Coastwatch vessels take on fishy new image

SOUTH AFRICA'S only two coastwatch ships, which are operated by Pentow Marine under contract from the Department of Environmental Affairs & Tourism, are undergoing a face-lift and will be renamed.
Kuswag I, which until recently has been based in Cape Town, is the first to undergo the change, and has appeared in new corporate colours of white hull and superstructure, with a depiction of a leaping whale painted in dark blue on either side. This gives a clue to the new name for the vessel, Pentow Eubalena, which is the scientific name for the right whale.
The small ship, which is used to clean-up oil pollution from passing ships or from accidents along the South African coastline, will be transferred to Durban from the middle of January.
Kuswag IV, which has been on station at Durban for the past year, will return to Cape Town when Pentow Eubalena arrives on January 11. She will also undergo a transformation, emerging from her present red oxide colour scheme into all white, but in her case she will have a leaping dolphin painted alongside. Her new name is to be Pentow Stenella, which means striped dolphin.
Pentow Marine maintains a third coastguard vessel, K2 on a 'warm laid-up' basis in Cape Town. Another vessel, K5 is now permanently laid-up in Cape Town while K3 has been sold to Messrs Irvine & Johnson, where she operates under the name Dias.
By Terry Hutson