All aboard for tug launch

THE first of nine Durban-built tugboats was ceremonially launched by Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) last Thursday, 12 November.

The event drew much fanfare when the traditional bottle of champagne was smashed against its bow.
“This is the largest single contract TNPA has ever awarded to a South African company for the building of harbour craft,” said TNPA chief executive, Richard Vallihu.

In line with maritime tradition, the duty of officially naming the vessel was carried out by a Lady Sponsor, Lauriette Sesoko, TNPA general manager of commercial and marketing. The tug was named ‘MVEZO’ in reference to the small village in the Eastern Cape of South Africa where former president, the late Nelson Mandela, was born.

This is the largest single contract TNPA has ever awarded to a South African company for the building of harbour craft

“The building of MVEZO and the eight other tugs in this project, demonstrates 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, in line with the government’s Operation Phakisa initiative,” said Vallihu.

Mvezo is expected to be handed over to the Port of Port Elizabeth in February, followed by handovers every three months until the last one is launched in early 2018.

The tug building project kicked off in August 2014 and is providing a big boost to the local economy over its 42-month lifespan. Given the project’s tight deadlines, five tugs are under construction simultaneously at any given time.

This massive project will see two tugs each allocated to the Ports of Durban, Richards Bay and Port Elizabeth, while Saldanha, which handles the largest carriers, would receive three tugs.

TNPA programme manager, Eugene Rappetti, senior manager for marine operations, said TNPA had 29 tugs presently in service nationally, but the requirement for bigger, strong tugboat fleets had increased in line with bigger commercial vessels calling at South African ports more frequently. “TNPA’s new fleet will include nine tugs that are 31 metres long with a 70 ton bollard pull. The older tugs have 32.5 to 40 ton pulls.

“The increased bollard pull of these new generation tugs meets international standards and they 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 said.