BEE firm ventures into shipping
30 June 2004
South Africa's first lady, Zanele Mbeki, was the guest of honour at a quayside ceremony in Cape Town harbour on Tuesday where she named a new R250-million purpose-built coastal tanker, Southern Unity.
"May God and all of our ancestors bless this ship and all who sail in her", Mbeki said before cutting a ribbon and sending a bottle of champagne smashing onto the side of the vessel.
The Korean-built Southern Unity is owned by local shipping company Grindrod, but will be operated by black economic empowerment shipping company Southern Tankers.
The vessel forms part of a R350-million empowerment deal spearheaded by oil companies Shell, BP, Grindrod and Southern Tankers.
The two oil companies have awarded Southern Tankers a three-year contract to transport one million tons of petroleum products a year around the southern African coast.
Just under 176m long, the tanker's freshly painted red hull, blue deck and white superstructure
loomed over the guests and dignitaries gathered on the V&A Waterfront's No 2 Jetty for the naming ceremony.
According to Grindrod, the tanker will ply local waters, delivering fuel, refined petroleum products and chemicals from the Sapref refinery in Durban to other South African ports, as well as to other countries in the region, including Namibia, Mozambique, Tanzania and Kenya.
Grindrod described the Southern Unity as "one of the safest and most fuel-efficient vessels currently in operation".
Listed among the ship's environmental protection features are a double hull and segregated cargo and ballast systems.
"The vessel also has computerised safety systems to guide cargo handling, a continuous fire detection system, and microprocessor-based navigation aids for additional safety and efficiency", Grindrod said in a statement.
The vessel has been designed to operate for 25 years, and will have a crew of 23 plus reserves.
The Southern Unity's
master, Captain John Williams, described it as a "multi-purpose vessel", capable of carrying crude oil should the need arise. Williams said that despite being christened in Cape Town, the ship would operate mainly out of Durban.
Speaking after the christening, Grindrod managing director Ivan Clark said the ship represented a boost for black economic empowerment.
"Today marks the start of a new era in South African shipping. Not only are the maritime and liquid fuels empowerment charters being brought to reality, but our domestic shipping sector is receiving a massive boost from a truly South African empowered company."
Source: BuaNews
| 
