The launch this morning of the first of nine new tugboats at the Durban premises of contractor, Southern African Shipyards, marked a milestone in Transnet National Ports Authority’s R1.4-billion tug building contract.
“This is the largest single contract TNPA has ever awarded to a South African company for the building of harbour 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.
MVEZO is expected to be handed over to the Port of Port Elizabeth in February 2016, followed by handovers every three months until the last one is launched in early 2018.
Eugene Rappetti, senior manager for marine operations, said TNPA had 29 tugs presently in service nationally, but the requirement for bigger, strong tugboat fleets had increased as bigger commercial vessels were calling at South African ports more frequently.
