A R1.4-billion contract, awarded by Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) to Durban-based Southern African Shipyards, for the supply of nine tugboats for South Africa’s harbours got under way this week with the cutting of the first steel.

The tugboats would replace ageing vessels and increase TNPA’s fleet in the ports of Durban, Richards Bay, Port Elizabeth and Saldanha Bay, with the first tug to be launched in November next year. All tugs would be delivered by the first quarter of 2018.

“This contract rates as the largest single contract awarded by TNPA to a South African company for the building of harbour craft. The acquisition of these tugboats is consistent with Transnet’s Market Demand Strategy to provide capacity ahead of demand, ensuring productivity and operational efficiency,” commented TNPA CE Tau Morwe.

TNPA chief harbour master Rufus Lekala explained that the new tugs would be the most powerful ever to enter the authority’s service.

“Compared to the older generation tugs currently in use, which have a bollard pull of 40 t and 32.5 t, eight of the new tugs will have a 70 t bollard pull. At 31 m long, 11.5 m wide and 18 m high, they are slightly larger than the existing ones,” he noted.

Lekala further pointed out that the ninth tugboat would be 42 m long, 15 m wide and have a bollard pull of 100 t.

The increased bollard pull of these tugboats met international standards in terms of handling the increasing size of commercial vessels calling at South African ports.

Meanwhile, Southern African Shipyards CE Prasheen Maharaj pointed out that, to meet the “almost unprecedented” target of building the nine tugboats in 42 months, the company would build them in tandem, with five tugs under construction at any given time.

To meet the tight building schedule, subcontractors supplying technical expertise in the installation of electrical systems, engines and propulsion units, had established workshops at Southern African Shipyards’ premises.

These subcontractors include Barloworld/Caterpillar, Siemens and Voith Schneider.

Further, TNPA emphasised that a large local supplier development programme was included in the contract.

In addition, a number of national and international training and development opportunities would be created for local employees.