The Transnet National Ports Authority (TPNA) on Thursday marked the completion of the building of its first tugboat in Durban.

“The building of MVEZO and the eight other tugs in this project, demonstrates that this country has the expertise to compete in the global shipbuilding industry and to use the maritime economy to unlock the economic potential of South Africa, in line with the government’s Operation Phakisa initiative,” Transnet National Ports Authority chief executive, Richard Vallihu said.

The tug was named ‘MVEZO’ in reference to the small village in the Eastern Cape where the late former President, Nelson Mandela, was born.

The MVEZO is expected to be handed over to the Port of Port Elizabeth in February 2016, followed by handovers every three months until the last one is launched in early 2018.

TNPA awarded South African company, Southern African Shipyards the R1.4 billion tug building contract.

The tug building project kicked off in August 2014 and is providing a big boost to the local economy over its 42-month lifespan.

TNPA programme manager Eugene Rappetti, Senior Manager for Marine Operations, said the ports authority had 29 tugs presently in service nationally, but the requirement for bigger, strong tugboat fleets had increased in line with bigger commercial vessels calling at South African ports more frequently.

“TNPA’s new fleet will include nine tugs that are 31 metres long with a 70 ton bollard pull. The older tugs have 32.5 to 40 ton pulls. The increased bollard pull of these new generation tugs meets international standards and they also feature the latest global technology,” Rappetti said.

He said the tugs also have Voith Scheider propulsion which makes them highly manoeuvrable and able to change the direction and thrust almost instantaneously while guiding large vessels safely into our ports.