South Africa’s First Lady Zanele Mbeki was the guest of honour at a quayside ceremony in the Cape Town harbour on Tuesday to name a new R250-million purpose-built coastal tanker, the Southern Unity.
”May God and all of our ancestors bless this ship and all who sail in her,” Mbeki intoned, before using a pair of golden scissors to cut a ribbon and send a bottle of champagne smashing into the side of the vessel.
The Korean-built Southern Unity, delivered in February this year, is owned by local shipping company Grindrod, but will be operated by black empowerment shippers, Southern Tankers.
Just under 176m long, the tanker’s freshly painted red hull, blue deck and white superstructure loomed over the guests and dignatories who had gathered on the V&A Waterfront’s number two jetty for the naming ceremony.
According to its owners, the tanker will ply local waters, delivering fuel, refined petroleum products and chemicals from the Sapref refinery in Durban to other South African ports, as well as to other countries in the region, including Namibia, Mozambique, Tanzania, and Kenya.
In a statement on Tuesday, they described the Southern Unity as ”one of the safest and most fuel-efficient vessels currently in operation”.
Listed among the ship’s environmental protection features are a double hull and segregated cargo and ballast systems.
”The vessel also has computerised safety systems to guide cargo handling, a continuous fire detection system, and microprocessor-based navigation aids for additional safety and efficiency.”
The ship’s purchase was part of an empowerment deal, spearheaded by oil companies BP and Shell, as well as by Grindrod and Southern Tankers. The oil companies have awarded Southern Tankers a three-year contract to transport a million tons of petroleum products a year around the Southern African coast.
The Southern Unity‘s master, Captain John Williams, said that despite being christened in Cape Town, his new ship would operate mainly out of Durban.
It was a ”multi-purpose vessel”, capable even of carrying crude oil should the need arise, he said.
According to the owners, the Southern Unity has been designed to operate for 25 years. It will have a crew of 23, plus reserves. – Sapa