Phakisa initatve,” said TNPA chief executve at the tme, Richard Vallihu.

Working to tght deadlines to deliver the tugs, the shipyard endeavoured to keep fve vessels under constructon at a tme.

The new feet of 70-ton bollard pull tugs replaced the far less capable 32.5 to 40-ton bollard pull tugs. The stronger tugs feature Voith Schneider

Fleet investment delivers tougher tugs for port feet

propulsion for improved manoeuvrability and included the latest available technology at the tme.

Subcontractors on the project included Barloworld Equipment, Siemens, Voith Schneider, as well as local contractors such as Bradgary Marine Shopfters.

In additon, a number of natonal and internatonal training and development opportunites were created as TNPA sent employees to Germany for training on the new propulsion units. They also insttuted a massive training programme for engineering and deck cadets.

By the end of August 2016, a further two vessels were delivered into service, and the end of 2018, all of the tugs were in service.

_ 8. Umkhomazi

By the end of the contract, the Durban-based yard had built a total of 21 tug boats for various customers.

Powered for service

Barloworld Power supplied and supported all the power requirements

The order included two MaK 8M25C propulsion engines with a combined output of about 5,332 kW and two Cat C4.4 marine generator sets for each vessel. Each engine underwent stringent factory acceptance testng (FAT) at the Caterpillar marine engine manufacturing facility in Kiel, Germany, prior to delivery.

Navcom equipment

Global NavCom company, Radio Holland (South Africa), was awarded the contract to supply and commission all the high-end navigaton and communicaton equipment – ensuring the tug’s efciency, as well as the crew’s safety.

The tugs feature state-of-the-art electronics such as Furuno ECDIS, BNWAS, GPS, echo sounder, AIS, radar and Sailor (VHF and MF/HF) radios. ß

BUILDING THE AFRICAN MARINE LEGACY

Sandock Austral Shipyards has maintained an impressive shipbuilding and ship repair track record. To date we have also built 21 tugboats. We were awarded the largest, single contract awarded by Transnet National Ports Authority for harbour craft, for nine state-of-the-art tugboats.

Boasting the enviable reputation of being the largest shipyard in Sub-Saharan Africa, Sandock Austral Shipyards has a proud and illustrious history in the South African shipbuilding industry. Sandock Austral Shipyards is a proudly African Company.

Established in 1960, the shipyard was upgraded and custombuilt for an extensive naval building programme in the 70’s which saw the building of six Strikecraft, two Minehunters and the replenishment ship, SAS Drakensberg, between 1977 and 1985. At 147 metres, the SAS Drakensberg holds the record for being the largest ship ever built on the African continent.

Sandock Austral Shipyards specialises in commercial and naval shipbuilding, as well as providing ship repair services and solutions to the marine industry, worldwide.

Sandock Austral Shipyards is set to deliver the South African Navy’s new hydrographic survey vessel as part of the larger Project Hotel. The current construction is the most complex and technically advanced vessel that has ever been built in South Africa.

Our facility consists of 11 hectares of land including a repair quay of 200m with an average draft of 7.5m. An undercover fabrication workshop covering an area of 320m by 42m is serviced by 9 overhead cranes capable of a tandem 60 ton lift. Our privately owned floating dock has the capacity to accommodate vessels up to 75m in length.

Harnessing the local talent and focusing on training and development is a Sandock Austral imperative. Driving business and delivering world class services to our clients through empowerment and partnerships underpins the Sandock Austral Shipyards ethos.

Two decades of naval acquisitions Two decades of naval acquisitions

Despite the ofen lamented budget cuts experienced by the Department of Defence and Military Veterans, the South African Navy has taken delivery of a number of vessels over the last 20 years - and is currently in the process of a feet renewal under Project Biro and Project Hotel.

The SAS Amatola was the frst of four valour-class frigates to be delivered to the South African Navy in 2005 and commissioned the following year. The feet was built by Blohm & Voss in Germany based on an order placed in 1999. They are designed as fghtng ships with high endurance, mobility and habitability for sustained surface operatons – and incorporate helicopter capability. They were delivered with efectve defence capabilites against both aircraf and missiles with basic ant-submarine capability. Apart from policing and patrolling actvites, the vessels have also been involved in disaster relief and humanitarian aid.

The frigates are:

_ SAS Amatola

_ SAS Isandlwana

_ SAS Mendi

_ SAS Spioenkop

From 2006 to 2008, three submarines were delivered: the SAS Queen Modjadji, SAS Manthatsi and the SAS Charlote Mxeke.

Together the acquisiton of the frigates and the submarines represented an overall investment of about EUR 748 million.

Project Carol

The SA Navy took delivery of fve boarding boats under Project Carol. Built locally by Nautc, the vessels were also designed by the company’s in-house naval architects. The high speed craf can reach speeds of up to 38 knots.

Project Carol facilitated the procure-

ment of small boats less than 60 metres in length for the SA Navy in the form of boarding boats, diving boats, riverine patrol boats, ship sea boats, ferries, sailing dinghies, an ocean racing yacht and associated trailers.

In 2020, Veecraf delivered a 20m workboat for use by Special Forces for the transportaton of personnel and equipment as well as for support training actvites.

Christened, Inkanyamba, the small vessel was designed in accordance with Bureau Veritas (BV) requirements and in accord with fag state rules, as defned by the South African Maritme Authority (SAMSA) for Category C vessels.

Inkanyamba can accommodate up to four crew-members and sixteen passenger

Project Biro

Project Biro is currently in progress with the frst of three Mult Mission Inshore Patrol Vessels (MMIPV) 

having been commissioned by the South African Navy this year. The vessels are being built by Damen Shipyards Cape Town where, according to the yard, the contract has led to a 50 percent increase in employment and a 75 percent increase in vendor opportunites in the last three years.

The vessels have been procured to improve the country’s capacity to respond efectvely, rapidly and costefectvely to illegal actvity at sea.

The MMIPVs will represent the frst Damen Sea Axe designs to operate in South Africa. The patented design aims to deliver exceptonal seakeeping behaviour provided by the straightedged bow cutng through the water to improve comfort and safety while reducing emissions and fuel consumpton.

The MMIPV project is also playing an important role in creatng skilled new jobs and actng as a catalyst for the development of regional supply chains. On its own, the MMIPV project is expected to generate more than one million man-hours of work during the constructon of the three platorms and will support more than 1,000 direct and indirect jobs at Damen Shipyards Cape Town (DSCT). In

additon, the yard is also focusing on nurturing small businesses to maximise local content.

Project Hotel

Contnuing a long-standing relatonship with the SA Navy that dates back to the 1970s, Sandock Austral was awarded the tender to build the country’s new state-of-the-art hydrographic vessel that is due to replace the 50-year old SAS Protea, which will be retained for training purposes.

Having cut the frst steel on the project in November 2018, reports indicate that the vessel is likely to be completed next year.

SAS has partnered with internatonal company Vard Marine to develop the 95-metre-long vessel, which will be built with the help of eight subcontractors who will integrate various systems into the ship.

The vessel will feature a 12.24MW diesel electric power plant and have a maximum speed of 18 knots. It will boast a 10,000 nautcal mile range with 44 days endurance. In additon, it incorporates the latest hydrographic and oceanographic sensor suites and will be manned by a total crew of 120.

Ice-strengthened to Polar Class 7 requirements, the new hydrographic vessel will be tasked with mapping large areas of the entre southern hemisphere ocean foor, making the seas safe for navigaton, exploraton and fshing.

In additon to the hydrographic vessel, this programme also provides for the delivery of three Survey Motor Boats and a Sea Boat as well as a third, fully operatonal inshore Survey Motor Boat, to remain ashore and in reserve.

Built locally by Veecraf Marine, the survey motor boats host two twin Volva Penta duo-prop propellers, providing for greater fuel efciency and efectve and predictable handling alongside a Volvo Penta D3 joystck helm control system.

Survey equipment includes multbeam and single-beam echo-sounders, a side-scan sonar and a seabed sampler to recover sample material from the sea-foor and underlying sub-strata for detailed analytcal and testng purposes. The vessel's capabilites allow for nearshore shallow water surveys in depths of up to 300m. ß

West coast GRP boat builders are stll going strong

While investments in larger fshing vessels are scarce, most of the building for the fshing sector takes place on South Africa’s West Coast at two yards specialising in glass fbre manufacturing. These vessels are less than 24m and primarily meet the needs of the inshore fsheries.

Rivals on South Africa’s west coast, Tallie Marine and Sachal Boat Yard have both had an enviable record of vessel launches over the last 20 years

Interestngly, both yards have strong family infuences with fathers passing the batons on to their sons. Anton Tallie of Tallie Marine retred to leave the iconic brand in the capable hands of Antonie Tallie, while Mark Stevens at Sachal shares the reigns with his son, Nic Stevens.

The two yards build for the local fshing industry in the main, but have also launched vessels for neighbouring countries as well as other sectors.

The most recent build for Sachal, for example, the Luna Sea which emerged from the factory in June, is destned for diamond mining. She follows on the heels of the MV Rebecca which was launched at the end of last year, also for the mining sector. She is the latest diamond mining vessel to join the feet.

With over a thousand boats to its name, Sachal has creates boats from 8 f to 120 f for various purposes –including commercial fshing, naval, private, diamond recovery and highspeed vessels.

Sachal has a comprehensive in house facility that designs builds and launches all of its vessels. The Sachal facility includes a design ofce, CNC machining, carpentry, metal work and composites divisions.

The company strives to apply new technology and ideas in their vessels from advanced electronics to the newest composite methods in order

to produce the ultmate in .quality and performance for each and every build.

Concentratng on twin hull designs, but also ofering mono-hull optons, Tallie Marine launched their latest vessels during July and August this year. Established in 1998, the yard designed their frst GRP vessel in 1995 and launched it the following year.

In 2000, they built their fst 90 f vessels and launched 28 boats between 2003 and 2004. The yard celebrated its 100th vessel in December 2006. More recently, in 2017, the boat yard celebrated another milestone by launching their frst 100 f boat. The 100 f Meka Bay, lef the factory on 21 September 2017, weighing in at almost 300 tonnes. It operates out of Walvis Bay in Namibia.

Acknowledging the economic pressures in many of the sectors that they serve, Tallie aims to expand further into Africa and hopes to bolster more development in this relatvely under serviced market. ß

Fisheries protecton vessels

Four fsheries patrol and protecton vessels were delivered to the then Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF) between 2004 and 2006. Named afer four South African heroines, the vessels marked a clear decision by the government to enforce fsheries management policies within the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). Sportng red hulls and white superstructures, the vessels make a striking impression when berthed in port together.

The Lilian Ngoyi, Ruth First and Victoria Mxenge were all built by Farocean (now Damen Shipyards Cape Town) Marine from a design package supplied by Damen Shipyards of the Netherlands.

The vessels are currently managed by SAMSA Maritme Special Projects afer a controversial tender award saw the DFFE vessels frst moved under the curatorship of the South African Navy and then Nautc Africa. They stll patrol South Africa’s territorial waters,

up to the 200 mile limit.

The larger of the vessels, the Sarah Baartman, was constructed by Damen Galat in Galat in Romania. Constructon began in August 2003 and the 80 m ofshore vessel was delivered in 2006.

She carries a crew of 29, including seven fshery control ofcers and four cadet ofcers. The ship has a range of 7,500 nautcal miles at 15 knots; a chase speed in excess of 20 knots and is capable of remaining at sea for up to 45 days.

She also features a helicopter deck capable of handling and refuelling an Oryx helicopter. With a small hospital and facilites, she is able to accommodate accident survivors.

In terms of its Lloyds Register classifcaton, the ship is certfed to operate internatonally and was designed to play a key role in the protecton of living marine resources around Marion and Prince Edward Islands. ß

Project Quality Management Services

On & O Site Quality Control Services

Non Destructive Testing Services Including Advanced NDT, Phased Array & TOFD

SHEQ Management System Development

Training Services to internationally recognised quali cation schemes: CSWIP; ASNT; API; IRCA

Project and QA/QC Resources

Ships Classi cation Society Hull Gauging & NDT Services: ABS; BV; DNV; RINA; LLOYDS

Helideck Certi cation CAP 437

Celebratng a decade of service

Having arrived to great fanfare in 2012, the SA Agulhas II celebrated a full decade of service in May of this year. In the last ten years, the vessel has proved her metle as an icebreaker transportng scientsts to and from the country’s Antarctc base every year.

The annual three-month round trip, however, is not the only sea tme that the 134 metre vessel has accumulated during these years. Crewed and managed by AMSOL on behalf of the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, the vessel has also been involved in a number of historic internatonal expeditons.

Built at STX Finland at a cost of approximately R1,5 billion, the frst plates were cut in 2010. The build project was overseen by Alan Robertson as well as a team from AMSOL who were seconded to Finland for the process.

The brief was to build a ship that could functon as a tanker, a cargo carrier, a passenger ship, a research vessel, a helicopter carrier and an icebreaker. More importantly the ship was to be the frst to comply with the Internatonal Maritme Organisaton (IMO) safety regulatons that require all ships built afer July 2010 to comply with the Safe Return to Port requirements.

These features, as well as the eight dedicated laboratories, a moonpool for deploying equipment, an iRobot Seaglider as well as a Conductvity, Temperature and Depth (CTD) machine make her an atractve platorm for myriad of scientfc purposes.

With 6,000 metres of steel wire rope at its disposal, the CTD machine is able to record essental physical propertes of sea water at any given point. This provides scientsts with the ability to chart the distributon and variaton of water temperature, salinity and density.

Together with the stylish and comfortable interior, the onboard facilites have helped secure charter opportunites for the vessel and the country – providing local scientsts with access to valuable opportunites to collaborate with internatonal teams.

In 2018, the SA Agulhas II undertook a

second training and capacity building voyage for the Internatonal Indian Ocean Expediton II (IIOE2), a multnatonal programme of the United Natons Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) that emphasises the need to research the Indian Ocean and its infuence on the climate and its marine ecosystem.

The programme aims to gather basic long-term environmental data and informaton to assist developing countries of the Indian Ocean conserve the integrity of their ocean, fnd ways to unlock their respectve potental Ocean Economies to improve the lives of their citzens; and to beter detect and adapt to ocean related threats to coastal communites and infrastructure.

The Weddell Expediton

In 2019, the SA Agulhas II undertook the frst atempt to locate Ian Shackleton’s ship the Endurance which was trapped and crushed by the ice and sunk there in 1915. The atempt formed part of an expediton to survey the underside of the Larsen C Ice Shelf and document the marine life of the western Weddell Sea ecosystem.

The vessel was chartered by a charitable trust in the Netherlands, The Flotlla Foundaton, for a programme planned by Professor Julian Dowdeswell, Director of the Scot Polar Research Insttute at the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom.

Although reaching the wreck site as ploted by the Captain of Endurance, the expediton was thwarted by extreme weather conditons that lead to the loss of an AUV and the risk of the vessel becoming stuck in the ice. The decision, therefore, to call an end to the expediton had to be made.

At the beginning of this year, however, the crew and mult-natonal team were able to successfully complete the mission to locate the wreck of the Endurance to much internatonal fanfare.

The team used Saab’s Sabertooth hybrid underwater search vehicles to locate and positvely identfy the wreck which is protected as a Historic Site and Monument under the Antarctc Treaty.

Donald Lamont, Chairperson of the Falklands Maritme Heritage Trust, in a leter to Captain Knowledge Bengu highlighted the essental role played by the South African ship: “As we began planning this expediton, we looked no further than South Africa for the ship we needed and for the Master, Ice Pilot and crew who could get us to where we are today. You have ensured that our expediton team had the right platorm in the right place and at the right tme. This is your success and that of those who serve under you.”

Setng of again

The vessel set sail again on 3 October this year with another internatonal team on board. This tme the vessel is

being chartered by Monaco Exploratons for a two-month programme that will see the vessel return at the end of November 2022.

The 7,300 nm journey will include four stopovers in Mauritus, Reunion, Seychelles and again Mauritus before returning to Cape Town.

The programme, which was established by an internatonal steering commitee, will aim to explore the knowledge gaps around the Aldabra atoll, on the Saya de Malha bank for 15 days and around the island of Saint Brandon.

The area is largely unchartered, and it is hoped that the knowledge gathered during the mission will assist with conservaton eforts and promote a beter understanding as well as reverence for the ocean environment. ß

NSRI feet renewal bolsters local building capacity

In a strategy to renew their feet of 10 m rescue craf, the Natonal Sea Rescue Insttute (NSRI) received their frst two new 14 m search and rescue (SAR) vessels from Bernard Shipyard in France at the beginning of 2019.

The frst vessel to arrive, the Alick Rennie, was completed in France, while the second arrived as a hull, deck and bulkheads with the remainder of the build completed in Cape

Town.

This partal build was completed by April 2021 when the NSRI celebrated the launch of the Donna Nicholas for service in Simon’s Town.

As part of the planned build programme, the third vessel was built by Two Oceans Marine in Cape Town. A total of nine vessels are due to be built over a 10-year period at an investment of over R180 million. The NSRI has partnered with Two Oceans Marine Manufacturing to complete the manufacture of the second boat and all future vessels.

This investment saw the frst fully South African-built ofshore search and rescue craf being constructed locally. Each vessel costs an estmated R20 million and represents a gamechanging moment for saving lives.

The NSRI also launched a funding programme that called on people to honour a loved one by having their name commited to the side of one of the ofshore rescue craf. The Launch a Legacy Campaign was initated dur-

ing the constructon of the third vessel in 2021.

By the end of that year, Two Oceans had successfully completed their frst full build in the ongoing programme. .

Another seven ORCs will be built on South African soil over the next fve to eight years. In additon to the obvious benefts of creatng an updated feet, building the ORCs in South Africa creates an opportunity for skills development as well as job creaton.

The innovatve French-designed will take the NSRI’s crew safety and marine rescue capability to a new level.

“Our feet replacement program will see the entre NSRI all-weather search and rescue feet replaced with the new vessel over about 10 years, allowing for increased operatonal capability. It is also our vision to support local people and local industries by having our rescue boats built in South Africa.

The new self-rightng and purposebuilt rescue vessel is designed for rescue operatons in extreme conditons. At 14.8 m long and 4.8 m wide, it can be deployed on rescue missions as far as 50 nautcal miles from land. It has an expected lifespan of at least 40 years. ß

It is an excitng tme to be in the maritme industry

BY CLARE GOMES

The 2021 Women in Maritme Survey results published by the Internatonal Maritme Organisaton (IMO) and Women’s Internatonal Shipping & Trading Associaton (WISTA) on 18 May reveal a changed gender landscape over the past two decades. But while some of that change has been positve and signals progress in our traditonally male dominated industry, barriers to entry in certain sub-sectors are stll high, as refected in the survey data, which was coincidentally published on the frst Internatonal Day for Women in Maritme earlier this year.

So what does this survey tell us? Here are some highlights:

Ð 500 maritme organisatons partcipated.

Ð

Of the segments in which the respondents operate, the largest single category is that of shipowning companies, followed by maritme associatons. In the former, women were found to make up some 34% of respondents’ workforces. In the later, it was 16%.

Ð

As well as shipowners of all merchant segments, respondents span a vast array of other frontline operatonal sectors: port operators; cruise; bunkering; and the workboat industries including fshing, ofshore, towage, and dredging. Overall, the share of women employ-

Executve at AMSOL, South Africa and WISTA South Africa President has received internatonal recogniton.

She has been included on the Top 100 Women in Shipping List (in- ternatonal) published by a Britsh media outlet several tmes includ- ing the 2021 list that was revealed at the beginning of the year.

ees by sub-sector was 29%.

Ð At less than 2%, the proporton of women employed as seafarers remains small. Within the survey, most female seafarers are employed by the cruise industry.

Ð Looking at the distributon of the levels that women work in, 39% of women within the surveyed companies work in mid-management, 28% in technical roles, and 48% in administratve and support roles.

Ð Of the companies that stated that they had a board, the share of female board members was 28%.

Ð Within the C-level positons, of the more than 500 companies that

partcipated, 125 have female CEOs, 127 female chief HR ofcers, and 109 have female chief fnancial ofcers.

Ð The majority of respondents stated that their female workforce was between 25–44 years old, followed by 45–54-yearolds.

WISTA Internatonal President Despina Panayiotou Theodosiou said, “The knowledge we have gathered about gender diversity in the maritme industry through this frst Women in Maritme Survey 2021 is an important step in our ambiton to create holistc gender diversity.

As a frst snapshot, this survey gives telling evidence of how much work stll needs to be done. But it also shows us where there are a few bright spots. The maritme industry can see for itself which sectors are pushing ahead with diversity, and which are not.”

In 2019, WISTA was assigned consultatve status by the Internatonal Maritme Organisaton, recognising the important role they have played over the past few decades in creatng a network of business contacts, mentorship, sponsorship and development for women leading in the industry across the globe.

The opinion of WISTA on key industry developments, regulatons and maters has ensured a representatve voice in this important United Natons organisaton. This has also effectvely mainstreamed many issues relatng to inclusivity in

Clare Gomes, Strategic Planning & Communicatons

a constructve and engaging manner. The positve power of the pack has never been more on display!

Between the actvites of WISTA, Women in Maritme Eastern & Southern Africa (WOMESA), WIMAfrica (African Women in Maritme) and other organisatons including the African Union, conversaton and engagement on gender diversity and economic development in maritme is alive and well in Africa.

Atend any maritme-related event on the contnent and the informatve dialogue and colourful engagement refects a dynamic space where men and women put their heads together to share ideas about inclusivity and progress.

Recently in South Africa, thought leader SAIMI – the South African Internatonal Maritme Insttute – took the lead through collaboraton and hosted a series of events under the banner ‘Imbokodo in Maritme’. SAIMI has in recent years become known for numerous initatves undertaken to support transformaton, and the Imbokodo Programme builds on these successes with a holistc approach to provide sustainable support for women through collaboraton with industry stakeholders, the public sector, academia, and the community.

Working closely with the Moses Kotane Insttute, Ethekwini Maritme Cluster, WISTA South Africa, WOMESA, Internatonal Oceans Insttute, UKZN and the Department of Transport, SAIMI facilitated engagement on key

issues facing women during August – startng with an interactve workshop held in Cape Town, and later in the month launching the ‘In Conversaton with Men’ initatve in Durban.

They also hosted the frst ‘Imbokodo in Maritme Awards’ where together with the Moses Kotane Insttute, they acknowledged role models in the industry who are making an impact. Several other initatves are planned that include the funding of maritme research and a maritme leadership development programme.

A diverse array of opportunites available

Today we look around and see women are owning ships, chartering ships, auctoning ships, building ships, surveying ships, supplying ships, bunkering ships, designing ships, fxing ships, promotng ships, crewing ships, driving ships, keeping ships safe.

We’ve frmly moved beyond the important milestone “frsts” to the substance that follows in normalising change. And our industry is full of role models across all subsectors who have worked, studied and multtasked hard to achieve success. The challenge now shifs to building on a foundaton of progress. And this takes deliberate interventons, steady policy implementaton and economic growth.

All too ofen we’re asked why women feel it necessary to huddle together in various professional organisatons. 

In memoriam

In 2010, the South African maritme sector was rocked by the death of Akhona Felicity Geveza, a young TNPA cadet on board the MV Safmarine Kariba. At the tme, she only had two weeks of mandatory sea tme lef before obtaining her ship navigaton qualifcaton. She was 19 at the tme of her death in Croatan waters. According to a colleague, she had reported a case of sexual harassment against her Chief Ofcer and a meetng had been convened to discuss the allegatons. Geveza, however, failed to appear for the meetng and a subsequent search of the vessel revealed she was missing. The vessel turned around to conduct a search at sea and some two hours later her body was found in Croatan waters. Unidentfed tablets and a partally consumed botle of thinners were found amongst Geveza's belongings. Following an autopsy by Croatan Authorites, the cause of death was atributed to drowning. Then Transport minister, Sibusiso Ndebele called on the South African Maritme Safety Authority (SAMSA) to “leave no stone unturned in their investgaton” into her death.

Thaneka Nyandenni Mzimela, 33, was in training to become a marine pilot when she sadly fell during a transfer to a vessel at sea and drowned. had been in the service of Transnet for 11 years and four months. She completed her maritme studies at Durban University of Technology and qualifed as a tug master on 1 June 2010. At the tme of her death she had been a Marine Pilot in Training for four months and was looking forward to the prospect of qualifying in July 2018.

Sindiswa Nhlumayo, an Executve Head of SAMSA’s Centre for Maritme Excellence was a highly recognised insttutonal leadership manager acknowledged worldwide for her business acumen, academic prowess and social living style. Nhlumayo was in the process of completng her PhD studies in Maritme Afairs with the World Maritme University in Sweden when she passed away from cancer in 2016. The South African Internatonal Maritme Insttute later recognised her contributon to the industry by creatng a legacy bursary in her name.

It is actually quite simple. It energises, encourages, connects and inspires us. And we use the opportunity to make business deals, recruit talent and establish new contacts. Anything that leaves a positve impact is worthwhile investng tme in.

Port authority makes space for women

Closer to home, Transnet Natonal Ports Authority shows us it can be done and has become an industry employer of choice for women who take up key leadership positons but are also well represented throughout all employment levels.

A Transnet publicaton issued in 2020 – ‘TNPA’s Maritme Transformaton Legacy’ highlighted that women held 39.4 percent of mission critcal jobs in the South Africa port system. They also comprised 42 percent of the Marine Cadet Programme and 50 percent of Port Helicopter Pilots and Harbour Masters.

And, at the tme, seven of their eight commercial ports boasted female Harbour Masters or Deputy Harbour Masters. This progress is the result of 20 years of focused efort to atract, recruit, develop, promote and capacitate women across all parts of the organisaton.

This is refected across the industry at organisatons such as the South African Maritme Safety Authority, South African Internatonal Maritme Insttute, South African marine solutons provider AMSOL and several women-headed businesses.

In the last 20 years, things have moved forward and progress has been made in transforming the maritme workforce. To contnue this trajectory, the combined efort of industry employers, leaders, organisatons and individuals will be required as we normalize a diverse, innovatve and resilient workforce for the future. ß

In the last 20 years, things have moved forward and progress has been made in transforming the maritme workforce. To contnue this trajectory, the combined efort of industry employers, leaders, organisatons and individuals will be required as we normalize a diverse, innovatve and resilient workforce for the future.

The frst women

While our aim should be to move away from celebratng the frst woman in any positon in the maritme sector, we do need to acknowledge those women who have made their mark in this regard within the South African maritme domain.

Londy Ngcobo: Africa’s First Female DredgeMaster

Theresa Williams: South Africas frst female marine pilot

Roxanne Manikkam: First commercial diver in South African ports

Lucinda Krige: First female engineer in South Africa’s fshing sector

Lieutenant Commander Zimasa Mabela: First woman to captain a South African Navy vessel

Nompumelelo Goba: First black female diver in the South African Navy

Tshepo Motloutsi, Thembela Taboshe and Prety Molefe: First three black women commercial cargo vessel captains

Jabulile Shandu: First woman marine technical ofcer for Transnet Natonal Ports Authority.

Industry embraces Internatonal Day for Women in Maritme

The Internatonal Maritme Organisaton (IMO) hosted a virtual symposium on 18 May 2022 to celebrate the frst Internatonal Day for Women in Maritme and pay tribute to women in shipping.

Nine panellists joined the conversaton from all over the world, including representatves of the industry, maritme administratons, internatonal organisatons and IMO delegates, including members of IMOGEN.

They highlighted the importance of gender inclusiveness, gender diversity, gender equality as well as the essental role of capacity-building in the training of women and the importance of identfying the barriers professional growth.

Although more women have entered the sector in recent years, they stll face challenges and even discriminaton for occupying senior roles in shipping. IMO is encouraging shipping companies and Member States to adopt inclusive measures within their recruitment policies to allow women to fll top management positons and eradicate gender bias.

According to IMO, there was a broad acceptance by the maritme community to the adopton of the Internatonal Day for Women in Maritme. Co-sponsors have suggested that the internatonal body adopts further initatves to contnue working on gender equality in the maritme sector.

As such it has been proposed that a IMO Gender Equality Award is considered in the future. This would provide internatonal recogniton to those individuals (irrespectve of their gender) who make signifcant contributons to advancing gender equality and empowering women in the maritme sector through the provision of an annual award scheme.

Acton requested of the Commitee

Ð Agree that IMO could adopt further initatves to achieve gender equality in the maritme industry.

Ð Recognise that women stll represent a small proporton of the maritme workforce, and that further actons are needed to close the gender gap, ensuring an equitable and inclusive sector for all women and men in the coming years.

Ð Encourage Member States and intergovernmental and non-governmental organisatons to adopt policies to achieve gender balance in the shipping industry. ß

y ss i t n

The South African maritme industry and its sub-sectors are represented by a plethora of organisatons, associatons and insttutes that cover the range from professional bodies to clusters and business chambers. In additon to those that were established during the last century, many more have launched in recent years. While one could argue that the vast maritme landscape requires the input of each and every associaton and organisaton – there is a case to be made to address the overlapping mandates that they share. Beter collaboraton amongst these insttutons could go a long way towards redressing the silos of informaton and actvites that contnue to plague the sector.

Ch ir the re t e y ne ss i t n reight gist s uth ri g ts g e s ys th t the si ent ity h s resu ted in g ern ent ing unders in de isi ns th t they t n eh the industry e n tes th t the industry needs united i e th t is p e igning the i es the ss i t ns th t h e een nd ted y the ri us su se t rs ss i t ns represent p nies r di erent seg ents ithin the se t rs nd i they d n t unite in ddressing h enges ing the industry the e n y i e e ted he s ys g e dds th t ne the g s hi h s est ished in is t d te r uni ying i e the rit e tr nsp rt se t r r the en e t the e n i gr th nd ntri ut n t e need ne uni ying i e spe ing t ur n h enges he dds

st ished in the uth ri n t ui ders p rt un i s d tes r the ss i t ns in uth ri t r t gether s se t r h ir ru e edder e h es the i e g e s ying his is se t r th t is n t e underst d y th se in p er s e en th ugh e y h e s e indi idu nd uni ue issues r t e ppr h t de ing ith th se issues th t y er p is ene i r the se t r s h e r t n s us t n re th n e re p e n ing y urse es he dds

ut it is n t ust the ne er s s i t ns h re entng the r t n h ir the uth ri n nsttute rine ngineers nd r hite ts e in ts n R d g ret grees here re p eth r ss i t ns e h representng id e er gr upings e t e y they represent the rit e

industry ut there is ini rdin t n nd per t n et een these dies hen eng ging uth rites nd regu t ry dies he n tes ne ur dest rit e ss i t ns the iety ster riners uth ri is s in ur re r t n h ir the s iety yd erri n e ie es th t ny issues e tng their e ers re n t the r der in dustry rger dy i h e re i p t de ing ith these issues he s ys tng the ery re i p t n e ient y un t ning p rt stru ture u u er e d h ir the uth ri n hip upp iers ss i t n s ys th t ss i t ns sh u d e r ying t supp rt e er ser i e r the p rts t isitng ients

g e grees he rit e se t r h s su se t rs th t re p rt the s e se t r e syste hey use the s e tr nsp rt nd the s e p rts nd they depend n e h ther he s ys h t s n t t s y th t the sp e is p ete y de id ny type r t e e rt ithin the shing industry r e p e the ri us su se t rs re represented y di erent dies ut d r t gether hen ne ess ry h ir the uth ri n eep e r ing ndustry ss i t n e i R the n tes th t the ss i t n r s se y ith ish his pr ed ne ess ry nd ene i during the re ent shing rights t n pr ess he s ys

h ir ish yis h nt sh p ints ut th t the e n needs t e sh red y ri us st eh ders su h s rine tr nsp rt nser t n indus try t uris en ir n ent ists

“Industry associatons of the future will have to be decentralised and assume a social entrepreneurship model that will allow them to pursue their mission, and allow them to generate funding by selling value back to the industry rather than a relying on grants and donatons,” says Benni Bhali of the Western Cape Maritme Cluster.

rese r hers i g s ining s e s the s th t i e t se hese re petng interests nd y u nn t e shing ss i t n th t d es n t t e int unt these pet ing h enges he s ys dding th t it is rit t r t geth er t e e t e y uni te the ndit ns eing ed y these petng interests

t is s true the r t e e rts the ut nsttute the iety s ter riners uth ri he uth ri n nsttute rine ngineers nd r hite ts rding t the h ir the uth ri n r n h the ut nsttute hn er r ie these e rts need t e pr ted t hie e p

t u ene ts r e ers nd the rit e industry t rge

his y e true r s e rg nis t ns ut ny thers re ntent t r in is t n re ising th t their nd te is spe i y t i red r their ery y pi needs h ir the uth ri n ss i t n hip ui ders Rep irers R hi h s est ished in the s in hreuder ee s th t the ery spe i nd te the s s i t n hi h represents si i r y spe i su se t r ith its n uni ue pr e s d es n t ne ess ri y re uire en r ed r t n ngst industry ss i t ns e h e sur i ed thus r ith ut ny supp rt

BELOW: Over the years associatons such as the Internatonall Bunker Industry Associaton have been hosts of important workshops, seminars, conferences and training courses.

ABOVE: The newly elected EXCO of WISTA South Africa that came into efect at their most recent AGM.

r ther industry dies he s ys dding th t he is n t sure h t r t e e rt u d i e

r R nd ther ss i t ns the r t e e rt h ppens ithin its e ership se t ensure in r t n nd n erns n e ddressed r th t spe i su se t r th ugh e pete g inst ne n ther r r e ust r s ne te r ntnu us inten n e nd upgr des the i ites r hi h e h e n ntr n ership e p ins hreuder e erthe ess perh ps ey t e y u d e the es t ish ent sing e dy th t rings these ss i t ns t gether h ir the en in hip ping nd r ding ss i t n uth ri re es su s up this ide su in t y u d i e t see ne dy th t h s the h irpers n e h pr per y nsttuted in dustry rg nis t n represented in it t sh u d e se dire ted nd h e the e r s e ne in uen e h is interested in ed nd uri us ut ing h nges in ur se t r she s ys he uth ri n rit e usiness ru th t s est ished s resu t the prehensi e rit e r nsp rt i y y e h e een n e e ent e hi e t h e hie ed ust this

n e ing eth s e re the d ent the inter net nd ri us r s digit inter t n industry insttu t ns h d ery spe i ur hi e ny the nd tes re in un ried the n ture inter t n s e s the nst tut n e ers h s e ed nsider y

e re the turn the entury the industry dies p yed ery uni ue r e in ringing e ers nd se t rs t gether usu y in the r nth y net r ing eet ing e h nest ithin the rit e se t r these net r ing e ents nsisted rge y hite idd e ged t der en

rds the end the s ny ss i t ns ed the h enge n ging e er ship th t strugg ed t r t y unger e ers h ere i ing t gi e up nsider e t e t in i ees nd steer the t rds ne uture th t s entering the er digit uni t n t s s n er here in r t n u d e e re di y i e he industry ss i t n s n nger the s e d in here ne u d g ther industry inte igen e d y ui g e se r h re e s th us nds tt its use u in r t n t is n surprise there re th t ny ne ss i t ns h e een est ished ithin the st t de des hey spe n t

n y t e erging se t rs ut t e erging st eh ders h re e ersed in ne te hn gy nd h re re u t nt t ss i te the se es ith r g nis t ns th t re seen t e t inted y the d gu rd nd th t re n t pen t h nge t is st und nt y e r h e er th t the ss i t ns ntnue t see their re e n e ithin the sp e th t they per te ut ny re re the need t re in pen t constant change to maintain this re e n e h ir n sh t the ener th d ys s s i t n the urs ry und pt in i n e rs n is e re this he und s re ted in t n ge the undr ising re uire ents int ining ntri u t ns t ensure th t students nd e rners re ined sup p rted in pursuing rit e it ns

ndustry ss i t ns i need t e r e the y unger gener t n in rder t re in re e nt nd t e p er the t e uture e ders he s ys d i ng th t it is n issue th t they re ntnuing t ddress hey re t e y re ruitng re di erse i ee e ers t ssure th t the eg y their urs ry und ntnues t thri e ey nd the e isten e pure y hite e stere type

As the regional manager of the ntern t n un er ndustry ss i t n ri h r erge nt is een y re the need r nst nt h nge he e ut n is nst nt s s i t ns need t d pt t st h nging r ets nd needs he ey ingredient is regu r e ership eng ge ent t u y underst nd these needs she s ys

nderst nding the needs ne s nsttuen y is indeed ey t the uture su ess nd i ity

“We need to work with other partners that we share the special space at sea with. The evoluton very much includes the broader understanding of the nuances that must be taken into account,” says Loyiso Phantshwa of Fish SA.

r n rg nis t n ny type t pr sper in n un ert in u ture t e n e re here t ser e ur e ers e need t underst nd h t they nsider s ue s ys es es s instru ent in the re un h the ss i t n in uth ri during ed st i edi te y ith the g p nde i the edg ing rg nis t n ni y d pted t the digit sp e t er their e ership u e supp rt net r ing nd usiness pr t n thr ugh ut the is t n peri d nd ey nd r h ntsh ish the n t n e ing ith the t es is ery u h ted t the need t r te e need t r ith ther p rtners th t e sh re the spe i sp e t se ith he e ut n ery u h in udes the r der un derst nding the nu n es th t ust e t en int unt he s ys h ir the estern pe rit e uster enny h i is s ight y re spe i in ut ining the re uired h nges needed t see rg nis t ns re in re e nt nd un t n ndus try ss i t ns the uture i h e t e de entr ised nd s su e s i entrepreneurship de th t i the t pursue their issi n nd the t gener te unding y se ing ue t the industry r ther th n re ying n gr nts nd d n t ns he s ys

in n es nd unding e r ises n i p rt nt is sue unding nd n n ing n rg nis t n is ru i un t n the i ee hi h st y nsists unteers ery e ss i t ns h e the u ury p id e der r e en se ret ri t his spe s t the issue n t n y sust in i ity ut s g ern n e here h e een in iden es ithin e rg ni

s t ns is n ge ent unds n ri us e e s unt i ity is there re n i p rt nt ersight un t n th t sh u d n t e ign red e ers sh u d e ree t uest n the unding de isi ns their ss i t ns nd nnu ener eetngs sh u d e he d rding t the nsttu t n ith the pr per u ru in end n e

ery e rg nis t ns h e the u ury eing supp rted s spe i ehi e g ern ent nd hen this d es ur there is gener y n under st nding th t they i e e t e e u y sust in e thr ugh e ership e ents nd ther undr ising init t es he uth ri n i nd s i n e s est ished s spe i ehi e nd ene ted r g ern ent supp rt r t e st de de ut t their re ent e r ier this ye r dri n tryd high ighted th t ith ut this supp rt they h d een r ed t undert e se ere st u ng e sures nd ere pursuing re enue stre s ddit n t e ership ees

rding t tryd sts h d een ut y s e per ent e s id th t they i ed t t tr t re e ership thr ugh r etng nd the pr isi n supp y de e p ent init t es r e ers

e s re e ed th t there s nsider t n re est ishing the i n e s un i hi h u d pr ide ess t unding r g ern ent e i ntnue t er t pi pr gr es nd h pe th t in e i he p us he s id during the dding th t there h d s een s e nsider t n r und the es t ish ent rine i s nd ndustry de y t he p pr te the s i s re uired in the se t r

collaborate

VERB \ kə-ˈla-bə-ˌrāt

t r int y ith thers r t gether espe i y in n inte e tu ende r

t per te ith r i ing y s sist n ene y ne s untry nd espe i y n upying r e t per te ith n gen y r instru ent ity ith hi h ne is n t i edi te y nne ted

“Our industry cannot operate without the Transnet Natonal Ports Authority (TNPA) facilites and support services. We see TNPA as a key strategic partner to grow our industry and this can only be achieved if we work together as one team,” says Colin Schreuder. of South African Associaton of Ship Builders & Repairers

r th se th t er the ue eing i ted t n inter n t n dy the e ership ees re stret hed e en thinner due t h ing t p y g d p rt n r rd in intern t n urren y

r e t p y espite the h enges nd the need t e ith the t es se er rg nis t ns h e hie ed signi nt i est nes nd g s th r their e ers s e s r the industry s h e ith st industry s s i t ns seeing represent t n nd d y s p rt their re nd tes it is n t surpris ing th t ny ist g ins de thr ugh inter t n ith g ern ent nd ther st eh ders s signi nt hie e ents

Representng se t r th t h s ng ed g inst in r stru ture de its ithin the p rt the R h s ssisted the ship rep ir se t r y t i pr e dryd nd rep ir i ites r ss the uth ri n p rts ur industry nn t per te ith ut the r nsnet t n rts uth rity i ites nd supp rt ser i es e see s ey str tegi p rtner t gr ur industry nd this n n y e hie ed i e r

t gether s ne te s ys hreuder nterestng y the h enges used y the intern t n p n de i pr ided n pp rtunity r s e ss i t ns t re y e their us es

ith ste di y in re sing e ership se s e t y g ern ent during the id p nde i t he p get t ui ders t per ent p ity during e e hi e ther industri p nies ere n y e t per te t per ent p ity

s s t e y ying during id hey ere e t neg t te ith the g ern ent t supp y duty ree pr du ts t se rers stu in uth ri n p rts during the restri t ns

ent rship nd tr ining

ith us n e ership de e p ent ny the s s i t ns sur eyed re t e y in ed in ering tr ining urses s e s ent rship pr gr es e s eng ge ith tert ry insttut ns t pr ide input n industry tr ining re uire ents

is ne su h ss i t n hey s pr ide enh n ed supp rt t the ngineering un i uth ri r the registr t n nd redit t n engineering pr essi n s y r tng t ident y pp rtunites r e ers t ess ntnu us r essi n e e p ent urses nd tr ining

s t e in pr iding tr ining pp rtunites the nsttute h rtered hip r ers uth

ri re ent y un hed ne n ine urse nderst nding ntern t n hipping

ith nd te t pr te s e s i pr e st nd rds n edge nd underst nding ithin the un er se t r ntnues t h st nu er tr ining urses s e s rg n ise n eren es

ing re ined t e thr ugh ut the p nde i uth ri s e t un h their ent rship nd h rship pr gr es in uring the ss i t n h d used n supp rtng e ers thr ugh the h stng series n ine e ents designed t t te during the p nde i r se nd r und p rt ip nts in the ent rship pr gr e s de r the up ing ye r s the ss i t n ntnues t gr nd int in n e e t e ru r net r ing di gue nd h nge ithin the industry he g is t see e ning u e ership gr th th t i supp rt the ntnu t n the s h rship pr gr e

uture p nning h te er the g s uth ri s ny industry d ies re h e er the need t ns id te the er pping it ns init t es nd i es st re ins n e usi e g ust he d g ing t print e e e re yet n ther rit e un i t is n ern th t the ushr ing nd s pe insttutes ss i t ns usters rg nis t ns nd ther industry dies i n y ser e t r g ent the e rts s pp sed t stering the r t n th t st eh ders e ie e t e issing ithin the se t r ß

Start-ups and stalwarts

The maritme landscape ofers a challenging environment for both new and established companies. While there have been some notable new additons – the industry has also seen the demise of previously infuental names such as DCD Dorbyl, Globe Engineering, Eraco, Safmarine and more. To their credit, many other stalwarts contnue to survive in the challenging environment.

Despite these notable disappearances, there are stll opportunites for newcomers and we have seen a good smatering of new arrivals within the last two decades.

Initatng opportunites

Maritme Review Africa has covered the launch of a number of companies over its own existence. Some of the companies that have entered the space include:

LINSEN NAMBI: Established in 2012 by childhood friends Durand Naidoo and Thuso Mhlambi, the company initally ofered ship broking, marine surveying and consultng services, before acquiring Grindrod’s Unicorn Bunker Services in 2018 with the help of their female empowerment partners, Women in Oil and Energy.

MVANO MARINE: Notng the lack of transformaton in the industry, Ngazibini Qongqo saw a gap in the market that could be exploited and launched Mvano Marine in 2016. “It was a combinaton of personal and business opportunity. I was the only black engineer in my previous company and personally that bothered me a lot,” he explained adding that the buzz around Operaton Phakisa was also helping positon the industry within the country. “I saw an opportunity to launch Mvano Marine and positon myself well in this market,” he says.

ANCHORA MARINE: Keith Govender, CEO of Anchora Enterprises PTY (Ltd) has a diverse history in the maritme sector with a background in commercial ship building, fsheries management as well as the SA Navy. Since launching in 2017, the company has established ambitous goals that include setng up a shipbuilding facil-

ity within the Saldanha Bay Industrial Development Zone.

NAUTIC AFRICA: Founded by James Fisher in 2008, Nautc can trace back its humble beginnings to a small fve-strong team situated in a Simon’s Town shipyard. Today they boast a team of over 300 people across three Cape Town harbour facilites, all fervently working to provide innovatve and reliable quality maritme solutons to the African shipbuilding industry and beyond.

PROZERO WORKBOATS: Launching just last year, the new player in the commercial workboat space in South Africa represents the relocaton of a Scandinavian based entty to Cape Town for the manufacturing of Danish workboats. As a recipient of the DTiC Aerospace Industry supported initatve, as managed by the CSIR for scientfc research and technology enhancement, the company aims to

Establishing a presence

develop future generaton commercial marine applicaton of composite workboats to be made in Africa for Africa.

HELI-LAUNCH OPL SA: Here is a joint venture to watch out for. Having only established the partnership over the last few months, the company represents a new unique ofering in the Of Port Limits sector. Representng the joint capabilites of Ofshore Maritme Services (OMS) and AGA Helicopters, the new entty has already had experience success in raising the bar within the sector.

BRIDGE MARITIME: Established by serial entrepreneur, Neil Scot-Williams, Bridge Maritme Limited ofers a new approach to marine emergency response. With a network of specialists extending throughout Southern Africa and the Indian Ocean, Bridge Maritme mobilise quickly, providing the right people and equipment to drive decision-making that may prevent an incident from becoming a catastrophe.

Their services include marine emergency response and salvage, rapid deployment hydrographic surveys, marine solutons and brokerage.

Resolve Marine have been present in Africa since the wreck removal of the Chamarel of the Skeleton Coast of Nambia in 2013.

"We set up an actve response team and warehouse in 2016 in Cape Townand since then our teams have responded to numerous casualtes and wreck removal projects around the world, and Southern Africa," says Captain Nicholas Sloane who is, himself, a stalwart on the South African maritme scene.

In the case of the freak storm that hit Durban in 2017, Resolve responded with harbour and coastal clean-up and recovered over two billion plastc nurdles that were lost from the Suzanna in the storm. This plastc pollutant not only covered Durban Harbour itself and the beaches of Addington to North Beach in Durban - but another 300 kilometres of coastline, river-mouth estuaries and lagoons all the way to uMhlatuze / Richards Bay.

This resulted in managing up to 500 staf and sub-contractors as well as the design of unique plastc nurdle recovery equipment.

The resultng reports and scientfc data captured in this nurdle recovery & cleanup - have been used to highlight the threat of these plastc Nurdles in a report to the IMO - and the methodology and tools now accepted as the standard for response by the SA Environmental Authorites and ITOPF - and have now been used in follow-up plastc nurdle releases in Southern Africa and of ß

Staying the course

There are, of course a number of industry stalwarts that have contnued to meet the challenges of the sector and evolve to ofer products and services that deliver to the changing needs of their clients.

Indeed companies such as Dormac Marine have been proactve in their approach to navigatng the difcultes posed by internatonal events and lack of local facilites. The company made a signifcant investment in its future with the acquisiton of a foatng dock for the Port of Durban. This can be seen as a direct response to the diminishing capacity provided by Transnet Natonal Ports Authority’s facilites

within the port.

The evoluton of companies such as Pentow Marine over the years to its current form has also been interesting to watch. Owned by Safmarine ad Murray & Roberts, Pentow Marine was established in 1986 following the merger of Safug and Land & Marine Salvage. The two shareholders both held equal share and operated two iconic salvage tugs as the South African Government’s proactve polluton preventon service. The tugs were a household name and known as John Ross and Wolraad Woltemade.

The business grew with the establishment of a sister company - Octo Marine; exportng the sought-afer of-

Designing a course of acton

Launched in 2013 by Leon Mouton in his living room in St Helena Bay, Sea Safety Training Group (SSTG) has experienced signifcant growth in its 11-year history.

“It was tough leaving a steady income and startng a new business, but to this day I would not trade the fulflment I get by helping people for anything else,” says Mouton.

The company has evolved from Sea Safety Training Group (SSTG) to TRU4 (Pty) Ltd, the holding company with SSTG and AYMS as its divisions. Now operatng fve Maritme Educaton and Training Insttutons (MET) across South Africa, SSTG ofers the majority of the STCW basic and advanced courses.

As the frst South African centre to be approved to provide STCW online training, they cater for all ratng qualifcatons such as Able Seafarer Deck and Engine as well as Efcient Cook.

In additon, they cover all small vessel qualifcatons, all fshing qualifcatons, all port operatons qualifcatons and all the Master coastal qualifcatons for the deck departments. They also cover some of the engineering qualifcatons and we have STCW approved workshops for the required workshop training.

SSTG’s latest additon caters for sof skills training that are not normally covered in STCW but which play an important role in the development of the individual and the executon of his/her dutes.

Highlightng some of the challenges that all start-ups face, Mouton notes that funding remains an issue for newcomers.

“We stll do not have external funding for any of our centres and therefore fnding the balance to know what to do next is the challenge,” he explains adding that he never backs down from a challenge. According to Mouton, some major announcements of changes are likely to be made in the near future. “We are working hard on being able to add all workshop training modules to Cape Town and really focus on skills training. Our future training layout is evolving, and we believe frmly in incorporatng more practcal training and simulaton in our training courses,” he says adding that afer the pandemic, they are eager to look towards the future and improve on what they currently ofer.

“The focus will defnitely be on upgrading our facilites and equipment to allow us to structure our courses in the way that we think and believe the industry needs it. The tme during the pandemic was used to study industry needs and that paved the way forward for us. We promise to bring training mechanisms that will be revolutonary and currently unavailable,” he explains.

“Our Vision is to promote professional development for everyone and that is what we will contnue to do. Our passion and reward is to see you succeed.” ß

Maritime Review Africa 20th Anniversary Issue - 2022

shore terminals competence globally. Pentow Marine also introduced the frst bunker barge into South Africa and commenced fuel deliveries in the Port of Durban in 1996; whilst also managing a number of high profle, complex salvage operatons on the South African coast in the period.

The success and growth of the business saw global player Smit Internatonal acquire it in 1999 and Smit Marine South Africa (as the company was renamed) contnued to enjoy growth in market share; successfully introducing third party vessel management services in the early 2000s and expanding its feet size.

In 2005, Smit Amandla Marine was formed following the sale of 30 percent of the company to the Employee Trust and South African shareholders. The company expanded to operate in multple markets during the ensuing years and operatons in Namibia, Angola, Mozambique and South Africa were the focus. When global marine services company Boskalis acquired Smit Internatonal in 2009, Smit Amandla Marine became their solid foundaton in sub-Saharan Africa.

On 1 December 2016, the acquisiton of Smit Amandla Marine, a specialist marine solutons provider in the Southern African region, was announced. This symbolised a milestone for the South African maritme industry as in acquiring the business, AMSOL (African Marine Solutons Group), returned a market leader to 100 percent South African, majority black ownership.

At the tme, AMSOL’s CEO, Paul Maclons, saw the opportunity for the management buyout as a catalyst for the transacton: “We are excited to build a great South African company and to remain relevant to our clients in the energy, mining, ports and maritme sectors into the future. The partcipaton of permanent employees in a broad-based Employee Trust which will own 12 percent of the company ensures that when AMSOL excels, those who are at the coal face delivering value will beneft.”

Fast forward to 2022 and AMSOL now has a footprint that includes Ghana, and the company is the leading employer of South African seafarers with a feet of 18 owned and managed vessels,

Another major ship owner, Grindrod, has also seen signifcant changes

over the last decade. Having grown from humble beginnings in 1910, the company has established itself on the internatonal shipping stage represented by subsidiaries, joint ventures

Leveraging on personal experience

One of the frst companies to support our own start-up was African Maritme Services founded by Rob Whitehead and Alf Wallace in 1998. Both of the partners had a signifcant history within the fshing industry and merchant navy.

What started as a small company of four has evolved into an operaton with two division as well as facilites in Cape Town and Namibia that employs more than 30 full tme staf. Recognised for excellent service and compettve pricing while maintaining the highest quality products, AMS has customers throughout the Southern African region as far north as Equatorial Guinea on the west coast and Kenya on the east coast of Africa as well as to the Indian ocean island of Mauritus.

Originally mainly a trawl gear supplier to the Southern African deep-sea fshing feets, the company has expanded its range of services into the general lifing, marine and ofshore industries as these have developed in the region during the last decade.

Whitehead notes that the launch of the lifing and towing division to service the ofshore mining and oil and gas sectors rates as one of the most signifcant milestones in the company’s history.

Looking ahead to the future, he says the focus is on developing fuel saving trawl optons using advanced polyethylene materials. AMS will also focus on the expansion of the ofshore sectors within Angola and Mozambique as well as new opportunites of the South African coast. ß

and associated companies in 19 countries.

Seen as one of the pioneers of containerisaton in the country, Grindrod listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange in 1986 as Grincor – later changing its name to Grindrod Limited in 2001. The company operates a number of diverse operatons including port and terminals, logistcs, transportaton and banking.

In 2017, The company announced the investgaton of the potental to spin-of its shipping division following the turn of the shipping cycle in conjuncton with the repositon of its other divisions to unlock shareholder value. As a consequence, by 2018, Grindrod Shipping had listed on the

Staying on the radar

NASDEQ and JSE. Grindrod Shipping is now based in Singapore, with ofces around the world including, London, Durban, Cape Town, Tokyo and Roterdam Grindrod Shipping is an internatonal shipping company that owns, charters-in and operates a feet of drybulk carriers and owns one medium range tanker. Grindrod Shipping trades globally under two key brands - Island View Shipping (IVS) and Unicorn.

There are, of course, many other stalwarts in the sector that contnue to determine the future of the South African maritme environment. Future features on these companies will highlight the signifcant role that they have and are contnuing to play as the country aims to expand its blue economy. ß

Another stalwart that we have had the pleasure of working closely with over the years is Marine Radio Accoustc Devices – an entty that was established in 1998 by Eddy Elschot and Brad Baker. Both of the partners had previously worked for Racal Decca and accumulated a wealth of knowledge and experience in the marine electronics sector.

Initally ofering both Simrad fsheries and yachtng products, the company has always maintained a permanent staf of between nine and 12 members.

Looking back at their history, Elschot notes the challenges posed by the currency crash in 2009. “At the tme we were exposed to a large forex loss,” he says adding that it took a loan and full year to get the company back to its positon prior to the crash.

Elschot also notes some of the highlights over the period. A number of milestones stand out including winning the Simrad Fisheries Award in 2000. He also identfes the award of the upgrade contract for radar systems on the South African Navy corvetes as a signifcant moment for the company.

In 2017 MRAD upgraded, installed and delivered radar upgrades to Transnet Natonal Ports Authority and more recently they won a substantal order for lights and buoys for the authority.

“My personal highlight has always been to see people growing within our company. Many have moved on to other companies and contnue to excel,” says Elschot who atributes the company’s success to supplying quality products and solutons, backed by a commited service centre.

He also acknowledges the role played by the team of people he works with. “Our two ladies , who have been with us for many years, deserve a special menton as they are the glue that stck us together and keep the paperwork in order,” he says.

Looking ahead to the future, Elschot notes that, while certain sectors of the business operate on an even keel, others are contnuing to enjoy steady increases in growth. “The business today however requires a lot more forward planning as world wide component and logistc shortages are causing substantal delays in deliveries,” he says adding that thought is being given to a succession plan as he enters his 60s and has had to come to terms with some unplanned health issues.

Marine solutons

AMSOL is a specialist solutons provider and partner to clients who operate in marine environments. As a market leader, AMSOL is the only marine solutons provider in the region that is employee and management owned and is a catalyst for economic empowerment and shared value creaton.

The company has a track record of delivering simple or complex marine projects, in a partnership approach, and delivers cost efectve, value creatng solutons. AMSOL invests in long term, sustainable relatonships and executes projects ofshore, inshore or in port to internatonal standards

Being the leading employer of South African seafarers, with a feet of 18 owned and managed

vessels, the company remains commited to partnering to create value and recognises that to ensure business sustainability into the future it is important that all AMSOL stakeholders derive beneft from the company’s success. This supports the company’s vision and mission of facilitatng growth and transformaton of the regional ocean economy and helps ensure longterm compettveness.

Sustainability, much like Good

Corporate Citzenry, is an integral part of how the company operates and builds relatonships; which is why AMSOL’s sustainability commitments are integrated into strategic objectves which aligns to the United Natons Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) addressing global challenges through balancing Social, Economic and Environmental sustainability.

As one of the largest maritme players in the region with extensive experience in African markets including Angola, Ghana, Mozambique, Namibia and South Africa, AMSOL has an important role to play in ofering sustainable marine solutons.

AMSOL’s service portolio includes:

„ Ofshore Supply and Support, ensuring contnuity in the Value Chain.

„ Management of Specialist Cargo Transhipment Operatons inshore, in port or ofshore.

„ Port Marine Services, including Harbour Towage.

„ Ofshore Oil and Gas Terminal Installaton and Management.

„ Air, Saturaton and ROV Subsea Operatons.

„ Ofshore Support for exploraton, installaton and producton actvites, including positoning involving Complex Vessel Handling and Survey

Support.

„ Fuel Transfer inshore, in port and ofshore, including ship-to-ship transfers and bunker delivery.

„ Marine Consultancy and Advisory.

„ Marine and Cargo Surveying.

„ Vessel Management, Maintenance and Manning.

„ Technical Management including Drydocks, Retroft Modifcatons and Special Projects.

„ Ocean and Coastal Towage.

„ Emergency Response, Safety Standby and Environmental Protecton. ß

AMSOL is a specialist marine solutions provider that pursues business opportunities on the African continent and is rooted in South Africa.

Clients are located in these sectors:

ENERGY: Oil, Gas & Renewables

PORTS: Authorities & Port Users

MINING: Offshore & Onshore

MARITIME: Vessel Owners & Operators

For more information visit www.amsol.global

Intelligent solutons for propelling Africa’s seas and inland water ambitons forward

With clients across the contnent, HYDAC Technology South Africa’s solutons have been well accepted on a variety of vessels that undertake a wide scope of work on Africa’s seas and inland waterways. A clear business model focuses on the importance of developing key IP and representng world-class brands in the region. The marine team, based mainly in Cape Town, works with shipyards and boat owners to provide the optmum soluton in marine propulsion, cooling and winches.

Editor, Colleen Jacka, spoke to Managing Director, Angus Beveridge and John Hodges in their Cape Town offces, who reported that business is steady within the marine sector. Ac-

cording to Beveridge, South Africa represents the majority of their market with the remaining porton spread mainly over The Democratc Republic of Congo, Zambia, Kenya, Ghana, Egypt, Nigeria and Madagascar as well as a number of other countries.

It is a market that suits the company. Beveridge explains that this is where the opportunity lies. “We have a good

understanding of Africa and the need to work through local agents,” he says, adding that it is not a market that many European companies feel comfortable in.

The marine team comprises mostly of the expertse that formed the structure of Basic Hydraulics which was purchased by the HYDAC Technology about four years ago. Headed by John Hodges, Basic Hydraulics had built a solid reputaton for supplying sought-afer brands to the local maritme sector.

Now the marine side of the HYDAC business includes a branch in Durban as well as representaton in Port Elizabeth and Richards Bay. A natonal footprint, that includes Gauteng, of about 65 skilled staf is tasked

As agents for WEKA box coolers, HYDAC's service agents are available for installaton and servicing.

Box coolers ofer an efcient cooling system that is designed for installaton in most inland and sea-going marine applicatons.

with distributng solutons and working with qualifed service providers to ensure servicing and back-up for products.

Beveridge explains that using skilled labour that is already actve within the marketplace helps them focus on the IP knowledge across their product range. “We have the engineering resources to design and integrate our systems into onboard systems,” he says adding that the company is actvely involved in developing new skills and talent within the sector.

“We are funding two students in mechatronics at the University of Stellenbosch that will graduate in 2023 and 2024 respectvely,” he says adding that this commitment to funding such studies ensures that the company has access to such scarce skills in the future. The graduates are also well-equipped to enter any type of industry on an internatonal level.

Marine propulsion

As representatves of Hydro-Armor, Hodges says the solutons ofered by the French-based supplier, are a perfect match for their existng and potental customers across the contnent. “They developed their systems for the mussel and oyster industries, concentratng on

designing equipment that could handle shallow water applicatons. The result is a hydraulic motor driven propeller with adjustable steering that is capable of lifing the unit up and down in the water and is available within the range of 30kW to 600kW,” he explains.

It’s an ideal product for contnent’s inland waters due to its ability to operate in shallow waters alongside its capacity to ofer solutons for deep water operatons as well. He describes how the units have been used on a transport barge in Mozambique that carries product from shallow water to deep water along its route. This barge is ftted with two 500 kW units.

Several units are in operaton in Nigeria and Sudan. The vessels were shipped from the Netherlands and HYDAC’s local team undertook the installaton and commissioning on site at the destnaton.

With a presentaton open on a screen in the boardroom, Hodges and Beveridge along with their marketng executve, Willem Gijzelaar took me through a number of recent and past projects that highlight the adaptability and capabilites of the Hydro-Armor units.

Recountng a project to install a unit on a second-hand hopper

explain that the dredger did not have its own propulsion. “We added the propulsion and the bridge control system.”

Fully workshop tested, the propulsion unit was installedon the Monday and by Wednesday the vessel was already undergoing sea trials in Cape Town harbour. They skip through several slides that showcase vessels operating in shallow ports within West Africa, on pusher-tugs operatng on the Nile in Egypt, Botswanabased ferries, for a mining company in the DRC as well as one on the island of Madagascar.

“In additon to the fexibility of a hydraulic system, the added beneft of the units is their abil ity to automatcally lif if they encounter something such as a sandbar. The only tme that the unit is locked into positon is when the vessel is in reverse,” explains Hodges.

Another slide shows a feet of 50 mini tug tankers that were built between Nigeria and Shanghai. Each vessel operates with a 350kW unit and travels about 250 kilometres

ABOVE: A variety of bespoke winches are available from TSL via HYDAC Technology.

from the Niger delta into deeper water. Interestngly, the vessels are fuelled by the gas that would normally be burned of the oil that they are transportng. As such, they are running on a byproduct of their cargo.

Within South Africa, the HYDAC team has worked with various ship builders. Working with other professionals such as various Naval Architects, they have successfully delivered solutons for several local projects.

Thanks to the advantages of Hydro-Armor hydraulic thrusters that include reliability and a robustness that is able to adapt to difcult navigaton conditons including low tdes and shallow waters – the product is perfectly suited for a variety of operatons in Africa.

Cooling solutons for propulsion engines

As agents for WEKA box coolers,

they are well-positoned to supply a similar market of vessels. The workboats operatng with the Hydro-Armor are well suited to use the cost-efectve box coolers

Box coolers ofer an efcient cooling system that is designed for installaton in most inland and sea-going marine applicatons. They operate using a closed-circuit cooling system, which does not need any waterflters, valves, inboard heat exchanger, raw water pumps, seawater piping and strainers.

The heat source cooling water is circulated through the box cooler tube bundle, which is suspended in the sea chest. Heat is transferred from the box cooler tubes to the seawater, causing it to rise due to its lower density creatng a natural upward circulaton.

“I would say that nearly 70 percent of dredger-type vessels operate on systems like this. They are prety standard in this market,” says Hodges.

Keel coolers, however, are more suited to high-speed vessels. Also using a closed-circuit cooling system, the unit is mounted externally on the vessel’s hull below the waterline. Engine coolant is circulated through the keel cooler, which transfers heat from the coolant before it returns to the engine. The keel cooler is in constant contact with seawater allowing the cooling system to efciently transfer heat between the coolant and seawater.

Winches

Having teamed up with TSL Marine and Ofshore, the team also markets a range of winches and cranes. Originally manufacturing in Singapore, the company has since moved to China.

“We will send over the specifcatons during the day and quite ofen receive a response the following day. They take care of all the steel work while we supply the hydraulics. We have done a number of projects with them now and they provide excellent customer service,” says Hodges.

Ofering a range of standard as well as bespoke products,

TSL’s range includes cranes as well as a wide variety of winch types. These products are designed to be utlised for hoisting, deployment, mooring and general pulling applicatons. TSL can provide in conjuncton with Naval Architects high-quality specially-designed, deck plans for efcient and efectve lifing and pulling, anchoring and mooring operatons.

HYDAC South Africa was recently involved in the upgrade of a mining barge mooring system where they supplied new hydraulic power units and four new mooring winches.

Each mooring winch has a brake holding capacity of 50 tons. The variable displacement hydraulic motor allows for the optmum line speed. The motor is de-clutched from the winch drum when the brake is on. This ensures that the hydraulic motor is protected from overspeed and over-pressure when the winch renders out. A 5-ton warping head is incorporated on the side of the winch and is independently hydraulically driven.

Earlier this year, they delivered two 60kW hydraulic power units to the port of Durban, that are being used to drive mooring winches.

Looking ahead to the future and the opportunites that lie within the maritme sectors, Hodges and Beveridge agree that the potental to supply the inland waters of Africa represents a good market where they feel comfortable with the product range that they currently ofer.

Neither believe that enough opportunity exists, however, for more local manufacturing of components to enter the market. They do not see sufcient volumes equatng to an economy of scale that would make this viable.

Orders and enquiries contnue to look positve with a number of new projects currently on the horizon ready to be winched aboard for delivery. ß

HYDAC Marine

Weka Box and Keel Coolers

Boxcoolers are efficient cooling systems designed for installation in most inland and sea-going marine applications. A closed-circuit cooling system, which does not need any water-filters, valves, inboard heat exchanger, raw water pumps, seawater piping or strainers. The boxcoolers are mounted longitudinal or transversal in a sea chest.

Keel Coolers are mounted externally on the hull below the waterline. The engine coolant is circulated through the Keel Cooler, which transfers heat from the coolant before it returns to the engine. The keel cooler is in constant contact with seawater to efficiently transfer heat.

Hydro-Armor

Marine propulsion from 30 to 600 kW Hydro-Armor’s hydraulic propulsion range includes retractable thrusters, tiltable thrusters, pods (well-mounted thrusters) and bow thrusters.

Benefits of Hydro-Armor propulsion:

• High-efficiency propeller (propeller to bulb diameter ratio)

• Maximum torque available over the entire speed range improves fuel consumption and reduces emissions.

• Adjustable immersion of the propeller

• Easy integration for the naval architect.

• Easy maintenance without special tools even when afloat.

Smart soluton keeps feets afoat

Owning, operatng and managing a feet of vessels can be an onerous undertaking. Managing and keeping track of vessel maintenance, crew changes, availability of spare parts, vessel performance, procurement and even health and safety can become a nightmare without the right systems in place. A library of spreadsheets to monitor all this informaton can easily result in critcal operatons being overlooked. Fortunately, the world has moved on from this and sofware provides efcient solutons to feet owners and managers.

Maritme Review Africa spoke to Steve Randles and Brent Blake of South African-based sofware developers, Khanyisa Real Systems (KRS) about how they were introduced to the unique challenges faced in the maritme sector as well as their journey to developing a truly holistc system of modules aimed at providing a complete overview of a company’s feet.

Initally introduced to the sector more than a decade ago when they were recruited to assist a company involved in maritme transport and Of Port Limits services, Randles says that this was the opportunity that allowed them to get their foot in the door.

“They were stll using spreadsheets and disparate systems

to do their calculatons and scheduling,” he says, adding that the digitsaton of the operaton provided such a signifcant improvement that their frst maritme client helped spread the word to other maritme companies.

Although the original program for this client became proprietary sofware, the KRS team was keen to dive a litle deeper into the industry.

“We are a custom sofware development house and talking to some of the players in the industry, we could see the pain they were experiencing and wanted to ofer something within this space that could make their lives easier,’ explains Blake.

Fast forward to the present day and KRS has successfully devel-

KRS has successfully developed a fully-fedged feet management system called SMART (Ship Management and Reportng Tool). Developed in partnership with AMSOL, the team steadily built up the sofware from a basic payroll soluton to its current version that includes 10 modules and oversees end-to-end feet operatons.

oped a fully-fedged feet management system called SMART (Ship Management and Reporting Tool). Developed in partnership with AMSOL, the team steadily built up the sofware from a basic payroll soluton to its current version that includes 10 modules and oversees endto-end feet operatons.

As a result, AMSOL was able to transiton from using several diferent systems to one core system that ensures all informaton is synchronised and updated across all vessels simultaneously.

SMART is an ISM Code compliant ship management system, focusing on the various aspects of the maritme business through one central soluton. It can synchronise management operatons, reportng and data across vessels at sea allowing faster and safer operatons with real tme access to crew and vessel data.

SMART includes the following features:

„ ISM Code compliance

„ Crew planning, certfcaton, leave and payroll management

„ Vessel management, certfcaton and performance

„ Policy management and distributon

„ SHE-Q administraton and reportng (Safety, Health, Environment and Quality)

„ Informaton message

queues to handle the remote vessel communicaton needs

„ Preferental procurement (BBBEE and Budget Monitoring)

While working on the system, KRS has developed a good understanding of the maritme sector as a whole. “This gives us an advantage when sitng down with a new potental maritme client to discuss their needs. This puts us several steps ahead of any other sofware company that has never worked in the industry,” says Randles admitng that some of the technical language provided a learning curve early on in their interacton with the industry. “We can now have a

proper conversaton with a client without having to Google terms because we can understand the terminology.”

Blake explains the benefts of this further: “We call it ubiquitous language. It’s the language that our clients use and want us to incorporate into the code so that it suits their domain and correctly identfes items that may be unique to a specifc industry.” According to him, this is becoming increasingly important in sofware development.

Choosing custom sofware

The percepton that developing custom sofware is far more costly than trying to fnd a system

that suits your needs is certainly stll a reality, but Randles and Blake maintain that this is not necessarily the case once all factors are considered.

“With most maritme sofware developed in Europe, African companies are paying exorbitant fees in Euros that ofen have to be renewed on an annual basis,” explains Blake, adding that any service or support is also charged in Euros.

“We undertook extensive comparatve research afer completing the sofware to see what other systems cost and we can confdently say that we are signifcantly more reasonable,” adds Randles estmatng that their SMART system is a 

fracton of the cost of anything available internatonally. Add the volatlity of African currencies, and the choice starts to make more and more sense.

But, as the duo point out, it goes beyond simply the cost. “The other beneft for local companies is the actual support we can ofer. Operatng in the same tme zone can be extremely benefcial for critcal support,” says Randles.

KRS ofers clients specifc service level agreements that prioritses various ters of support based on negotated criteria. They aim to understand the impact of identfed issues on their business and atach the required response tmes to issues that may rank diferently depending on their severity.

According to Blake, another reason that many companies are not moving to custom sofware is the resistance to change. “We were quite surprised to fnd that many maritme companies had the tendency to use sofware for many decades without considering how much technology has changed. They do not seem to know what is possible and available now,” he explains, adding that they are losing valuable opportunites to optmise their efciencies.

Atenton to the actual module design also allows for a narrow learning curve within the company. “The screens themselves are all designed to be generic across the modules so there is a general layout for menus and actons. There is a training process, and the system does guide you through some of the steps as you go. When logging on, an intelligent dashboard immediately shows you what processes need atenton,” says Randles.

Security concerns

Cyber hacking is, of course, a very real concern and even members of the maritme elite have fallen victm to breaches. “System security is a number one priority – there is no way around it and every aspect of the system from infrastructure, communicatons and installatons needs to measure up to security standards,” says Blake.

Randles agrees; “There are many layers to ensuring the system is compliant with internatonal and local requirements. Even the development process requires measures to ensure that informaton is not leaked.

It is part and parcel of the sofware development and ongoing service. We use penetraton testng sofware to ensure that everything is up to standard.”

They explain that older sofware may not be as reliable, citng the evoluton of the web environment which has fundamentally changed in the last fve years. Simple protocols such as using HTTPS and not HTTP domains are stll being overlooked. In additon, cloud computng has also changed signifcantly in a short space of tme and is becoming more predominant.

When working with clients, they highlight and address many of these issues to provide systems that reduce risk in the digital space. They explain the need to separate user machines and the servers. “We are able to develop a Chinese wall between the two so even if malware penetrates a client’s machine, it is not going to be able to infect the server,” says Blake

Firewalls that separate servers from the rest of the general network help add layers of security to a company’s informaton and operatons.

This is partcularly important when one considers the human factor involved in breaches. Phishing emails remain an effectve tool to lure unsuspectng users to open atachments and unleash viruses. Randles adds that the move during the pan-

demic to work remotely also exacerbated this problem.

The key, of course, is to train and educate staf to ensure that they understand what is required of them. “Ultmately the staf needs to understand that they play a major part in cyber security,” warns Blake.

Randles adds that in terms of working with data on the system, everything should be permissions based. “This tracks changes and makes them visible while providing the ability to download a full audit trail of what is happening on the system.”

Future outlook

With a robust system, that meets the needs of the maritme sector, KRS is keen to penetrate the local, regional and even internatonal market. “South African-developed sofware can compete with some of the best in the world. Our system is mature and has many features with functonalites that the maritme industry uses.” says Randles who adds that they are currently in conversatons with several notable maritme stakeholders.

“It is interestng – we have moved into specialising in maritme sofware and we are actvely marketng this capability. We have identfed some very clear pain points across the industry and SMART has become a completely integrated management tool for feet owners,” he adds.

“Many people do not realise the expertse and ability that we actually have in South Africa and the overseas market has been seen as the primary supply of maritme sofware, but there is something to be said for being able to speak face-toface with us and dealing with local service providers,” says Blake adding that there need not be a resistance to South African technology.

The country has, afer all, produced some notable names in the tech sector – and now KRS aims to be amongst them. á

“We were quite surprised to fnd that many maritme companies had the tendency to use sofware for many decades without considering how much technology has changed. They do not seem to know what is possible and available now,”

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FIVE REASONS WHY YOU NEED TO EMBARK ON A CRUISE HOLIDAY

If there’s one thing you need on your travel list this year, it’s a seascape. An extraordinary experience: world-class hospitality, luxury encounters, tailored itineraries, and an enchanting ambience.

holiday, where you get the opportunity to sail away on MSC Orchestra from Durban or MSC Sinfonia which will be operating exclusively out of Cape Town.

From the moment you step onboard, you will be treated entertainment and wanderlust destinations. Guests will be spoilt for choice, all while savouring each moment, creating long-lasting memories and soaking in the warm African sun.

1. PHYSICAL THERAPY AND WELLNESS TO HELP YOU LOOK AND FEEL YOUR BEST

If you are looking to relax and revitalise your mind and facilities and treatments that will pamper and indulge of aromatherapy, modern beauty treatments including exotic Balinese massages for individuals and couples. You can also indulge in the onboard sauna, jacuzzi, and salt rooms for total relaxation at sea.

Amid the signature treatments is the hair salon and barbershop to keep you well-groomed and looking your best while on board.

provides a fully-equipped Techno gym, lavish pool complexes, a jogging track and various other sports arenas.

2. THE GREATEST FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT ON OFFER

Get ready for a memorable experience, unimaginable fun and unparalleled activities for the entire family. For the adults, the cruise boasts a wide range of options such as elegant bars and lounges, a theatre, disco and even a casino. So, whether you’re up for a night of dancing, or an ever-changing mix of stage shows, live music, karaoke or just want to try your luck at gambling, there’s something for everyone.

Other onboard facilities include an extravagant retail space, a charming library with a wide collection of books, conference facilities and meeting rooms for your business needs.

Cruising is a particularly ideal holiday option for families with kids. MSC Cruises has combined fun with the know-how of world-famous partners to create play areas dedicated area for babies is designed in partnership with Chicco, while the Mini and Junior Clubs are in partnership with LEGO™

There are separate areas for Teens which are intended to keep them social, happy and busy for hours. Whatever their age, the ship provides all kids with exciting activities, game arcades and sports centres to keep them entertained the entire cruise. Another bonus is that kids under 18 cruise for free.

3. EXCITE YOUR PALATE WITH QUALITY DINING

Indulge in a wide choice of high-quality cuisine with a by star chefs. Each of the onboard restaurants promise

an excellent dining experience in elegant surroundings using prime ingredients to create mouthwatering dishes.

with the most diverse and quality dishes whether it’s breakfast, lunch, dinner or late-night snacks.

whether you’re having a romantic dinner for two, brunch with friends, or an afternoon family feast.

4. VISIT UNIQUE DESTINATIONS

Discover the best cruise destinations, with a wide variety of itineraries designed to reveal the sights, sounds and the opportunity to experience exclusive beaches, visit historical sites, explore uncontaminated nature reefs and discover picturesque landscapes. With many exciting and tailored excursions to enjoy, there is no end to the fun and adventure.

5. ALL THE ESSENTIALS ARE COVERED

MSC Cruise ships generate their own power so you’ll never be in the dark. The on-going Wi-Fi will ensure that you’re always connected; and because you’re not going anywhere, there’s no need for fuel. The ship produces its own water from the onboard treatment plant, so you can rest assured you’ll never run out.

Give yourself, your family, or your friends the best valuefor-money travel experience. MSC Orchestra and MSC cruises until April 2023, calling at both Cape Town and Durban.

For more infor mat ion or to book a cr u ise, go to ww w.msccr u ises.co.za

A W O R L D OF D I SCO V E R Y