Richard Vallihu News

Transnet National Ports Authority’s (TNPA) R1.4 billion tug building contract in Durban continues to create jobs and develop local marine capabilities, with the fifth of the authority’s nine new tugs launched this morning in Durban. The project is now 81% complete and still on track to deliver the ninth and final tug early in 2018, on time and within budget. Five tugs are under construction at any given time at the premises of contractor, Southern African Shipyards. Four are already delivered and at work in Port Elizabeth and Saldanha.

Transnet National Ports Authority will undertake its mega project to deepen and lengthen berths at Durban Container Terminal (DCT): Pier 2 has reached a key milestone and the multi-billion rand Main Marine Construction Works package will go out to tender in December 2016. This follows the two environmental approvals secured from the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) last year for marine and landside works. The tender process for the landside works will follow at a later stage. The DCT: Pier 2 Berths 203 to 205 reconstruction, deepening and lengthening project forms an integral part of Transnet’s Market Demand Strategy which is in its 5th year and aims to enable the effective, efficient and economic functioning of an integrated port system to promote economic growth.

The inauguration of an IHC dredging simulator was held at Transnet’s Maritime School of Excellence in Durban, South Africa on Friday 2 September. The launch marked the start of a new dredge training programme to develop and enhance the knowledge and skills of local dredging personnel. employed in these sectors. The delivery of a training simulator by IHC is part of the supplier development plan that IHC and Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA), one of five operation divisions of Transnet, agreed on prior to the delivery of trailing suction hopper dredger (TSHD) ILEMBE in 2016. The aim is to improve the local industry in South Africa by setting up a dredging school, outsourcing parts to local suppliers and using the local supply chain for life-cycle support of the vessel.

Africa’s first ever dredging simulator was launched in the port city of Durban, South Africa – another positive spin-off of ongoing collaboration between Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA), the Transnet Maritime School of Excellence (MSoE), Netherlands based Royal IHC and its world-renowned Training Institute. The high-tech simulator – based at the MSoE’s Langeberg Road premises – will aid in building dredging capability in South Africa. Dredging is specialized underwater excavation that helps to keep ports and harbours safe and navigable and is a critical aspect of port development.

The latest of Transnet National Ports Authority’s (TNPA) nine new tugboats has set sail from the Durban premises of contractor, Southern African Shipyards, on Thursday, July 7, destined for its new home at the Port of Port Elizabeth. The tug was ceremonially launched as Qunu in May alongside a third tug, Cormorant. Qunu was named after the Eastern Cape home village of former President, the late Nelson Mandela and is due to arrive in Port Elizabeth on Friday, July 8. She is the second of two new tugs built for the port as part of this large-scale fleet replacement project.

Two new landmarks at the Port of Ngqura, which are part of ongoing developments to position the port as a container transhipment hub for Sub-Saharan Africa, were officially launched by Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) today. The new landmarks are the port’s state-of-the-art administration building and an administration craft basin for pilot boats and tugboats, including office facilities for operational staff working on these craft. Also included in TNPA’s latest R700 million investment into the port is the vacuum based automated mooring technology pioneered at Ngqura last year.

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, April 2, 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, April 4. Port Elizabeth port manager, Rajesh Dana, said, “The arrival of MVEZO in the Eastern Cape is particularly significant given that the tug was named after the small village in our province where former President…

Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) introduced a new port security system valued at more than $53 million to safeguard customer cargo, port users, as well as Transnet’s own port assets, staff and contractors. Phumuzi Sigasa, head of TNPA’s Port Security Portfolio added: “In conformance with regulations and our own Integrated Security Management Systems - Security Strategy Plan, we are rolling out an upgraded security system across our eight South African commercial ports and our head office in Johannesburg.

Transnet National Ports Authority announced a milestone in its $98 million tug building contract when the first of its nine new tugboats was launched at the Durban premises of contractor, Southern African Shipyards. “This is the largest single contract TNPA has ever awarded to a South African company for the building of harbor craft,” said TNPA chief executive, Richard Vallihu. 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.

The Ports of Cape Town and Saldanha became the latest to go live with Transnet National Ports Authority’s new R79 million web-based Integrated Port Management System (IPMS), first introduced at the pilot site, the Port of Durban in July. IPMS replaces manual processes and enables key port operations to managed online and in real time across TNPA’s eight commercial ports. All vessels arriving at the two Western Cape ports between August 26-31 will be allowed priority registration, provided vessels agents are trained.

Transnet National Ports Authority awarded the V&A Waterfront (Pty) Ltd the status of Preferred Bidder for the development of a cruise terminal at the Port of Cape Town, Transnet said on Tuesday. Once all negotiations are concluded, the V&A Waterfront will invest just under R179 million to finance, design, and develop the terminal. In addition, the agreement includes operation, maintenance and transfer of ownership of the facility back to TNPA after a period of 20 years. The facility will remain at E berth, Duncan Dock, in the Port of Cape Town. Once completed, it will be able to accommodate the port‟s current and future passenger vessel fleet. It is also envisaged that the upgraded facility will house value-added retail and hospitality services.

The automated mooring system at the Port of Ngqura in South Africa’s east coast is poised to improve port efficiency and safety, cementing the deep water port’s position as a leading transshipment hub for the Sub-Saharan region. The system comprises 26 mooring units, the last of which arrived at the port in March 2015. “Procured from global engineering group, Cavotec, the mooring units were designed, custom manufactured and installed to meet the specific environmental conditions of the Port of Ngqura.

South African port authority, Transnet National Ports Authority, has appointed Richard Vallihu as its new Chief Executive, following the retirement of Tau Morwe. Richard Vallihu took up the reins as Chief Executive of South African port authority, Transnet National Ports Authority, on April 1, 2015. He succeeds Tau Morwe, who led the company for a number of years before opting for retirement in March 2015. Vallihu is no stranger to Transnet SOC Ltd, the custodian of South Africa’s freight and logistics sector.