Italeni is the name of the new grab hopper dredger on its way to the Port of Durban.

The Italeni has been designed and built to achieve low maintenance costs and the vessel will replace the current grab hopper dredger, CRANE, which was recently equipped with a new grab crane.

This new equipment will be transferred to the Italeni after her arrival in South Africa when she will be used mainly for maintenance work in various ports throughout the country.

The dredger was named after the battle of Italeni, which took place near the Ithala Mountains where the Zulu King Dingane defeated the Voortrekkers in 1838.

Tau Morwe, Chief Executive Transnet National Ports Authority, said: “Compliant with our strategic objectives, the new dredger will ensure that we have capacity ahead of demand, and provide spare dredging capacity for neighbouring ports. This collaboration is in line with TNPA’s Africa Strategy. ”