Company Announcement - Transnet National Ports Authority has proudly announced the launch of its Dredging Service’s division’s new 5500m3 trailing suction hopper dredger, the Ilembe, which is part of Transnet’s Market Demand Strategy. The vessel was named at an official ceremony at the shipyard of manufacturer Royal IHC in Rotterdam in the Netherlands on 9 May 2015. Meaning ‘great warrior’ in the isiZulu language, the name is used in reference to praising King Shaka Zulu, whose tomb is situated in Kwadukuza in the Ilembe district. The R889 million dredger contract has been delivered within budget and is three months ahead of schedule, with the vessel expected to leave Rotterdam before Christmas and to reach Durban by the end of January 2016.

TNPA Chief Executive, Richard Vallihu, said the Ilembe would be the largest and most powerful dredger at any African port. “For TNPA having a reliable, world-class dredging fleet plays a vital role in facilitating economic growth within the country by ensuring our ports’ entrance channels, basins and berths are a sufficient depth and well maintained.  The majority of this work can only be done by having two reliable THSDs in operation.  We will only be in this position early next year so we are very pleased with the early delivery times and thank the management of IHC for prioritising our build,” he said.

Vallihu said the authority had recently ordered three new dredgers which represented the company’s largest single capital purchase. Dredging Services has a fleet renewal programme underway in excess of R2 billion, which would boost the division’s capacity to aid the removal of approximately four million cubic metres of excess material from the seabed every year at South Africa’s ports. “With our latest acquisitions we also hope to assist in providing spare dredging capacity for neighbouring ports in line with our Africa partnership strategy,” added Vallihu.

Fer Tummers, Executive Director of Shipbuilding at Royal IHC, said the Ilembe was the fourth vessel the company had built for TNPA. “The total lead time of this project is challenging. After a tender process that started in November 2013, we signed a contract in March 2014. From keel laying in January of this year to launching took us only four months, which is a record. We have promised TNPA we will do our utmost to get the dredger to South Africa as soon as possible and we are working very hard to make that happen.”

Local benefits

At the launch ceremony, Vallihu thanked Royal IHC for meeting its contractual obligation of executing a Supplier Development programme to the value of 25% of the contract value.

The company ensured that certain components were manufactured locally, in addition to the estimated 1400 tons of steel used in the dredger being imported to the Netherlands from South Africa.

Royal IHC also committed to transfer of some of its advanced technology and knowledge base to aid the development of local industry in South Africa, which would ultimately lead to improved efficiency and overall regional capacity.
Supplier development initiatives built into the contract included:

• The set-up by IHC of a dredging training centre, with Africa’s first dredging simulator and training material. This would be situated at TNPA or the Transnet Maritime School of Excellence in Durban and would eventually enable TNPA to train its own South African dredge masters.

• Localised capacity and capability building which would allow many components for the dredger to be built by South African companies, not only during construction but over the operating life of the vessels. IHC as an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) would develop a certain percentage of its products in South Africa. This strategic initiative follows a five year planning horizon with the intention to stay in Africa for the coming 20 years or longer.

• IHC was also training three suppliers in South Africa in the manufacture of special components and spare parts for the new dredger. These suppliers were Bay Engineering in Johannesburg, DCD Marine in Cape Town and Mis Engineering in Johannesburg. IHC had committed to investing in plant, technology, training, skills, capability and capacity building.

• Dredger masters would be trained once the dredger was completed and IHC had committed to make available numerous bursaries and training initiatives to local South Africans.

• The contract had thus far created new jobs, with local supplier Bay Engineering having created 11 new skilled jobs and 31 semi-skilled jobs, of which 76% of the positions were held by black individuals.

Features

After the launch Royal IHC would continue outfitting the Ilembe’s accommodation and then commissioning the components, followed by sea trials and finally, delivery.

The dredger was designed and built to achieve low maintenance costs and substantially improve productivity. She would run a 24 hour operation compared to the current 12hr operation. The dredger would also be self-sufficient in that it comes with its own workboat which, among its many tasks, will be used as a hydrographic survey boat.

TNPA’s dredging fleet renewal programme, which began in 2010, has to date seen the delivery of: the 4200m3 Isandlwana, a trailing suction hopper dredger; the 750m3 grab hopper dredger, the Italeni; and the replacement of two hydrographic survey boats.

Dredging Services expects the contract for a new plough tug to be awarded this year and a cutter suction dredger contract to be awarded in 2016.

The new dredgers are fitted with the latest technology which requires an intensive training programme including simulation training for the crew to ensure they understand the high-tech equipment and can properly manage the new vessel.

High-tech advancements on the new dredger include a fully unmanned machinery space, a fully integrated dredging control system as well as a PLC controlled engine control system, alarm monitoring system and real time digital tank soundings. It also has a customised grab position monitoring system with an accuracy of 2cm which is much higher than that of the old craft. 

Main features

• Length      approx. 101.5m
• Breadth     22.4m
• Depth      7.5m
• Draught     6m
• Hopper capacity at highest overflow level 5,500m³
• Inside diameter of trailing suction pipe  900mm
• Dredging depth     30m
• Total installed power    approx. 6,200 kW
• Trial speed (see speed – as mentioned below) 11.9 kts
• Complement     26 ppl