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First of Nine New TNPA Tugs Sets Sail

First of Nine New TNPA Tugs Sets Sail

Date: 2016-04-08
The first of Transnet National Ports Authority's nine new, powerful tugboats set sail from the Durban premises of contractor, Southern African Shipyards, on Saturday, 2 April destined for its new home at the Port of Port Elizabeth.

The tug was ceremonially launched as MVEZO last October. It arrived in Port Elizabeth in the early hours of Monday, 4 April.

The nine-tug contract - valued at R1.4 billion - is the largest single contract TNPA has ever awarded to a South African company for the building of harbour craft.

Two tugs each will be allocated to the Ports of Durban, Richards Bay and Port Elizabeth, while Saldanha, which handles the largest carriers, would receive three tugs.

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.

Durban based Southern African Shipyards, which owns and operates the largest shipyard in Southern Africa, also built TNPA's previous 12 tugs. The company scooped the latest contract through an open and transparent process. Its employees have a 12 percent stake in the company, which has 60 percent black ownership.

Subcontractors on the project include well-known multi-nationals such as Barloworld Equipment, Siemens, Voith Schneider, as well as local contractors such as Bradgary Marine Shopfitters.

CEO Maharaj said his company had created 500 direct and 3500 indirect jobs through the project. "We have also committed to ensuring that each tug has a minimum of 60% locally manufactured components, while partnering with international companies on the remaining aspects that cannot be manufactured here, for example the engines and propulsion units," he said.

Maharaj said the intention was to maximise local content and spread the benefits of the project to black suppliers, women- and youth-owned businesses. Ultimately South Africa will achieve a socio-economic benefit of more than R800 million as a result of the Supplier Development Plan attached to the contract," "he said.

In addition a number of national and international training and development opportunities are being created for local employees, with TNPA already set to send employees to Germany for training on the new propulsion units. They would also receive training locally for four to six weeks.

Rappetti said TNPA also had a large training programme in place for engineering and deck cadets to ensure that the vessels had skilled people in place to operate them.