South Africa’s iconic retired polar research vessel, the SA Agulhas I, has been sold at a court-ordered public auction in Durban for $1.020 million.
The sale took place on Monday, January 26, following an initial scheduled date of January 22 that required reconstitution. The announcement of the sale and price achieved was posted on Solutions Strategists website this week. Details of the buyer have not been disclosed.
The SA Agulhas I (IMO 7628136) was placed under judicial arrest in the Port of Durban after private operators encountered severe financial difficulties. The vessel was transferred from government ownership to J*S Maritime in 2024, with conditions aimed at supporting seafarer training programmes.
According to court proceedings, after completing two scientific charter voyages in the first half of 2025, mounting debts led creditors – including financial lenders – to initiate legal action for recovery of unpaid amounts. This escalated when crew members went unpaid for several months, constituting a maritime claim under South African admiralty law and prompting the arrest.
Efforts to resolve the situation, including a mid-2025 ownership transfer to HF Offshore Services Mexico, proved unsuccessful. On December 11, 2025, the Durban High Court ordered the sale of the vessel to satisfy creditors' claims and distribute proceeds accordingly. Solution Strategists were appointed as auctioneers.
The online auction via Microsoft Teams was held while the vessel was berthed at Berth 205 in the Durban International Container Terminal. Prospective bidders were required to register with a refundable deposit of $50 000.
Built in 1979 by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries in Japan, the steel-hulled, ice-strengthened Antarctic supply and oceanographic research vessel measured nearly 112 metres in length, with a gross tonnage of approximately 6 123 tons and a range of 15 000 nautical miles. It could remain at sea for up to 90 days.
For over three decades, the SA Agulhas I served the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment as the backbone of South Africa’s Antarctic and Southern Ocean research programme. It undertook regular supply runs to remote sub-Antarctic bases on Marion Island and Gough Island, as well as the SANAE IV base in Antarctica, while supporting scientific expeditions in some of the world’s harshest maritime environments.
The vessel also served as a training platform for maritime cadets and students before its retirement from government service in 2012. It was replaced by the modern, purpose-built SA Agulhas II, commissioned the same year and operating primarily from Cape Town. The SA Agulhas II continues to lead South Africa’s polar research efforts, including international collaborations.
