Tender award a major boost for Cape Town supply chain
Veecraft Marine, subsidiary of Paramount Maritime, has landed a TNPA tender to design, manufacture and assemble two twin-screw, diesel-powered workboats for harbor activities in the Port of Cape Town, Paramount confirmed late last month.
The 100% South African-developed, 19.5m (LOA) maritime vessels, manufactured with 60% local content, will perform a wide range of functions including conventional escort, light house services (LHS) assistance , and towing support. “The vessels will assist in servicing small to medium-sized craft pilotage into the port, the towing of vessels, lashing up next to dead ships and undertaking conventional escort operations,” the company said in a statement. “This additional capacity will have a direct and indirect impact cross-sector on industries operating within and around one of the most demanding trade routes in the world, serving as a critical component of the value chain of fishing companies in particular,” the statement said.
The vessels feature a a 7.25m Beam, fixed-pitched propellers and twin rudders, offering 15T bollard pull (short tons-force). They will ultimately replace TNPA’s existing workboats currently showing signs of wear and tear after servicing up to 300+ foreign fishing vessels per annum for many years.
Stuart McVitty, Chief Executive Officer of Veecraft Marine, said the company was proud to be part of the South African maritime supply chain: “It is our privilege offer the latest available technologies in both manufacturing and deploying these next-generation workboats to the Port of Cape Town, offering a dramatic reduction in cost of doing business, increased operational efficiencies, safer working conditions and a reduced carbon footprint in the process,” McVitty said. “These are turn-key solutions pertinent to South African geo-commerce and the responsible utilisation of our ‘Ocean Economy’, proudly in line with Veecraft’s nearly 20-year heritage. We look forward to playing a continued role in the South African maritime supply chain, proudly an indigenous enterprise supporting this historic yet global marketplace”.
Historically workboats are the only vessels capable of servicing the entrance channels to Cape Town’s dry-docks, resulting in an arduous workload. The new vessels would not only improve this service but also reduce air pollution and oil leakage due to advanced technology, the company said. ENDS
The Port of Cape Town handles the biggest volume of South African deciduous fruit and fish exports.
Recognised as an integral part of South Africa’s economy, the Port of Cape Town largely facilitates imports for regional consumption and exports of agricultural products, including the management of the largest amount of deciduous fruit and fish exports in the country. This distinction has also led to the growth of world-class ship repair and maintenance services from the Port, accommodating both the local and foreign fishing industries alongside recreational boating.
