CAPTAIN LIONEL Marker, who was port liaison officer at the Port of Durban for a number years, and recently the acting senior port control officer, passed away suddenly on July 10.
Captain Marker served nearly 25 years with Portnet after having come to this country in the early 70s. His service included a spell with Unicorn as master of the tanker Shell Africa which he brought out on her delivery voyage in 1973. He was also as master of the tanker Mobil Durban, on which he was to meet his future father-in-law, the ship's radio officer.
He later became a tug master in the Port of Durban where he rose in seniority. Even after coming ashore to take up the post of port liaison officer Captain Marker, known to his colleagues as 'Mr Tugmaster', would occasionally return to the tugs to help train others.
His funeral was attended by several hundred of his colleagues, family and friends and according to his wife, his ashes are to be returned to the Deep, where he spent so much of his life.
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