Nomazwe signals historic change as sister vessel is named

RAY SMUTS
THE SKIES were grey as were the choppy seas, off-set only by the pristine, white hulled, bunting-bedecked, Safmarine Nomazwe, the carrier’s first containership newbuild in almost three decades, as she surged into Table Bay on her maiden call last Friday (January 7).
Five hours later it was announced at Denmark’s Odense Steelyard that Nomazwe’s sistership, the second of Safmarine’s new Big White containerships pupose-built for the Europe South Africa trade, had been named Safmarine Nokwanda - a South African Xhosa name traditionally given to a young bride and signifying expansion.
The first three of the new-look SAECS fleet, Lars Maersk, Safmarine Nomazwe and Safmarine Nokwanda are state of the art vessels, offering greater speed and therefore a faster service, enhanced capacity of 3 700 TEUs (and more in some instances) than the four older Big Whites and more plug points for integral reefers - all of which obviates the need for a seventh vessel as was the case in the past.
After the guests had been welcomed aboard Safmarine Nomazwe by youthful Captain Leon Strydom, a ‘Kaapenaar’ and Safmarine-trained cadet who has yet to celebrate his 35th birthday, Safmarine’s marine executive Smersh Rabie said the once-popular limited number passenger cruises were to be no more within the new dispensation as the line’s core business was carrying containers.
The SA Helderberg - one of the original ‘Big Whites’ - sailed for South Africa on Sunday, January 2, as part of the Safari service (Asia to Southern Africa). The second old ‘Big White’ also in drydock in China and also to become part of the Safari service is SA Winterberg.
Europe is the dominant trade for South Africa, marginally beating the SA-Far East trade. Europe and the Far East together represent more than two-thirds of Safmarines’s South Africa trade.