New Port Dredging Vessel for Port Elizabeth Harbour

Last week, the Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) held the official keel laying ceremony for a new plough tug, which will fulfil the role of levelling the bed at Port Elizabeth harbour.

Laying the keel marks the official start of a ship building project. The tradition of the keel laying ceremony has been around for about as long as humans have fared the seas and is usually attended by persons from the ship building company and the ultimate owners of the ship, among others.

Over time harbour beds become uneven over time due to traffic, especially in high-volume berth areas. The new dredging vessel will help ensure that the harbour bed is levelled correctly, and to safe legal depths. The new dredger is expected to assist with revitalising Nelson Mandela Bay’s ship building sector, as well as catering for larger commercial ships in our ports.

The vessel will be manufactured and assembled by Tide Marine Shipyard, and naval architecture firm Naval Africa will provide technical expertise and quality assurance. All 200 tonnes of steel required for the build will be sourced from within South Africa, supporting our local economy. In addition, the project will create about 30 jobs in technical fields.

We look forward to seeing the outcome of this exciting project, which has the potential to invigorate the Nelson Mandela Bay port and provide employment for its citizens.

Contact our local offices in Port Elizabeth on 041 581 6000 for all your logistics solutions.