Mvezo, the name of the village where former President Nelson Mandela was born, is about to be dumped into sea water to shove around large ships.
The first of nine tugboats built in South Africa under a R1.4-billion contract for Transnet ceremonially launched in Durban yesterday, has adopted the name of the village.
Mvezo is expected to be handed over to the port of Port Elizabeth in February‚ followed by handovers every three months until the last tug is launched in early 2018.
The project will see two tugs each allocated to the ports of Durban‚ Richards Bay and Port Elizabeth‚ while Saldanha will receive three tugs.
“This is the largest single contract Transnet National Ports Authority has ever awarded to a South African company for the building of harbour craft‚” TNPA chief executive Richard Vallihu said at the launch event at the Durban premises of contractor‚ Southern African Shipyards.
“The building of Mvezo and the eight other tugs in this project‚ demonstrate that this country has the expertise to compete in the global shipbuilding industry and to use the maritime economy to unlock the economic potential of South Africa‚” Vallihu said.
TNPA programme manager Eugene Rappetti‚ senior manager for marine operations‚ said TNPA had 29 tugs in service nationally‚ but the requirement for bigger‚ strong tugboat fleets had increased.
“TNPA’s new fleet will include nine tugs that are 31m long with a 70-ton bollard pull,” Vallihu said.
“The older tugs have 32.5 to 40 ton pulls. The increased bollard pull of these new generation tugs meets international standards and also feature the latest global technology.
“The tugs have Voith Scheider propulsion which makes them highly manoeuvrable and able to change the direction and thrust almost instantaneously while guiding large vessels safely into our ports‚” he adds.
Rappetti said TNPA had a training programme for engineering and deck cadets to ensure the vessels had skilled people to operate them. — Tiso Blackstar Group
‘Mvezo’ will make waves for big ships
The first of nine tugboats built in South Africa under a R1.4-billion contract for Transnet ceremonially launched in Durban yesterday, has adopted the name of the village.
Mvezo is expected to be handed over to the port of Port Elizabeth in February‚ followed by handovers every three months until the last tug is launched in early 2018.
The project will see two tugs each allocated to the ports of Durban‚ Richards Bay and Port Elizabeth‚ while Saldanha will receive three tugs.
“This is the largest single contract Transnet National Ports Authority has ever awarded to a South African company for the building of harbour craft‚” TNPA chief executive Richard Vallihu said at the launch event at the Durban premises of contractor‚ Southern African Shipyards.
“The building of Mvezo and the eight other tugs in this project‚ demonstrate that this country has the expertise to compete in the global shipbuilding industry and to use the maritime economy to unlock the economic potential of South Africa‚” Vallihu said.
TNPA programme manager Eugene Rappetti‚ senior manager for marine operations‚ said TNPA had 29 tugs in service nationally‚ but the requirement for bigger‚ strong tugboat fleets had increased.
“TNPA’s new fleet will include nine tugs that are 31m long with a 70-ton bollard pull,” Vallihu said.
“The older tugs have 32.5 to 40 ton pulls. The increased bollard pull of these new generation tugs meets international standards and also feature the latest global technology.
“The tugs have Voith Scheider propulsion which makes them highly manoeuvrable and able to change the direction and thrust almost instantaneously while guiding large vessels safely into our ports‚” he adds.
Rappetti said TNPA had a training programme for engineering and deck cadets to ensure the vessels had skilled people to operate them. — Tiso Blackstar Group
Would you like to comment on this article?
Register (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Trending Now
Latest Videos