Whatshot

2026
All
September
2025
All
November
All
2024
All
June
All
April
All
2023
All
March
All
2022
All
2021
All
2020
All
March
All
February
All
2019
All
December
All
November
All
October
All
September
All
August
All
July
All
June
All
May
All
April
All
March
All
February
All
2018
All
December
All
November
All
October
All
September
All
August
All
July
All
June
All
May
All
April
All
March
All
February
All
2017
All
December
All
November
All
October
All
September
All
August
All
July
All
June
All
May
All
April
All
March
All
February
All
January
All
2016
All
December
All
November
All
October
All
September
All
August
All
July
All
June
All
May
All
April
All
March
All
February
All
January
All
2015
All
December
All
November
All
October
All
September
All
August
All
July
All
June
All
May
All
DHS
April
All
March
All
February
All
January
All
2014
All
December
All
November
All
October
All
September
All
August
All
July
All
June
All
KZN
May
All
April
All
March
All
February
All
January
All
2013
All
December
All
November
All
October
All
September
All
August
All
July
All
June
All
May
All
April
All
March
All
February
All
January
All
2012
All
December
All
November
All
October
All
September
All
August
All
July
All

New Transnet Tug Launched - Built by Durban for Durban

New Transnet Tug Launched - Built by Durban for Durban

Date: 2017-06-02

South Africa's busiest port will soon take delivery of its first new tug - the sixth of nine powerful new vessels to roll off the production line in the port city of Durban, on time and within budget. Named UMBILO, the vessel was launched at an official ceremony in Durban on Friday, 26 May 2017. Executive Mayor of eThekwini, Councillor Zandile Gumede, performed the ceremonial duty of Lady Sponsor to christen the vessel in line with maritime tradition.

UMBILO is part of Transnet National Ports Authority's (TNPA) R1.4 billion tug building contract awarded to Durban-based Southern African Shipyards - the largest ever awarded to a South African company for the building of harbour craft.

TNPA Chief Executive, Richard Vallihu, said a new tug is exactly what the Port of Durban needs.

"Over the past few years, the Port of Durban has seen larger vessels calling at the port. This has put a strain on ourmarine fleet. Currently the port has a total of eight tugs of which four areold shuttle tugs withonly 32 and 38 ton bollard pull power," he said.

As a result of the tug shortage the port has been deploying a five tug operation to help guide vessels into the port instead of the industry request to use a six tug operation.

Having a new and a powerful tug in the port will release pressure on the port's marine operations and speed up turnaround times for vessels calling at the port.

The TNPA tug procurement project also complements the skills development programme currently underway through TNPA's Maritime School of Excellence.

Speaking at the naming ceremony, Vallihu said it was essential to have well-trained people in place to support Transnet's major drive to ramp up infrastructure and efficiency at South Africa's ports. Transnet has set aside a record-breaking R7,7 billon for training over the next 10 years. The port authority will contribute in excess of R56 billion of capital expenditure under Transnet's rolling R300 billion-plus Market Demand Strategy, or MDS, which is now in its fifth year.

Vallihu again praised the work of Southern African Shipyards, which he said was playing a proactive role in helping to unlock the potential of the Ocean Economy.

The nine tugs are being built for TNPA over three and a half years, as part of a wider fleet replacement programme that also includes new dredging vessels and new marine aviation helicopters. The programme is aimed at improving operational efficiency in the ports.

TNPA's new fleet of nine tugs are each 31 metres long with a 70 ton bollard pull. They feature the latest global technology such as Voith Schneider propulsion which makes them highly manoeuvrable.

UMBILO is among four that are being deployed in KwaZulu-Natal's ports of Durban and Richards Bay. Five have already been delivered to Port Elizabeth, Saldanha and Richards Bay.